• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Game "Journalism": Major sites fooled by 4chan, Jason Schreier offers GAF apology

I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be fake

...forget what I said earlier.

Dude, I cannot be the only one who wants to give you the benefit of the doubt, but...jesus. It's fake. If you don't believe that, you should probably just hush up until you have found whatever proof you're looking for.

Maybe you should give your twitter post another read after all
 

Sophia

Member
Oh man, apparently I am today's NeoGAF punching bag.

Okay - let me address this one more time before I get back to work. When I see a rumor, it seems plausible to me, and I feel as if our readers would want to hear it, I'll do several things:

1. Contact all of the companies involved.
2. Do as much research into the story as possible.

3. Make it clear that what I'm reporting is an unverified rumor.

After doing all of those things, if I still feel that the rumor is plausible, I'll post the story. As I did in this case. As more information becomes available, I'll update the story accordingly. As I did in this case. (In case you didn't notice, both Sony and Square Enix responded with a resounding "no comment." Other companies didn't respond.)

Now, I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be fake, both because I don't want to be wrong and because I really want a Vita version of Type-0, but if it is, so be it. I've been wrong before. I'll be wrong again. I hate being wrong as much as anyone would, but it happens. We live in a world where publishers are excruciatingly tightlipped and Internet denizens with lots of spare time like to make things up. All I can do is follow my instincts and do my best to make sure everything I'm reporting is accurate. And when it isn't, all I can do is hold myself accountable for my mistakes and do my best to correct them as quickly and as clearly as possible.

Pretty certain you skipped an important step. But that's okay, I just removed Kotaku from my RSS feeds.

And there's not a shred of doubt now that it's fake. We looked at the image. We know the source. The source admitted themselves that it came from 4chan. So I don't quite understand why you're defending that.
 

FoneBone

Member
Oh man, apparently I am today's NeoGAF punching bag.

Okay - let me address this one more time before I get back to work. When I see a rumor, it seems plausible to me, and I feel as if our readers would want to hear it, I'll do several things:

1. Contact all of the companies involved.
2. Do as much research into the story as possible.
3. Make it clear that what I'm reporting is an unverified rumor.

After doing all of those things, if I still feel that the rumor is plausible, I'll post the story. As I did in this case. As more information becomes available, I'll update the story accordingly. As I did in this case. (In case you didn't notice, both Sony and Square Enix responded with a resounding "no comment." Other companies didn't respond.)

Now, I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be fake, both because I don't want to be wrong and because I really want a Vita version of Type-0, but if it is, so be it. I've been wrong before. I'll be wrong again. I hate being wrong as much as anyone would, but it happens. We live in a world where publishers are excruciatingly tightlipped and Internet denizens with lots of spare time like to make things up. All I can do is follow my instincts and do my best to make sure everything I'm reporting is accurate. And when it isn't, all I can do is hold myself accountable for my mistakes and do my best to correct them as quickly and as clearly as possible.

For the 500th time - you posted the games themselves as a rumor. You, and all the other sites, still posted the Play.com "leak" as a fact, without any supporting evidence.
 
Y8eH4.jpg
Hey that was quality journalism!
 
I'd jump on the Jason Schreier hate train but he's actually normally really good at what he does (especially his JRPG articles).

Really though, shit happens. It happens a lot at Kotaku, I'll give you guys that.
 

scy

Member
Oh man, apparently I am today's NeoGAF punching bag.

For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure most people won't remember.

Now, I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be fake, both because I don't want to be wrong and because I really want a Vita version of Type-0, but if it is, so be it.

This and the Monster Hunter ones are the only really pseudo-plausible ones for Friday's announcement. But, even if they are true, it's more of a happy coincidence rather than these shots actually existing (well, barring the Monster Hunter one which actually was/still is up there).
 
Oh man, apparently I am today's NeoGAF punching bag.

Okay - let me address this one more time before I get back to work. When I see a rumor, it seems plausible to me, and I feel as if our readers would want to hear it, I'll do several things:

1. Contact all of the companies involved.
2. Do as much research into the story as possible.
3. Make it clear that what I'm reporting is an unverified rumor.

After doing all of those things, if I still feel that the rumor is plausible, I'll post the story. As I did in this case. As more information becomes available, I'll update the story accordingly. As I did in this case. (In case you didn't notice, both Sony and Square Enix responded with a resounding "no comment." Other companies didn't respond.)

Now, I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be fake, both because I don't want to be wrong and because I really want a Vita version of Type-0, but if it is, so be it. I've been wrong before. I'll be wrong again. I hate being wrong as much as anyone would, but it happens. We live in a world where publishers are excruciatingly tightlipped and Internet denizens with lots of spare time like to make things up. All I can do is follow my instincts and do my best to make sure everything I'm reporting is accurate. And when it isn't, all I can do is hold myself accountable for my mistakes and do my best to correct them as quickly and as clearly as possible.

I just had a quick look at your site, and I refuse to believe this much thought goes into anything posted on there.
 

FelixOrion

Poet Centuriate
He quit? Huh. Didn't know that.

A niche worth filling, I'ld imagine.

I know, he's still doing his webcomic, but stopped GJAIF. Technically the OT of the site is still going, abet sporadically.

I still remember that huge squabble he got into with a game Journo (Kurchera, I think?) that got really heated quick.
 

7threst

Member
Oh man, apparently I am today's NeoGAF punching bag.

Okay - let me address this one more time before I get back to work. When I see a rumor, it seems plausible to me, and I feel as if our readers would want to hear it, I'll do several things:

1. Contact all of the companies involved.
2. Do as much research into the story as possible.
3. Make it clear that what I'm reporting is an unverified rumor.

After doing all of those things, if I still feel that the rumor is plausible, I'll post the story. As I did in this case. As more information becomes available, I'll update the story accordingly. As I did in this case. (In case you didn't notice, both Sony and Square Enix responded with a resounding "no comment." Other companies didn't respond.)

Now, I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be fake, both because I don't want to be wrong and because I really want a Vita version of Type-0, but if it is, so be it. I've been wrong before. I'll be wrong again. I hate being wrong as much as anyone would, but it happens. We live in a world where publishers are excruciatingly tightlipped and Internet denizens with lots of spare time like to make things up. All I can do is follow my instincts and do my best to make sure everything I'm reporting is accurate. And when it isn't, all I can do is hold myself accountable for my mistakes and do my best to correct them as quickly and as clearly as possible.

At least you updated the post. The news article may be far from professional but at least you care enough about it to explain your actions here instead of just deleting the article or something. I can respect that.
 
Jason, I appreciate you trying to engage us and I'm glad you edited your post, but you (and the other major sites that carried this, to be fair) can't accurately claim that you did steps 2 and 3 when you seemingly hadn't even considered the possibility, prior to posting, that the three listings had never actually appeared on Play.com in the first place. Something to keep in mind for the future.
 

JABEE

Member
Oh man, apparently I am today's NeoGAF punching bag.

Okay - let me address this one more time before I get back to work. When I see a rumor, it seems plausible to me, and I feel as if our readers would want to hear it, I'll do several things:

1. Contact all of the companies involved.
2. Do as much research into the story as possible.
3. Make it clear that what I'm reporting is an unverified rumor.

After doing all of those things, if I still feel that the rumor is plausible, I'll post the story. As I did in this case. As more information becomes available, I'll update the story accordingly. As I did in this case. (In case you didn't notice, both Sony and Square Enix responded with a resounding "no comment." Other companies didn't respond.)

Now, I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be fake, both because I don't want to be wrong and because I really want a Vita version of Type-0, but if it is, so be it. I've been wrong before. I'll be wrong again. I hate being wrong as much as anyone would, but it happens. We live in a world where publishers are excruciatingly tightlipped and Internet denizens with lots of spare time like to make things up. All I can do is follow my instincts and do my best to make sure everything I'm reporting is accurate. And when it isn't, all I can do is hold myself accountable for my mistakes and do my best to correct them as quickly and as clearly as possible.

This is where you erred. Why post an UNVERIFIED rumor at all? Do you care about your own credibility as a reporter of news? Why attach your name to a FAKE report? Something you can't VERIFY.
 

Takao

Banned
And this is what is wrong with game journalism

"Sony's big Vita announcement plans on Friday"

It's a SONY JAPAN webcast with information about unannounced Vita titles, upcoming releases, and Vita services.

No one said anything about big vita announcements.

How big would you consider Phantasy Star Online? It was kind of big on PSP.
 

Kazerei

Banned
Even if the Play.com listings were real, would you consider it to be newsworthy? Until there's official confirmation or at least info from a very reliable source, I wouldn't bother posting sketchy rumours as news.
 
Oh man, apparently I am today's NeoGAF punching bag.

Okay - let me address this one more time before I get back to work. When I see a rumor, it seems plausible to me, and I feel as if our readers would want to hear it, I'll do several things:

1. Contact all of the companies involved.
2. Do as much research into the story as possible.
3. Make it clear that what I'm reporting is an unverified rumor.

After doing all of those things, if I still feel that the rumor is plausible, I'll post the story. As I did in this case. As more information becomes available, I'll update the story accordingly. As I did in this case. (In case you didn't notice, both Sony and Square Enix responded with a resounding "no comment." Other companies didn't respond.)

Now, I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be fake, both because I don't want to be wrong and because I really want a Vita version of Type-0, but if it is, so be it. I've been wrong before. I'll be wrong again. I hate being wrong as much as anyone would, but it happens. We live in a world where publishers are excruciatingly tightlipped and Internet denizens with lots of spare time like to make things up. All I can do is follow my instincts and do my best to make sure everything I'm reporting is accurate. And when it isn't, all I can do is hold myself accountable for my mistakes and do my best to correct them as quickly and as clearly as possible.

Lol. It's fined. You cant be a legit games journalist without gaf yelling at you about something.

I'm the one that tweeted you about this, so I do feel a bit bad about all the 'enthusiasm' some people have against you and the Internet. Just do what you must do. Don't be oblivious of the Internet folks, but don't let it change your personal morals and what not.
 

FoneBone

Member
Gamespot still has yet to update its story, but meanwhile:
eurogamer said:
UPDATE: It has been suggested that the image that formed the basis of this report may be a fake.
IGN said:
Earlier today, word of new Monster Hunter, Grand Theft Auto, Final Fantasy and Tales of Innocence PlayStation Vita games began to spread around the Internet after four Play.com retail listings appeared. Now, Neogaf users are claiming that three of the games were just a hoax.

The story goes like this. A Eurogamer reader sent in screenshots of the four titles on Play.com. When Eurogamer investigated, it only found a listing for Monster Hunter 3, which is still live. Assumedly, the existence of the Monster Hunter listing would confirm the reader's images to Eurogamer and the outlet would chalk up the three missing games to Play.com removing them -- this is, of course, fueled by PlayStation teasing that new Vita games would be announced this week.

Now, however, Neogaf claims the missing three were a hoax. The original story is below, but what do you think? Were they real? Were they a hoax? Do you care when rumors like these break and companies don't confirm or deny things? Let us know in the comments below.
"We report, you decide!"
Joystiq said:
Update: It turns out that three of the games were fakes made by a 4Chan forum user, though Monster Hunter 3 is still listed on Play.com. You got us, forum dude! And we're sorry.
 

Omikaru

Member
I know, he's still doing his webcomic, but stopped GJAIF. Technically the OT of the site is still going, abet sporadically.

I still remember that huge squabble he got into with a game Journo (Kurchera, I think?) that got really heated quick.
Squabble is the only word for it, if you ask me. It was quite ridiculous.

I think it just degenerated into Kuchera telling him to get a job, or go back to the UK, and other unreasonable demands for a guy who has no money during an economic downturn and record unemployment. He was pretty much gloating when GJAIF guy was struggling for money (for things like, you know, rent and food and important stuff like that), and it was a really downright shitty thing of Kuchera to do. And the only reason was because he called game journalists out for BS. The irony is that Kuchera will happily call out someone else for BS, but it seems that he finds an outsider providing (admittedly sometimes very harsh) criticism against game journalists unacceptable. It's a shame, because from the quality of his writing (especially for Penny Arcade recently), I thought Kuchera was above such stupidity, but he really did act like a child about GJAIF.

And there was also the times that GJAIF got into arguments with Jim Sterling. Though I thought they were pretty good natured, until Sterling decided to block him for some reason (though I don't know why).
 

JABEE

Member
Lol. It's fined. You cant be a legit games journalist without gaf yelling at you about something.

I'm the one that tweeted you about this, so I do feel a bit bad about all the 'enthusiasm' some people have against you and the Internet. Just do what you must do. Don't be oblivious of the Internet folks, but don't let it change your personal morals and what not.

Or don't post unfounded rumors just to fill the article quota for the day.
 
Squabble is the only word for it, if you ask me. It was quite ridiculous.

I think it just degenerated into Kuchera telling him to get a job, or go back to the UK, and other unreasonable demands for a guy who has no money during an economic downturn and record unemployment. He was pretty much gloating when GJAIF guy was struggling for money (for things like, you know, rent and food and important stuff like that), and it was a really downright shitty thing of Kuchera to do. And the only reason was because he called game journalists out for BS. The irony is that Kuchera will happily call out someone else for BS, but it seems that he finds an outsider providing (admittedly sometimes very harsh) criticism against game journalists unacceptable. It's a shame, because from the quality of his writing (especially for Penny Arcade recently), I thought Kuchera was above such stupidity, but he really did act like a child about GJAIF.

And there was also the times that GJAIF got into arguments with Jim Sterling. Though I thought they were pretty good natured, until Sterling decided to block him for some reason (though I don't know why).

My favorite thing about Kuchera is how he tries being professional one second and the next he's crying about not getting a review copy for a game and making up limericks on Twitter about it. I used to enjoy reading his articles but the guy is the definition of man-child.
 

Mr. Fix

Member
Well hey, you seem to know what you're talking about. Quote from your article:

jschreier said:
It seemed as if he was firing off rumors with no qualms or reservations, no matter where they came from. He didn’t cite sources or look for confirmation on anything.

Keep up the good work, Jason Schreier. The world of video game media/journalism needs more folks like you.
 

muu

Member
I was too busy preordering an iPad and didn't realize all this was a hoax.

So does this mean US gaming journalism has caught up with Japan at last? All the major 2ch roundup blogs post the biggest bullshit they can find, sometimes make their own and self-reply (using different IPs of course) to pump post/reply counts to make it look relevant, and then occasionally fix mistakes after everyone's finished retweeting everything to death with the fake info that goes back to their website.
 

scy

Member
Expectations for March 9th are now through the goddamn roof, incidentally.

Meltdowns or megatons?!
 
I like that the sites are beginning to update and acknowledge mistakes, hopefully we won't see much more of this (if any) in future.

And Jason, at least you came in here and engaged with the people calling you out.
 

WanderingWind

Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Lol. It's fined. You cant be a legit games journalist without gaf yelling at you about something.

I'm the one that tweeted you about this, so I do feel a bit bad about all the 'enthusiasm' some people have against you and the Internet. Just do what you must do. Don't be oblivious of the Internet folks, but don't let it change your personal morals and what not.

Wow. "Do what you must." "against you and the Internet." How about, "Do what is right" and "against this sort of behavior."

It's a little odd for you to think we have some sort of vendetta against a person I did not know existed until today. Or that we (the collective GAF, that we are...apparently) are just against games journalism. I think largely, the members here are greatly supportive of actual games journalism, and even of humorous games enthusiast bloggers.

What I don't see a lot of support for is the type of behavior we just witnessed. There is no excuse for posting rumors based on "gut" and "it seemed okay" and still pretending to fall under the banner of "journalist."

Of course it's hard to verify sources on leaks and rumors. That doesn't mean you post every rumor and leak based solely on an image and other sites hopping aboard it. As was pointed out earlier, if Jason and Kotaku had decided to pass on this rumor, or wait for it to be verified, we'd now be talking about how they were one of the major sites to be above this type of rumor mongering.

And his wounded pride bit about being a "punching bag" does nothing for me considering his earlier tirade about how the forum members here should do his job for him.


Actually, I'm asking you to prove the accusations you're making in this thread. You are accusing me (and other reporters) of posting incorrect information, but your evidence appears to be based on nothing but assumptions. If you want to continue throwing around tired "lol game journalism" insults instead of, you know, actually backing up your claims, be my guest.
 
Oh man, apparently I am today's NeoGAF punching bag.

2. Do as much research into the story as possible.

Did you contact Play to ascertain where the listings for these 4 titles came from? If not (which you clearly didn't do) then you are deserving of the punching bag title.
 

fernoca

Member
Seems that all the sites also missed an update I posted earlier; were aside 4chan it may go even back to Meristation:
That and the post from the thread starter:

First of all, I'm not the author. Someone re-posted the image on 4chan's /v/

4chan back then had the picture been posted around half an hour before been posted in here.Because of the time differences/screen caps (plus under the assumption that it was non-news) I didn't take any screen pics of the 4chan page.

The "chanarchive" also has post in all those times, but missing posts from around the time said image was posted.

Searching even more brought another result from Meristation (is in spanish).
Now, because of the time differences don't know if it was posted before or after here (not sure if the time in the forum is their time, mine, etc.). User posted the image, then in the next post; added a link to the games section saying that the games were removed.

Then another site grabbed the info/picture form there (also in spanish) while adding that the 'Vice City Nights' might be a prequel to GTAV.


***
As I've said multiple times...
The games could be real, could not; some has been hinted, some are expected. The thing is that noone bothered to check a source or confirmation. Just "someone posted this image: rumor alert!!".

Plus, is not like contacting them could clear any doubts. Aside the expected/generic response of "we don't comment on rumors"; what else are they going to say?
-When asked about the lack of local coop of SFxT on Xbox 360, Capcom's-rep response was that it wasn't possible on Xbox Live for technical reasons...even when it is possible and other games do it.
-When asked about a missing Tales "something" game on the US over Facebook, Namco's rep response was something about Microsoft exclusivity and other things; to later retract said statement.

An apparent play.com employee posted over Eurogamer that non of the games has been listed and another person noticed that MH3 has been listed for months; yet no response from play.com even when apparently some of the sites contacted them.
 
Really, don't expect more than a Phantasy Star game.

I'd buy a Vita for this. Seriously.

And his wounded pride bit about being a "punching bag" does nothing for me considering his earlier tirade about how the forum members here should do his job for him.

Give it a rest, I don't see you spewing this much vitriol against the other major gaming sites that reported this. At least Jason came in here to face the music. He's eaten his crow, now move on.
 

JABEE

Member
I'd buy a Vita for this. Seriously.



Give it a rest, I don't see you spewing this much vitriol against the other major gaming sites that reported this. At least Jason came in here to face the music. He's eaten his crow, now move on.

He hasn't really. He still thinks that if these games are announced that will validate his original article.
 
Top Bottom