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Do we need another revolt against Games' Journalism?

fart town usa

Gold Member
I just ignore big parts of the gaming media. I don't read their reviews. I don't click on their videos or links. I don't listen to their podcasts. I don't participate in the discussion around them.

They don't have anything remotely interesting to offer, whether it be their opinion, political stance or their knowledge around games. I have nothing to learn from these people.
This. Industry journalists of all stripes are grifters of the highest order. I have no interest in whatever they're pushing. YouTube Let's Plays is all I need if I'm curious about a game.
 

Fbh

Member
Best you can do is just ignore them, and support the ones who aren't part of their curated circle .

Not sure what a "revolt" would accomplish. It will just get dismissed as an "alt right biggoted" attack on "games media". And you know all publishers, almost all game creators, and all of big tech/social media would side with the established gaming media
 

futurama78

Banned
Problems need solving yo. Revolt is radical left. Need sustained talkins to defend stances. Revolt is cancel culture. But sometimes revolt is fun internet shiz
 
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StormCell

Member
Best you can do is just ignore them, and support the ones who aren't part of their curated circle .

Not sure what a "revolt" would accomplish. It will just get dismissed as an "alt right biggoted" attack on "games media". And you know all publishers, almost all game creators, and all of big tech/social media would side with the established gaming media

This just sounds like the state siding with the state-operated media.

I guess that's all that game journalism really is anymore. The parent company who owns the game developer also owns some media outlets who happen to oversee some of these gaming media sites. So of course the media is supposed to send the right message.
 

NickFire

Member
No more twitter wars. Stay away from confronting them online (or ever) and just ignore them if you aren't interested in being indoctrinated or watching them burn their witches. Reductions to engagement and ad revenue eventually work. Giving them ammunition to disparage people for being normal human beings does not work.
 

Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
If you don't like the direction some journalists and media outlets have taken with their permeating political activism, anger and pushback will do very little besides giving them validation. Hate clicks are as profitable as any click (or more, because they tend to be more recurrent).

On the other hand, you can support those journalists and media outlets that make games their focus and leave politics to the politicians. They certainly exist, in no small numbers.

What you click on and what you don't click on is your choice and your weapon.
 
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ANDS

King of Gaslighting
. . .why do you need anything other than OPENCRITIC (and only its front page at that). Game journalism is like political journalism - no one outside of a small group of people actually follows it unironically. You can make the argument that their opinions seep out into the zeitgeist but I would say it is small seepage.
 
Did everyone already forget how badly that first little "revolt" went? All it did was give these people mainstream media attention, along with a veritable treasure trove of examples of actual abusive behavior they can trot out whenever someone questions their side of the story.

Support the sites and writers you think are worth supporting, ignore the ones that aren't.
 

Anarchistry

Member
I'm shocked that no one has mentioned yet that RT is a state-sponsored Russian outlet. Their content is meant to provoke an emotional response in order to create division in the US. Kind of ironic when you are talking about bad journalism.
 
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StormCell

Member
Sophia Narwitz recently wrote an article and RT.com and posted a video version for those who wish to listen. In it, she discusses the current issues ongoing with the gaming space, the toxicity that comes from it, and the failures of the past in trying to hold gaming journalism accountable. She ends off with:



What are your thoughts on this, GAF? Do you think she has a point? Do you think she is being overly dramatic? Do you think she is on the right path?

Personally, I have to agree with her wholeheartedly. The gaming industry and the clique of journalists have created a hostile environment where you have to walk on eggshells or fear that your life will be ruined. Even something as minor as discussing whether or not something like authenticity in a game based around World War 2 or wanting to discuss a game about bloody wizards in school can have you shouted down, banned, and ostracized from communities for "misogyny", "bigotry" and other nonsensical accusations.

What I do disagree with is that we need a "gamergate 2.0" or a movement akin to it. What we need is just to make voices heard and stop providing these types with money from games they produce or clicks to their site. If folks who stop giving attention to the Schreier's and Alexander's of the world, they wouldn't be hired and wouldn't continue to enforce their views in the space. As with any company/corporation - they go where the money is.

Source: After Harry Potter game developer gets trashed for not being SJW enough, it's clear: We need GAMERGATE 2.0
Video: Why gaming needs a new consumer revolt

OP, I think something must be done to correct the current market. It has carried on long enough at the lead of some other master that doesn't appear to be the gaming community or its readers. You say we don't need a "gamergate 2.0" or a movement, and I understand the hesitance to invoke a revolution because the last one left a bad stain and had far reaching consequences, which was very unfortunate. However, you very plainly state that these media are creating a hostile and toxic environment that is ruining lives and, dare I say it, possibly even ruining games!

If we were somehow able to take an accurate census among gaming consumers, do we think the political alignment would be even between leftist activists and non-activists? What percentage of these consumers believes "trans rights are human rights" and such? I feel this is the problem that is hamstringing the market today is the money propping the gaming media has to be coming from somewhere else, because it can't possibly be reflective of actual gaming consumers. That is, basically, the gaming media aren't serving gamers.

If we can't cut off their source of revenue or reverse their hiring practices, then what? Ignoring them hasn't had any impact unless you count a couple of outfits going out of business as some sort of moral victory. The others don't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, so what?

I don't think attacking the current outfits directly is the thing to do. It would be much better for gaming fans to open new publications, gain wide followings, and have modestly deep pockets thanks to monetary support from real gaming fans. It would be even better if bespoke new publications thumbed their noses directly at the activist media to send a blatant message.
 

Termite

Member
A "revolt against games journalism" is absurd. Just stop clicking on shit you don't like, and share the stuff you do.

I have noticed that many American games media outlets are astonishingly political, though, and I get the frustration. Many of them, like Kotaku or Polygon, make the reader feel like the primary purpose of the site is political indoctrination with games coverage simply as the medium through which to achieve that. I don't think that's actually the case, though, it just feels that way because the more political they are the more likely they are to get clicks through shares on twitter, thus the impetus to become ever more and more political etc. It's all click-driven.

I don't get the same sense at all from most euro sites, and as I'm a euro that's alright. The US is in the middle of a fierce culture war, it is what it is. It sucks.
 

sloppyjoe_gamer

Gold Member
Honestly they don't represent me, or (IMO) most of us here who are the hardcore gamers, so i really don't give a shit what they have to say.

Too many crybabies at these places that dock games for being "tOo HaRd", or because something about a character or the story isn't "all inclusive", etc.....i just don't have the patience for it these days. It's just not the same anymore with these places. The only people i trust really for unbiased reviews, etc....are the regular gamers who live and die this hobby like i do.
 

Fidel

Neo Member
Whenever I see this kind of stuff, I remember men faking being progressive on tinder, because they know they won't get lucky with their maga hats and general asshollery.

Unless it's a really small independent media outlet, that's just some marketing suit throwing commom sense to the crowd and generating "negative" buzz from the morons with the "I'm a dumbass who pretend to know shit about politics bingo" dissing empty shit like "woke","sjw","indocrination", etc. In the end, the moron probably will still monetize the media/product he's complaining about, because he's a fucking maggot.

In other words they get the money/clicks from most of the consumers this way.

PS.: I often forget how americans understanding of politics is so shit. To think modern progressivism is a left/right divider makes my eyes melt.
 

Dick Jones

Gold Member
We can hardly expect a games journalist to not scrape the barrel when clickbait shit continues to get attention. Actual work takes time. When you do find interesting takes, follow them and support those who work even if the presentation sucks. I'd rather someone with weak presentation than a flashy shill (eg Greg Miller) as when they are genuine it sounds the same.

How many clicks did the MK trailer article about Chun Li get? Fucking too many but it encourages others to manufacture terrible takes as a result.
 

Durask

Member
I just walk away. In some cases, I might try to fight, but not in this case. Games journalism -- people with liberal arts degrees writing about videogames for a living (temporarily) -- is not a cause worth expending time, attention, or energy on. Let it fester in its own fetid pool of political correctness.
You may not be interested in critical theory but critical theory is interested in you.
There will be no place to walk away very soon.
 

SJRB

Gold Member
Like with any mainstream media outlet, mainstream game media has nothing of interest for me and I am definitely not their target audience.

And I never NOT chuckle at "videogame journalism", more often than not just a bunch of clowns typing out whatever they come across on Twitter.
 

StormCell

Member
Like with any mainstream media outlet, mainstream game media has nothing of interest for me and I am definitely not their target audience.

And I never NOT chuckle at "videogame journalism", more often than not just a bunch of clowns typing out whatever they come across on Twitter.

I think the point is that it didn't used to be like that. Chuckling at "videogame journalism" might as well be chuckling at "board game journalism" or any other form of enthusiast journalism. But like with anything, the more eyes you get on something the less there is that remains undiscovered. IE. What passes for a hot Nintendo tip from Nintendo Power back in the day is nothing but a regurgitated detail from the first YouTube or Twitch personality who uncovered the secret.

I still believe that there is some value that is provided by the broadcaster. I would still rather learn from lovable personality these tips than from Twitter or some leftist-activist hack.
 
Along these lines, I think one thing that might help is if Metacritic is eventually discontinued, deleted, destroyed, whatever, to prevent it from giving more unwarranted power to "official" journalists.

The fact that Steam links to Metacritic on each game's page irritates me, it just gives these chuckleheads a wider platform.
 

StormCell

Member
Clearly nothing’s stopping the freak show for now, but avoiding the circus as much as possible has atleast worked great for me personally.

🤷‍♂️

Yeah, you and I are great at adapting to changing rules and taking advantage of the failures of fools. However, while we're making bank we're going to look up in another 20 or 30 years and realize we made the money while ignoring the destruction of the world we knew.

it either matters to you or it doesn't. It's fine if it doesn't. For the sake of being real, we really don't have any clue what the next steps are from here. If we say nothing, ours could be a future where discovering your spouse had transitioned before you met is a crime and leaving them after discovery is elevated to hate crime where you lose everything, they take everything, and your life and career are left in ruin.
 
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BennyBlanco

aka IMurRIVAL69
I simply do not care about games journalism. In this day and age I just watch gameplay on YouTube and form my opinion independent of what some blue checkmark from San Francisco thinks. If I want a review there are good reviewers on YouTube like skillup who I know have decent taste and will flesh out his opinion without bringing up white privilege and trans inclusive character creators.
 

Cravis

Member
I can’t remember the last time I read a journalists game review or even preview for that matter. I get my gaming news from here and straight from the developers/publishers mouths.

Gaming journalists are going the way of the dinosaurs, milkmen, and paperboys.
 

nkarafo

Member
I'm struggling to think of a more useless profession.

I feel like even something abhorrent like a TV evangelist have more positive things to offer in a society.
 
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Reactions: e&e
Gamergate was a fucking joke to begin with so consumer revolts over stupid takes are meaningless. Never participate in culture wars. You'll regret it a few years later. Sophia Narwitz has her own agenda just like every other journalist. She has her own platform and nobody is silencing her. Games journalism is not a monolithic force out to kill gaming. I'm tired of this hyperbolic emotionally driven culture war that ends up making the gaming community look childish. Hogwarts Legacy isn't going to be 'cancelled'. Cyberpunk wasn't 'cancelled'. Gaming is doing fine. Gamers will not be targeted. Enough with this 'revolution' bullshit. it's a non-issue at best.
 
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Papacheeks

Banned
I would generally agree. However, the issue is that on an individual level, this doesn't change anything. These regressive minded folks will still have pull within the industry and continue to exert that power to make harmful changes to the games we love. If we can make this change at a societal level, things would improve tremendously.

What your suggesting is the same thing that brought down the "other" site, it meant well but people with agenda's wanted to use it for other purposes. To me the best way around this is to ignore them, people who try to yell louder than the other person usually get drowned out over time. Support the developer by buying their game, and supporting where ever they land. Dont give clicks to the journo's. If we buy the game because it's good and well made, the journo can't cancel a sale that already happened.

If you want to be a coward, that's fine. You do you.

Change doesn't happen behind a computer screen and keyboard. It happens in person where reality is the key differentiator. Trying to have random ass people with no human connection outside of a avatar trying to rally together instead of standing literally next to each other for a common cause will accomplish nothing. And if anything should not be the way forward in getting things changed. God if this is what people think is how bills and laws will be passed in the future god help us.

Thats why USA is in the shit state its in currently, people think rallying at a convention or on a message board is progress.

Um, no progress is getting involved with your local government who then can make a case higher up the ladder. IF YOU are not involved in your local government why should anything change for you or people you represent? Just because you yell really loud on twitter and forums isn't making people notice or sympathize with your issue.

Social media is a tool to be used to get information out, not to change parliament, labor laws, settlement cases, sexual harassments ect. We have system for all of that, and if used correctly does work, maybe not fully all the time, but it does work when used.
 
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Papacheeks

Banned
She forgot to mention that Zoe Quinn literally caused a witch-hunt that ended with a suicide.
Nobody holds her or any of her mob slaves accountable.

Yes there needs to be a meltdown of some sort, and I am sure it will come.

Yea she is a shit monster. And all the blame isn't on her, but her generation. Blame is on the smartphone in everyone's hand and social media apps. If she had gone through proper channels and sought correct action, that guy might still be alive. But she was a coward like most "so called victims" and used social media to have random people rally behind her to get noticed.
 
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Don't fall for the bait. It's a double win for you.

You don't give them the clicks they need and you don't expose yourself to bullshit.
 

Humdinger

Member
You may not be interested in critical theory but critical theory is interested in you.
There will be no place to walk away very soon.

Oh, I don't know. I can walk pretty far.

I don't buy into the dark, pessimistic scenarios about how this nonsense is going to take over the world. I live in a red state, and very little of that nonsense filters down here.

And more generally, remember we're talking about game journalism. What is the ominous scenario we're talking about? Jason Schrier coming to my home and forcing me to read Kotaku? No, Jason, I won't do it! (I guess he works at Bloomberg now.)

Let's keep things in perspective. Game journalists are mostly young people fresh out of college with English, journalism, or other liberal arts degrees, who have taken a job in games journalism because they couldn't get something better. Most of them don't even seem to like games. They like expressing their life philosophy, which they absorbed in college, and trying to make the world a Better Place through their work, bless their hearts. Ultimately, though, game journos are young, naive kids working low-wage, dead-end jobs.

Why should I be intimidated by that, or afraid of that? I find it laughable, not frightening.
 

BigBooper

Member
Though I agree with some of the sentiment, no we do not, or at least I do not. I don't read game news to get anyone's political perspective, whether commie or conservative or sjw or mra or blm.

Conservative game news outlets are just as bad as the liberal ones in doing the one thing I want them to do, give me news about games. Anything else is noise that I'm not interested in.

I don't personally have any interest in a revolt, because I avoid them almost entirely anyways. I've probably read one article from mainstream games press in the last year.
 
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kiunchbb

www.dictionary.com
Ignoring, not clicking on their website, social media, youtube page is the best you can do. They get pay by attention, canceling is just free advertisement for them, eventually they will eat themselves.

They are not a government agency, there are no term limits and you can't vote to replace them, so there are no point on bring people's attention.
 

Nester99

Member
We need a revolt against ourselves.


Journalism is not shaping us, we are shaping it. Its not just gaming its every avenue.

People just love the drama and send clicks (Support) to bull shit that fuels more bullshit. Its a cycle and the public behaviors are the ones at fault.
If click bait "Gotchyas" did not work, they would not exist.

I believe media reflects back on humanity, its not pretty. They rally against things because "We the public" cheer them on.
 

oagboghi2

Member
I'm shocked that no one has mentioned yet that RT is a state-sponsored Russian outlet. Their content is meant to provoke an emotional response in order to create division in the US. Kind of ironic when you are talking about bad journalism.
You have got to be fucking kidding me 🙄😂

I'm sure peoples displeasure with game journalism is just a kremlin plot
 

MayauMiao

Member
Not only I have completely ignore these so called "journalists" but I also never gave them a single click, made sure to ad block their site, and if their videos are suggested on my youtube I made sure they got a good amount of dislikes.

I can't remember the last time I read any reviews from the likes of Kotaku or Polygon.

Remember Vice's Waypoint? That was a wonderful disaster.
 

John Day

Member
I just ignore big parts of the gaming media. I don't read their reviews. I don't click on their videos or links. I don't listen to their podcasts. I don't participate in the discussion around them.

They don't have anything remotely interesting to offer, whether it be their opinion, political stance or their knowledge around games. I have nothing to learn from these people.
Praise the Fucking Sun, mate. Exactly.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
It's not just a MSM media thing. Weirdo BLM/Antifa rioting, cancel culture and social media idiocy is a left wing thing.

But you guys got to look at why. Take a look at them.

Typically total losers. And they know it. Putting up a brave face in a Twitter pic is overshadowed by their miserable life off camera. Shit job (if any job), artsy academics (assuming they even graduated), drugged up, pinked haired, nose ringed, tattoo faced dead beats. Their last bastion of attaining glory is the internet which lucky for the world is accessible as long as you can pay for monthly bandwidth.

You don't see the typical career minded and family men and women who strives to balance making money, caring for kids and paying a mortgage get involved in cancel culture, doing Seattle CHOP zones and slapping people in the back of the head walking down the street. They got more important things to worry about. Even taking the kids to soccer practice on time is more important.

And you also almost never see great looking popular men and women do it either. Think of all the good looking people you know, especially ones who have a decent job. I bet none of them do weird lefty shit. They love their job, love putting in effort to looking good, great to chat with at a pub and most people think they are great people.

You don't even have to be good looking or even have a great job. Just be a decent person and don't look and act like an asshole, and people will like you.
 
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