I'm glad to know we're on the same page!
If I had to choose a specific thing I didn't like about merchandise unboxing videos, it's that they have nothing to do with the game itself. There's no substance in it. It's about the merchandise that comes with a premier edition of the game, rather than the content of the game itself. I can see why people would enjoy them and I don't insult people who enjoy those videos, but I don't particularly enjoy seeing videos like that on game journalism sites. To me, it's just extra merchandise. To you, they're Collectibles. There's nothing wrong with at, all I'm saying is that I don't enjoy them.
Does that hurt Kotaku's credibility? For some, it does. Maybe people share my sentiment and want to see more journalism and less talking about extra things that will be coming with special pre-order bundles (I'm not following Halo 4 at all, so I have no idea if this thing is a pre-order bundle or what). The content of the game has the highest importance, while merchandise is of very little importance to me.
Right. I wasn't trying to criticize you, specifically, but the people who feel that it makes Kotaku less credible. I can't wait, for instance, to check out a copy of The Avengers Phase 1. The packaging, the gorgeous DVD covers, the metal briefcase... that's all really interesting to me, so I'm excited about it.
I absolutely agree that the content is of the highest importance, but literally everything about the medium is interesting to me, from the process of development, to the way it's distributed, to the game itself.
If someone wanted to write an expose on the day in the life of a booth babe (props for going undercover), I'd read it. If someone wrote an article about the tools developers use to make games, cool, I'd read it. If someone wanted to write about advertising in games, you bet I'd read it.
Games, absolutely, are the meat of all this, but all that other stuff? The packaging, the advertising, the breakdown cost of a game, the distribution, everything... it's all fascinating to me. I feel like content would be boring if all we ever talked about was JUST the games. Whether it's the artistry of good packaging or the passion of the people behind a product, I'm interested in it.
So... I have a hard time understanding people who feel that an unboxing video is unethical or reprehensible. If you (anyone reading this, not specifically you, HyperCubed4) want to criticize Kotaku, by all means, tear 'em a new one for not respecting their audience, the excessive random articles about Japan, the way they destroyed their excellent commenting system, the way their headlines seem a bit baity, anything Joel Johnston wrote (I'm so glad he's gone), or whatever else. But whining about an unboxing is just silly.
I would bring it up in the next video. Ask your viewers which they would prefer. Pose it like "do you want us to spend time on camera opening this stuff up, or would you rather we just skipped that and showed you what's in the box?"
If you're asking me, I'd say just show what's in the box.
Whereas I would have been like "why are you talking to me, Totilo?" and then "actually, yes, show me some of dat sweet, sexy packaging." Because I like packaging.