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[sackings]

The truth is you cant. Do your due diligence and always get information from multiple sources. No different from the toxic MSM/big tech/hollywood propaganda machine. If thats your only source for news, the world ends up in the state that is in today. The future of news, gaming reviews, etc is in individual channels on youtube and (hopefully) decentralized distribution platforms where users arent in danger of being censored and demonitized by purple haired activists working at big tech.

 

[phil_t98]

There are many of these videos about now, but here’s just three.

Alannah Pearce:



Lamarr Wilson:



YongYea:



So... how exactly do we trust anything that people like this say?

Now, they may claim to not be reviewers, and to not be biased, and that they are just ‘fans’ ... but it’s utterly disingenuous to claim that these influencers don’t - you know, influence - the buying habits of the general public. That’s why Msft have sent them XBox Series Xs.

How do any of them remain objective? How can any of them be critical in any way, when they get all this lovely free stuff for remaining positive? How can any of us believe anything they say about the products they’ve been gifted?

You might think it’s all fine. No problem at all.

I think this is the kind of poisonous stuff that makes the video games industry far worse than it needs to be.

Edit: I assumed this would go without saying, but apparently not : I know full well not to trust these people... but there are many others who don’t know that. That’s where the problem lies.

genuine question now for the OP how did you feel about Epic praising the PS5 to high heaven and then finding out Sony had "invested" 250 mill into epic ?

 

[TheMay30thMan]

I don’t. Not sure why you do. Parsing through the thread, it’s weird to see that some posters are condemning the idea of even watching the videos. It’s just other people’s opinions. Watching them won’t brainwash you.

 

[Dargor]

I don't?

Never bought a game cuz someone else talked good or didn't cuz someone talked bad about it.

I see whats the game about and buy it or not based on that.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

pretty much dont watch any influencer on social media thats popular....

the less known the more likely they are legit.

if you must follow popular influencers ( theyre called influencers for a reason.....) then use your brain. if that doesnt get you far, all you can do is trust them until your intuition reminds you not to.

you can try to get as broad of a spectrum of opinons on the topic, and then deduce what you want based off the facts and how fake their persona is selling you unproven facts.

honestly it comes down to knowing oneself and what you may/or may not like. not what other peoples opinions tell you.

 

[Beer Baelly]

OP reppin the minorities.

 

[notseqi]

We don't. We wait for reviews by people we have identified with before and then buy. Preferably people who don't get preview copies, 'cause they shit on other games before that.

 

[I Love Rock 'n' Roll]

I play it simple: i don't.

 

[Rikkori]

Don't be stupid. I trust no reviewer no matter the product, because in the end they all make money by acting like unofficial marketing departments. Always cross-check results between multiple outlets & user reviews, and then make a decision on that. Then you still have to test it for yourself & figure out how it's best suited for you.

At the end of the day you can't replace thinking for yourself.

 

[Aggressive Carrot]

Their words mean nothing to me. I don't watch videos from streamers/influencers and random social media people. I don't even know most of them and couldn't point out their faces in a lineup. I know some names because they are mentioned here and there but that's about it. I've made my own decisions for as long as I can remember. I never needed the input of some random internet person.

 

[MiguelItUp]

they are fucking posing with it like its a god damn oscar.

I mean, as a YouTuber you're wanting to create eye-catching and bait-y thumbnails that will get you clicks. So, it works as they're literally showing the console.

I say you're safe to trust the opinion of influencers you already followed before hand. I say that because if it's an influencer you were familiar with previously, maybe they've been firm about "telling it like it is" or something. I mean, I've seen plenty of influencers or streamers that got preview keys early and they went onto say that game wasn't their cup of tea, it wasn't great, etc.

I will say just approach it all like you would approach reviews and all things related in general. With a grain of salt. Stick to your own opinion more than anything, and don't let someone else's sway your own.

 

[jaysius]

The industry has realized that people will buy things from "the average joe" so these people pretend to be that, but they're just as big shills as fully paid workers for the companies.

Here's something to watch out for a clickbait title, telling you how much they hate it, most of the video is about the person hating it, but then they bring it around to why you need to buy it.

Marketers have figured out that when you like something a little, are giving an opposing view, in your mind you're fighting for the product, this actually cements the slight positivity you had for said product, so by the end of the video you're watching, the "influencer" is just reeling you in for the kill.

Social media is influencing your buying habits, whether you're "too cool for that" and you "get it" or not.

 

[elenapska]

when they get all this lovely free stuff for remaining positive?

this is not true. MS does not know if the reviews will be positive, that's why it is risky for MS.

 

[Dolomite]

If you expect Influencers to who openly identify as fans to remain objective, we may have to reassess what you think Influencers do. Yes they are creatives with thier own content, but are also more or less human commercials when it comes to early previews. While I'm sure they actually are stoked to get the new XSX(PS5 preview units in a few weeks), it seems very obvious why they are selected to spread the word to fans.

 

[FunkMiller]

genuine question now for the OP how did you feel about Epic praising the PS5 to high heaven and then finding out Sony had "invested" 250 mill into epic ?

Well, It’s not really any different when you get right down to it, is it?

 

[Aion002]

Only when they shit on everybody like Angry Joe or Jim Sterling.... They complain so much about everybody and are ignored by those companies most of time, so they are somewhat believable.... Still:

 

[Strider Highwind]

Does anyone think any influencer or well known personality or critic of any industry was out here paying for their stuff?

Like y'all really think Siskel and Ebert were standing in line for movie tickets prior to reviewing them lol?

 

[FunkMiller]

Does anyone think any influencer or well known personality or critic of any industry was out here paying for their stuff?

Like y'all really think Siskel and Ebert were standing in line for movie tickets prior to reviewing them lol?

The fact you compare S&E to Alannah Pearce says something about this whole debate that isn’t encouraging.

 

[Hudo]

You just see them for what they are: Third-party marketing tools for companies. Their job is not being objective. Their job is to entertain and spread the word.

 

[Teslerum]

The fact you compare S&E to Alannah Pearce says something about this whole debate that isn’t encouraging.

He's right though. The principle of giving out free tickets/stuff for promotion has been standard practice even before video games. The quality of the comparison is different, but its still the same thing. Like food critics that get the food for free at the restaurant (which is everyone).

I don't get this thread and the outrage in here tbh. I mean yes? But what do you want to say? People are biased? Well, so is everyone ever.

I only see this as a problem when people do not disclose it.

 

[teezzy]

I trust all hot women.

Why would they ever want to hurt me?

 

[phil_t98]

Well, It’s not really any different when you get right down to it, is it?

exactly that. at least Microsoft were upfront in giving them it where as it transpired a few weeks after epic saying PS5 was amazing that they were also payed 250 mill by Sony as an investment

 

[Esca]

You don't

 

[SaturnSaturn]

You dont, as long as they get admoney, take free review copies and monetize their videos they are not objective, so unless you find someone reviewing a game for fun with 20 views its not trustworthy.

Just check gameplay and decide if the game looks good. Reviewers and gaming site will never bite the hand that feeds em

 

[IncognitoPanda]

You can't. Video game journalism died in its infancy a long time ago. Influencers are just sales people and it's what we have now. There might be one or two serious people out there, but I don't know them.

As an apropos, I tried listening to the Kinda Funny Xcast, or what it's called - the Xbox version. And no one there had a clue about what they were talking about. Podcast Unlocked is also equally bad.

My takeaway is that people don't care anymore. As gaming becomes more mainstream,the products and its consumers grow more casual. I'm not mocking it, it is standard human behaviour. Gaming simply isn't niche anymore, so you can be a casual fan. Unlike tabletop gaming for example which kinda requires a hefty investment of time and interest.

But yeah, I miss the old days in that regard :/

 

[Piku_Ringo]

If you can't trust yanggey who can you trust

 

[IntentionalPun]

You don't.

And it's nothing new. Having read gaming magazines since the 90s, they are all full of shit.. especially for anything pre-release... ever read a game preview that was negative? Nah me neither; it's because they are excited to get invited to look at something before it's out and don't want to get blacklisted from future stuff.

 

[Angel of BOOM!]

Best not trust anyone's option on something that they've been given for "free".

I mean, Alannah Pearce was added into Cyberpunk. Why do you think they went out of their way to do that? From of the kindness of their own hearts?

 

[Audiophile]

You can generally tell when they're being sincere (regardless of freebies or early access). It's in a different area (PC) but folks like JayzTwoCents and Gamer's Nexus are excellent examples of impartial and honest reviewers.

In the console space, I really like YongYea, even though he's pretty much telling me what I already know.

 

[The Alien]

I have less of an issue with independent YouTube creators getting free shit and showing it off than large media companies shilling
.

 

[MisterBrimstone]

Dude for real, what kind of person needs an opinion to trust in these topics?

Just look at gameplay and decide, it's that easy, gameplay doesn't lie.

It's a complete non-issue and people like that australian poser should get no views.

 

[Elder Legend]

There are a lot of jealous snowflakes I see...

Its called having your head on your shoulders without allowing others to influence your decision of a product purchase assuming that is you are a smart individual who can think for themselves while still being able to value opinions of other individuals that you may or may not admire.

Sadly, majority of the internet and social media is not like that as most people have a hard time to think for themselves but they love to talk shit and be constantly jealous or hateful of others because their life is miserable/less succesful than someone else's.

Oh btw Activision Blizzard sent us a digital copy of Crash Bandicoot 4. If you have questions feel free to ask

 

[Hinedorf]

Fucking kids these days...

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

This is it, thanks for making the post.

Just look at the pictures of the videos, it says it all. jesus i hate the state of the industry.

they are fucking posing with it like its a god damn oscar.

I'm in the same boat. Hate what the industry has become, honestly.

 

[Chairman Yang]

How is any of this a problem? If I watch a YouTuber's review, am convinced by it, and subsequently play the game, it's obvious if the review matched my tastes or not. Any supposed bias will be irrelevant if the reviewer has lost credibility with me.

What do others do? Do they keep trusting reviewers who regularly fail them and keep buying bad games or something?

 

[Chairman Yang]

Best not trust anyone's option on something that they've been given for "free".

I mean, Alannah Pearce was added into Cyberpunk. Why do you think they went out of their way to do that? From of the kindness of their own hearts?

I mean, they didn't do it for a favourable review, because she already stated she's not reviewing the game.

 

[[Asmodean]]

In other, mind-blowing revelations: chickens lay eggs.

 

[Arkam]

If you Trust them and think they are being objective you are in for some real disappointment. This is not a blanket statement about ALL influencers, but many are bought and paid for left and right. It comes in many forms, free stuff (games, HW, travel, meals, drinks), Insider info/early access, and yes in some cases a straight up check. Not gonna ruin a person's' name, but I personally authorized a $10k payment to one YouTube personality to promote one of our games. WAAAY more ROI vs a google ad buy for that amount.

Then there are the armies of paid Community members (probably some on this site). I have seen this practice at two of the game publishers I worked at. Identify who the main community members are and get them on the take. Its similar to buying influencers but MUCH cheaper and never involves direct payment. Since they are superfans, simply some early access and sweatshirt or two and they will "ride for the brand". When I was at EA we called them "Game Changers" and the official line was that we were just getting feedback from them... but that is such a lie. We flew them to the studio every year for a couple days. Let them tour the studio, see the early build of the game and play test. We would also take them out for dinner and heavy drinking each night. This made them feel like they were part of the dev team and cements their fandom even more. Cuz they want to be invited back next year...

 

[Sushen]

Interesting decision to use videos with XBox series X on it. Are you implying something? LOL

Of course, you should make your own decisions on validality of their opinions just like everything else out there. Everyone is getting paid (with money or something else) to do anything nowadays.

Should you trust Sony and XBOX executives when they make millions working for them?

 

[Keihart]

I think you gotta pick and choose those that earn the trust, that's how it always work even before with thinks like IGN, Gamespot and whatnot. Those sites had to ear the trust if they don't you shouldn't trust them and that's it.
I'm not a particular fan of any of those you posted so i wouldn't, Yongyea became a clickbait tuber a long ago and Alanah it's like who? I only see her on Funhaus.

I would be interested in Linus Tech Tips tho, they have earned my trust, they rip a new one on sponsors on a regular basis, they have showcases and reviews as different things, showcases are when a sponsor ask them to make the product look appealing and in reviews it's their honest opinion regardless if the product was sent or not by the manufacturer.

 

[Kenneth Haight]

I can’t find the link of that pathetic journalist lady who was talking to Gregg Miller and she said “Sony have never sent me anything for free, why would I like them?” Or something along those lines.

it was pathetic. If someone can find it I’d be most obliged. I couldn’t find it anywhere.

 

[johntown]

I use them as a general baseline but that is getting hard nowadays. I watch Twitch for games I am on the fence about to see if it indeed something I might enjoy.

I only have a few trusted developers that i buy games day one and don't care about reviews.

 

[spawn]

I feel like Yongyea is pretty straight up with his viewers and is genuine. The other 2 I don't really know that well. Bethesda sent him a Fallout Brotherhood of Steel helmet and he still talked shit about Bethesda for the mess that was Fallout 76

 

[Keihart]

 

[Angel of BOOM!]

I mean, they didn't do it for a favourable review, because she already stated she's not reviewing the game.

But she talks about it... Even telling everyone she's in the game and showing off the cool character she is. That's marketing right there.

Hearts and minds, hearts and minds.

 

[Chairman Yang]

But she talks about it... Even telling everyone she's in the game and showing off the cool character she is. That's marketing right there.

Hearts and minds, hearts and minds.

Yeah it's an obvious marketing move, else the company wouldn't do it. I'm not questioning that part. I just don't see the evil in it, or the harm to anyone. Alanah isn't lying to anyone, and if she started and gave misleading reviews, why would anyone take those reviews seriously?

 

[INC]

Simple

Don't buy day 1

And wait

 

[Angel of BOOM!]

Yeah it's an obvious marketing move, else the company wouldn't do it. I'm not questioning that part. I just don't see the evil in it, or the harm to anyone. Alanah isn't lying to anyone, and if she started and gave misleading reviews, why would anyone take those reviews seriously?

I'm not saying she's out there asking Publishers for free stuff to get a favourable review. However, if you get given free stuff; treated in a special way, it becomes far harder for you to say bad things about them. To stay truely objective. It's human nature. Publishers manipulate infleuncers and journalists, Influencers and journalists manipulate customers. It's been going on in gaming for as long as I've know.

 

[Angel of BOOM!]

genuine question now for the OP how did you feel about Epic praising the PS5 to high heaven and then finding out Sony had "invested" 250 mill into epic ?

Probably similar. Not saying Tim would go out of his way to say something is amazing if he doesn't think it is (he's got his professional integrity to look after) but I'd be surprised if he would bad mouth Playstation in public after they'd just invested in his company.

 

[Woggleman]

At the end of the day realize every review is a person's opinion and everybody has one.