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Whats the point of reporting on game industry news, when the industry is so secretive and news is so infrequent?

Umbasaborne

Banned
I was thinking about websites and youtubers whose bread and butter has been reporting on, or giving their impressions of new games and announcements, nintendo focused youtubers especially.

News and announcements are definitely not as frequent as they used to be, due in large part to publishers having much more control over the information cycle than they used to. I mean, shit channels like gamexplain and arlo are still making videos about that two minute kirby trailer, because its likely the only nintendo news we will get all month.

Youtubers like yongyea, or spawn wave, have made their living off reading reddit. This whole situation is clownshoes

Websites like ign are running articles based on comments from industry analysts who likely do not posess much in the way of actual insider knowledge. Seems like a dead end gig to me, idk.

Or worse yet, they all wait for jason schreier to do real journalism then flock to copy his articles like vultures.
 
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TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
I see no point in watching those kind of channels rather than just plain entertainment.

Modern gaming journalism suck imo. It's just a bunch of people spreading rumors and "leaks" and some people writing for websites that probably know far less about videogames than you average gaffer.
 

blacktout

Member
They're reading reddit so I don't have to. Sounds like a win.

This. I've learned to be skeptical of the channels that are just pure rumormongering, but I watch Spawn Wave most mornings, because he's pretty restrained and sticks largely to actual news stories, and when he does report rumors he's consistent about letting the viewer know they're unverified and not overhyping them. It's a good way to stay up to date on what's going on without giving clicks to sensationalistic games "journalism" sites or wading through tons of bullshit from clout-seeking leakers and "insiders."
 
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Coolwhhip

Neophyte
People have to fill their day somehow, I watch lots of things I wouldn't have if I wasn't bored all the time. Videogame youtube channels isn't something that interest me in the slightest though.
 
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This has been gaming news since the start of this current gen especially when ever dev, console company and publisher can go for months to years "Rockstar cough cough" without saying anything unless your net neg your older games are still saying you dont need to update the public in a timely manner.
 

Amiga

Member
I was thinking about websites and youtubers whose bread and butter has been reporting on, or giving their impressions of new games and announcements, nintendo focused youtubers especially.

News and announcements are definitely not as frequent as they used to be, due in large part to publishers having much more control over the information cycle than they used to. I mean, shit channels like gamexplain and arlo are still making videos about that two minute kirby trailer, because its likely the only nintendo news we will get all month.

Youtubers like yongyea, or spawn wave, have made their living off reading reddit. This whole situation is clownshoes

Websites like ign are running articles based on comments from industry analysts who likely do not posess much in the way of actual insider knowledge. Seems like a dead end gig to me, idk.

Or worse yet, they all wait for jason schreier to do real journalism then flock to copy his articles like vultures.

Look at the many threads/reactions to the MS/Acti news today and you get my point.
 

howitis3

Member
Gaming news used to be ran by enthusiasts. all of these people are just on youtube or running fan sites now. The reported now are failed journalism majors. They don't want to report on games. it shows.
 
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theclaw135

Banned
Maybe if people would speak out against the secrecy. Wouldn't it be awesome to have a minute by minute window into the creation of a modern game that, even with all the power of billion dollar corporations, takes years of manpower from multiple studios?
 

Zeroing

Banned
I blame the gaming Media, how it is so saturated it needs fights to have our attention, so their resort to any tactics to gain readers/views/clicks. I also blame the Internet celebrity status, how you can gain your 5 min of fame for doing nothing.

That is why I do not visit any any gaming websites. If you follow tech websites, chances of finding anything to gaming is slimmer but those are more meaningful and writers still take their take and energy to make good articles.
 
The industry is super secret due to NDAs. They are crazy restrictive.
I was talking with a dev at a MS studio through linkedin and I asked him some pretty mundane questions about graphics technology. I think I asked about Wether Mesh Shaders would catch on and if they would make much difference to game performance, and some other stuff about game engines. Nothing about the actual game he is working on, or anything really impressive, just talking about what MS has released already.
He cam back and said that he wouldnt be able to answer due to his NDAs. He went a little into how strict they are. He couldn't confirm if his game was using a particular engine, if their game was using any particular tech like VRS, DLSS etc.
It's really, really crazy how tight they are.
 
For those of you saying the journalism sucks anyway, what are your thoughts on video game historians and documentaries on YouTube? Do those count? Because I find them to be great works that are both fascinating and eye-opening.

Also what are your thoughts when a journalist uncovers info on a cancelled project? That Metroid Prime-esque first person Megaman game that was cancelled would have never been talked about otherwise.
 
Gaming news used to be ran by enthusiasts. all of these people are just on youtube or running fan sites now. The reported now are failed journalism majors. They don't want to report on games. it shows.
This here is the write answer, not only are they failed journalists but most game sites have changed so drastically in the past afew years that even reporting on news doesnt get them clicks anymore, one of my fav websites vg247 went down this root rip
 

Zeroing

Banned
This here is the write answer, not only are they failed journalists but most game sites have changed so drastically in the past afew years that even reporting on news doesnt get them clicks anymore, one of my fav websites vg247 went down this root rip
I agree, I told this story before but here it goes, back in 2013 my friend who worked at a gaming website spend 2 weeks making a big editorial about an early 90's PC game that it was lost, dev lost his source code while changing home and those who bought the game did not keep the floppy disks.
Meanwhile his co-worker in 2 minutes made an article about how resolutions did not matter and that little article got so many views, clicks and discussion that my friend's article was buried under all that.

He no longer works at gaming but his co-worker does.
 

Reizo Ryuu

Gold Member
There's no point, gaming journalism is a joke profession.
Also I've stopped watching trailers and previews and such, and just let things show up and be pleasantly surprised.
 
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