Posted by: yegolev @ 10:36:46 on 11/12/07
Game journalists, today is your day. Your day to read what I think about what you (and I) do. Wallow in your significance.
I'm a Game Journalist. What, you've never heard of me? That doesn't matter. You think anyone knows who you are? Someone knows who you are, but it's your fucking peers over at GameSpot, if you're lucky. People, and I mean your "readership" doesn't give half a fuck who you are, they just want to see the numbers. Numbers? What? Oh, yes, the review score. Your Reader: "Did you give Lego Second Life four stars? Really? Maybe I should buy it, then... well, none of my friends are playing, so here's your AdSense revenue. I'll see you on Black Friday... bitches".
Personally, I care who is writing a review for a game because I know that people who hate RTSes are often forced to review that sort of game by their editor. Lucky me, I don't have to review shit for F13 and that really is best for all of us. I mean, it would be meaningful to read a review I wrote if you knew what sort of games I liked. You don't, however, because there are ten thousand Game Journalists out there and they each have their little biases, and who the fuck can remember who likes what? Interestingly enough, people like me don't read reviews. This is because of the problem I just mentioned, but also because most of your articles read like they were written by the kid who was rejected from the yearbook committee. I could point out entire supposedly-legitimate media outlets that have apparently decided that they don't really need anyone to edit articles, and I mean for fucking spelling and grammar. I'm not perfect, but I do seem to be better than many of you.
OK, so there's the issue. Firstly, no one reads your shit. Secondly, you all suck. So, what to do? Lots of you journalists are into this scene for the same reason that the disgruntled janitor doesn't quit his horrible job at the local playhouse: "What, and leave showbusiness?!" Hell, that's why I'm here. Let's say I want people to read my shit... who is my audience? The mouthbreathers that keep EA in business? No, since I'm not doing this for money, but rather love of gaming. My audience is going to be the refined, or at least educated, gamer. There are really about nine of these people who are not already either making games or writing about them, so my directive is clear: I'm going to write articles for the people who really want to read what I have to say, and that's my fellow Game Journalists.
[discuss]
Personally, I care who is writing a review for a game because I know that people who hate RTSes are often forced to review that sort of game by their editor. Lucky me, I don't have to review shit for F13 and that really is best for all of us. I mean, it would be meaningful to read a review I wrote if you knew what sort of games I liked. You don't, however, because there are ten thousand Game Journalists out there and they each have their little biases, and who the fuck can remember who likes what? Interestingly enough, people like me don't read reviews. This is because of the problem I just mentioned, but also because most of your articles read like they were written by the kid who was rejected from the yearbook committee. I could point out entire supposedly-legitimate media outlets that have apparently decided that they don't really need anyone to edit articles, and I mean for fucking spelling and grammar. I'm not perfect, but I do seem to be better than many of you.
OK, so there's the issue. Firstly, no one reads your shit. Secondly, you all suck. So, what to do? Lots of you journalists are into this scene for the same reason that the disgruntled janitor doesn't quit his horrible job at the local playhouse: "What, and leave showbusiness?!" Hell, that's why I'm here. Let's say I want people to read my shit... who is my audience? The mouthbreathers that keep EA in business? No, since I'm not doing this for money, but rather love of gaming. My audience is going to be the refined, or at least educated, gamer. There are really about nine of these people who are not already either making games or writing about them, so my directive is clear: I'm going to write articles for the people who really want to read what I have to say, and that's my fellow Game Journalists.
[discuss]