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Secret game journalist list. Can we still trust MMO reviews?
CalmOceans
Member UncommonPosts: 2,437
The Verge, Polygon, Joystick, Kotaku, Engadget, Wired, Eurogamer, Gamespot, have a secret list of members and an agenda.
Most of their senior staff and game reviewers are in a group where they discuss behind the scenes which agenda to push. It tends to be a liberal agenda, so if you're wondering who is causing all the drama lately surrounding games...it's the media, and espcially those sites.
I thought this was a bad joke, but it's not. A member of this group released the details and the list.
Luckily I didn't see MMORPG on it, but I think more people need to see this.
How can we still trust reviews after this.
Dana Wollman - Engadget managing editor
Daniel Starkey (Twitter deleted, cached) - Eurogamer, GameSpot, Joystiq, Kotaku
Daniel Feit - Wired
Danielle - Senior Reviewer at Polygon
Davetach - Polygon
David Thomas - Youtuber “Game Dave” (I believe.)
Dead Yet Living - Unsure
Dean Takahashi - Lead Writer for Games Beat at Venture Beat
Dennis Scimeca - The Daily Dot (Formerly ArsTechnica, NPR, GamesBeat, Polygon, Kotaku, The Escapist, Gamasutra
Devin Connors - The Escapist (past Tom’s Guide, GameFrontCom)
Devin Kofsky - Social Media Celebrity Cruise? Freelance I think in the past.
Dtroid Niero - Destructoid
Erick Eckstein - Esquire Network, G4TV,
Erick Frederikesn / piratesyar - Technobuffalo
Comments
Over a 1000 comments so far, some outlets have responded, but many have not.
Most gamers weren't sure it was real 2 days ago, but with the pictures released today, we know the list is real.
http://www.gamerheadlines.com/2014/09/games-journalism-games-journo-pros/
Some of the emails have been released too, from within the group.
“Who here hasn’t slept with a PR person or game developer? #AMIRITE”
That's from large gaming sites, crazy.
Some outlets have admitted the group exists, some refuse to comment. I think some people should lose their jobs, and all of those sites have 0 credibility left.
I don't think we can trust reviews. The journo's need to maintain a good relationship with the devs and publishers in order to continue to work with them, get early copies of games for evaluation, invites to betas etc. I think that colours their reviews in that they won't say a game is outright crap, even if it's a complete cluster f**k. They'll point out a few negatives and give it a 6, which is still above average.
I think the smaller reviewers on Youtube are more likely to deliver an accurate review than someone working on the well known game sites or at a magazine. They don't have as much to lose if they piss of the big boys like EA or Activision.
So no, I don't think we can trust them at all.
Well they discussed it in one of their leaked conversations. You can find it if you wade through http://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/
Don't most people in some position of influence have self-serving motivations?
I mean call me critical but people generally promote themselves to a position of power and influence because they are arsehats, not because they are pleasant.
Boobs are LIFE, Boobs are LOVE, Boobs are JUSTICE, Boobs are mankind's HOPES and DREAMS. People who complain about boobs have lost their humanity.
Journalism, in general, works this way. That's why it's imperative for individuals to do their own homework, read their own books and cross-reference the hell out of everything.
In the gaming world, play the game you like, don't play the ones you don't like AND NEVER get caught up in media hype.
There is, it involves systematic agenda pushing, they act as a front to protect game journalists.
This leaked email is from someone from Wired.com regarding the issue. He's addressing the group. (which is how it got leaked, since a person from the group leaked it all)
"Anybody think something like that could be appropriate to address the circumstances that have been forced upon Zoe?
We should do this entirely under the radar, organizing it through word-of-mouth and email rather than Twitter. I made the mistake earlier of publicly voicing support and in doing so drawing more attention to the issue. I’d rather not make that mistake again.”
To the OP, who the hell didn't know about this already? Hell, I never read any reviews ever since I started gaming back in the 80's. I'd go to a friend's house, try a new game they got, and if I liked it then I would go buy the game for myself. Reviews are stupid, and they always make me laugh by trying to sale the game to the naive, TESO anyone? ... anyway, the best review is your own review by doing your homework on a game that grabs your interest, check gameplay videos, check online forums and read what people (AKA : actual players) have to say about it.
I'll give a quick example, you're not a fan of 2D side scrollers, and you read some reviews from those big named reviewers saying that this new 2D side scroller is the next big thing since WoW, so you go out of your way and buy the side scroller, just to end up raging because the game sucks because you never liked side scrollers to begin with. That's the reality of about every over hyped reviewed game out there, don't be naive and do your homework properly on any given game.
One thing for sure that I can certify right now, is that the new Gauntlet releasing tomorrow (Tuesday Sept 23 2014) will be absolutely KICK-A$$ !!! And I don't need any stinkin' reviews to confirm this or convince me otherwise.
The problem is the majority of people will just believe whatever there told and only a small amount will look past the propaganda. This leading to a minority that is usually ignored or ridiculed when they do state facts.
This post put me through a gamut of emotions; tears, love, laughter and mostly lots more laughter.
Thank you for making me feel again.
I have known for years that gaming journalism is very biased, and yes, even corrupt. Some gaming sites (that also use such journalists) are just as bad and in an effort to promote their own agendas, will censor, edit, delete, ban/shadowban, etc. anyone that dares to be critical (or question) of their game articles, reviews or God forbid, their ethics.
This recent gaming journalism scandal has been running for about a month now. It makes for some very interesting reading for those that are interested. So far, mmorpg.com has not been mentioned nor has mmorpg,com made any comments about it that I know of.
Shadowbanning is the new thing at many of those sites. Many people are unaware this is going on.
They ban people and deleted your comment, but you can't tell that your comment is gone, nor can you tell you are banned.
With some you will have to log out to see your comment is gone, with some it is IP address based.
You are preaching to the choir...I feel ya. I'm called crazy til Fox/CBS/MSNBC says it's true 2 years later...than I never said it...lol
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
I suspect its not an argument they would want to get involved in, as no matter which side they came down on, they would be opening themselves to attack from the other.
Personally, i will continue to take reviews at face value, but only as part of the 'overall' picture, i think here, game critics like TB and AJ etc tbh, there are many others too but i think they are probably names that most recognise, it doesn't really matter if you agree with their point of view, the point is, that its all information that you can use to form your own opinion about a game. The most important part after all, is that when you do decide to invest in these increasingly expensive games, you can do so with reasonable expectations that you do know what you are buying so that you are less likely to have regrets about that purchase later.
What do you mean "still"? I don't even watch reviews of games, I look on Youtube and see if it looks like something I'd want to play lol.
I can't remember a game that I watched a review for and then went and bought it, maybe I'm just weird. o-o
I suspect its not an argument they would want to get involved in, as no matter which side they came down on, they would be opening themselves to attack from the other.
Personally, i will continue to take reviews at face value, but only as part of the 'overall' picture, i think here, game critics like TB and AJ etc tbh, there are many others too but i think they are probably names that most recognise, it doesn't really matter if you agree with their point of view, the point is, that its all information that you can use to form your own opinion about a game. The most important part after all, is that when you do decide to invest in these increasingly expensive games, you can do so with reasonable expectations that you do know what you are buying so that you are less likely to have regrets about that purchase later.
They don't need to make a statement, their track record speaks for itself. Ultimately this website is their website not a platform where freedom of speech constitutional laws are followed despite what many think. You are not free to come on here and speak your mind, this isn't a public setting it's a private website.What EXACTLY is a 'LIBERAL' agenda in a gaming review site?
The rights of women to speak?....or what exactly?
That's pretty narrow to make a statement that implies mentioning "liberal" is somehow an attack on women's rights, I don't think that was what the op was suggesting.