The Good, the Bad and the Huh(?)-gly
When it comes to video games I guess you could say I’m a novice. Before this week I rarely — if ever — read articles or followed news pertaining to the industry, instead reading and writing about television. But as games become a larger part of our cultural currency it only makes sense I learn to write about them — and what better way to do so than reading and analysing news.
THE GOOD | Keith Stuart’s Gamergate: the community is eating itself but there should be room for all piece in The Guardian serves as an excellent primer for those not familiar with what’s currently been making headlines in video games news, while also presenting his own opinion on the matter — which he does quite objectively, presenting the facts as they are and not vilifying anyone in the process (even though it would be quite easy to). This in particular, makes it quite easy for those on either side of the issue to digest and possibly, accept.
But what I really appreciated about his article though, is that he takes care to note that it is a few members of the wider gaming community who have given cause for the negative stereotypes that pervade public consciousness when it comes to video games and those who play them, analysing the term “gamer” and likening it to other identifiers like “film buff” or “bookworm.” Often, fandoms — be they big or little — aren’t portrayed in the fairest light when it comes to large press outlets, with writers and reporters portraying them as outside the norm (honestly, is it really a surprise that people cosplay at conventions?), using a few to represent the many — especially if they’re one or two bad apples in the much, much larger bunch. I also like that he notes that he’s “mocked and criticised the excesses” of “self-confessed hardcore gamers,” in a way allowing for the transparency that’s being called for in games journalism, while adding to the objective, mostly neutral, tone of the overall piece.
THE BAD (AND HUH(?)-GLY) | A piece I did not appreciate was Mike Fahey’s The latest stupid mobile puzzle game I can’t stop playing on Kotaku. While Fahey’s post could be considered newsworthy (he is talking about a new game he started playing) it definitely isn’t journalistic. He mentions the game and describes it, but he offers nothing else beyond the fact that he
“can’t stop playing.” The piece itself is too brief and doesn’t really offer an opinion or any reporting — it might as well be a tweet or something he texted his friend. Of course, based on the image accompanying his brief paragraph, the game doesn’t really need to be explained as there are many out there like it. But perhaps Fahey could have talked about or examined why he finds himself playing this game constantly. Good journalism always adds something to the story it’s reporting (as is the case with Stuart’s piece) and Fahey definitely does not do that here.
Another thing I found problematic was the title, which pretty much insinuates the game is stupid because it’s a mobile game. Given the fact that a lot of people who play mobile or online games aren’t considered “gamers,” Fahey could have simply omitted the word — or chosen a better title.
In conclusion, much like with any form of journalism, there’s the good and the bad, it’s just up the writer themselves to make sure what they’re writing is good.
