A C|Net affiliate that reviews games apparently fired one of its editorial directors (reviewers) on the request of the jilted gaming company.
Reviewer Jeff Gerstmann was allegedly fired from the GameSpot Web site after a negative review of the game Kane & Lynch, from game developer Eidos.
According to Joystiq, Eidos pulled hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of future advertising from the Web site. To placate the almighty games god, "Jeff was sacrificed."
My son used to buy the occasional computer game magazine, and the "every game is uniquely wonderful" stain that infected the editorial content was easily discernable.
This can happen at any publication, not just overly-positive game reviewing sites. One solution, to go without ads, is an alternative. But magazines that go that route, like Comsumer Reports, tend to have dreadful reviews, in my opinion.
Ralph you hit the nail right on the head your,
"and the "every game is uniquely wonderful" stain that infected the editorial content was easily discernable. This can happen at any publication, not just overly-positive game reviewing sites.".
I believe it is also one of the reason so many CAD publication have disappeared. Only 'good' new news and questionable 5 star reviews are like sweets, you can't live or rely on them.
Balanced and truthful, warts and all, reporting is the key to establishing a long term readership base in the technical world. Games may be a little different?
PaulW
Posted by: | Nov 30, 2007 at 04:09 PM
If you'd put that attitude to work in cad related publications, you'd lose your credibility. There are just too many who know in-depth. As a reviewer you have to stay honest.
To a professional reader, it could be helpful as well just leaving out the bad bits though...
just my .02€ worth
Wind
Posted by: Windreaper | Dec 01, 2007 at 09:33 AM