CheapAssGamer.com‘s CAGcast podcast recently discussed, well, I’ll let CheapyD himself tell it to you:

On CAGcast #133, Wombat and I discussed how major gaming blogs seem to
post any and all gaming rumors with little consideration given to the
credibility of the source or the plausibility of the story.

It goes on to use the specific example of the G4-Xbox 360 “relaunch” that spread like wildfire all the way up to Adam Sessler’s Sessler’s Soapbox segment. As an experiment, CheapyD and Wombat offered a free game to any listener who posted a fake news story that ended up getting picked up on any one of the major gaming blogs (Destructoid, Joystiq, Kotaku). Well, do a Google search for “xbox pure” and you’ll see exactly how that experiment fared (read: very well).

Since then, the backlash from these Blogging sites has been quick and strong, with Kotaku Managing Editor Brian Crecente posting just how he really feels about being duped:

It appears that this rumor story could be CAG throwing their
credibility out the window as part of a contest. Kotaku”s decision to
run rumors is always based on the credibility of the site and the
information contained within it. In the past CAG has proven to be a
reliable site, having broken a number of stories through apt reporting.
It appears that may no longer be the case.

I have been very critical of Video Gaming journalism in the past, only because the industry deserves more. It is a multi-billion dollar industry covered by immature twenty-somethings who would rather emulate gaming blogs rather than rise above them as true journalists. Imagine if the motion picture industry, of which video games is nipping on the heels, had to rely on Ain’t It Cool News or C.H.U.D. for coverage. No Variety, no Premiere, no Interview magazine; just a bunch of kids who started a website to post snarky half-wit comments on multi-million dollar projects of which they have little creative knowledge and no business sense. Just doesn’t sound right, does it?

In regards to video game blogging – these blogs have demanded the same attention from the industry as legitimate gaming sites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameDaily, and Gamespot. And the major blogs have been so successful in terms of generating an audience that these said legitimate gaming sites have changed their style and presentation to capture some of that same audience, blurring the line between the two.

But Crecente’s comment made that line a little more clear. Even with his background in traditional journalism, he makes it evident his blog does not follow the same standards or ethics as legitimate news sources. Kotaku, like Joystiq and Destructoid, are nothing more than RSS feeds with commentary. To accuse CAG of any wrongdoing is like the Wizard accusing Dorothy of looking behind the curtain. Those who wish to hide behind a facade are only at risk of being exposed; whereas those who have nothing to hide also have nothing to fear.

I applaud CAG for what it did, and I hope they continue to demand more from the video game press both with intelligent discussion on the website and podcast and creative experiments such as this.

Source: Heard Any Good Rumors Lately?

Another week, another very good weekly used game sale at Gamestop. Although I scratch my head at the discrepancy between individual store’ policies on handling used games, I’ve found more than a few gems at great prices post-discounts which could be cleaned up rather easily to look good-as-new.

So as the pathetic soul that I am, I spent my thirty minutes of free time this weekend Gamerscore-whoring through Madden 06 on the Xbox 360. And then I put the two separate thoughts together – the creation of the Gamerscore has to invigorate the used game market in some way. Think about it – in years past, no one would have been interested in Madden 06, or King Kong, or Avatar much after their release. But Gamerscore gives players a whole new reason to go back to older Xbox 360 titles – and potentially for those titles to hold their value in the resale market.

One could also say this would bode well for the rental market as well, but I don’t think the same is applicable. The last time I rented a game it was close to $10, and that same game could be found in the resale market for between $5-$10. Don’t forget, with ownership comes the luxury of dipping back into the resale market, something that doesn’t come with rentals, or digital distribution for that matter.

What do you think?

During one of the recent excellent “Gamestop 25% off used PSP games” weekly deals, I picked up the Square remakes of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II in preparation for my family’s annual week of relaxation at the New Jersey shore. I now, over the span of five consoles, have accumulated the entire series of numbered Final Fantasy titles sans FF XI. And with that accomplishment, I’ve finally set out to conquer the most storied RPG franchise in video game history from its initial installment.

I’m about six hours into the game, and I’ll start by saying this is the type of game for which the PSP was created. Fast load times, simplistic controls, incredible price-to-gameplay value are characteristics of a blueprint that should be copied for all PSP games to come. Unfortunately, as the PSP catalog amounts to nothing more than a dumping ground for PS2 ports, complete with the requisite shoehorning of its dualshock control scheme, Sony continues to position the PSP to be something more than what it should, or can, be.

It would be unfair to talk about the shortcomings of the game itself, as its core gameplay is 20 years old; but it is a disappointment it wasn’t given the same overhaul as FF III and IV for the DS. There needed to be something to spruce up the rudimentary story and bland characters of a game that just did not age well. I was continually thinking of the original Golden Sun title for the GBA, and how that was a better game both technically and creatively.

Maybe it was my waning interest in FF, but it also exposed another need for the PSP – in-game custom soundtracks. If Sony keeps preaching the media capabilities of the PSP, what better than to integrate the ability to play music stored on a memory stick while playing a game? It would have been perfect for a game like FF to be able to listen to my backlog of podcasts and at least remain interested while progressing through dungeon levels and random battles. Sony, if you could add this via firmware to the XMB, I would love ya for it.

So now the question is, should I continue to press through FF or just skip to FF II and beyond?