I admit I was wrong when I started my crusade over three years ago. The popular and vocal media outlets thought videogame journalism was merely reviews and game criticism, and judging from the evolution of my posts on the subject, even I lost focus. “Should reviews have scores?” “Should reviews be based solely on technical merit?” Those were the arguments of the day, and every once and a while someone would ask the obvious question, “Should it be called journalism or criticism, or merely writing?”

The obvious answer, is all of the above.

Back in July 2006 I wrote a post entitled, “The Lester Bangs of Video Games is Under Our Noses,” in response to an article by Esquire’s Chuck Klosterman. Klosterman compared videogame criticism to film criticism, and theorized why there was no equal.

Video games provide an opportunity to write about the cultural consequence of free will, a concept that has as much to do with the audience as it does with the art form. However, I can’t see how such an evolution could happen, mostly because there’s no one to develop into these “potentiality critics.” Video-game criticism can’t evolve because video-game criticism can’t get started.

In my post, which was part of the Carnival of Gamers and spotlighted on Joystiq, I disputed criticism did in fact get started, but the media was just looking to the wrong critics.

The game industry is different in that it has an ever-expanding group of outspoken innovators and creators who not only critique the work of their peers, but also try to advance their craft by educating and stimulating the gaming populous with their blogs and journals about what it really means to make and play video games. They are one of them, very literally.

But again, the focus was criticism. And criticism was not to be the savior of videogames journalism.

Since that time, and really only until recently, games journalism has been treated like a business that begs to be covered with maturity and experience.

Ben Fritz did just this as former writer for Variety’s The Cut Scene blog, now entertainment business reporter for the Los Angeles Times. As his blog indicates he is indeed a fan of videogames, but instead of approaching his interest as an enthusiast, as was the trend at the time; he did it as a reporter, covering such stories as Midway’s meltdown in 2008. The IGNs and 1UPs of the world argued journalism didn’t translate to page views and subscriptions, but to his benefit Variety had no interest in becoming a blog read by teens.

At the same time, Stephen Totilo emerged as games reporter for MTV News, and started the MTV Multiplayer blog where he stayed before moving on as deputy managing editor at Kotaku in 2009. He wrote about how his Master’s in journalism helped his game writing: “That degree was by no means essential, but it helped. It helped me take reporting seriously.” More importantly, that same Master’s helped Kotaku transform itself from an news aggregate with a knack for potty editorials to a respectable industry blog with a team of seasoned writers and reporters.

In the past week, Totilo protege Patrick Klepek captured the Activision/Infinity Ward feud as an event worthy of a front page bombshell. Klepek, once caught in the sophomoric Animal House antics at 1UP, left for the nurturing confines of Totilo’s MTV Multiplayer blog and now covers videogames at G4 with the same propensity as his mentor.

In 2009, GamePro appointed former EGM editorial director John Davidson as executive vice president of content for its magazine and website. Always a proponent of quality content coupled with a sharp business sense, Davidson has attempted to successfully blend the two into the first few issues of the relaunched GamePro Magazine by tapping notable internet videogame journalists for editorials and handpicking content which clearly speaks to a more mature and sophisticated reader, and packaging those into a book that can be sold to the masses at the newsstand.

Four examples of writers, reporters and editors who have treated the videogame industry not like a childish diversion but rather the $20 billion business it has become.

The answer is there is room for writing, criticism and journalism in videogames media, but the media itself could not grow without true journalism. Sites like Giant Bomb and Joystiq can continue their brand of writing and podcasts as infotainment without the burden of trying to be journalism. Or needing to be journalism.

The emergence of true journalism in once-enthusiast blogs and mainstream outlets brings the possibility to millions of daily readers that the “Lester Bangs of Videogames” argument may now be a distant memory.

On Area5’s first CO-OP episode, I saw the parade of ex-EGM/1UP employees marching up the stairs and thought, “Hey, James Mielke isn’t there. They must really hate the bastard.” After all, he was the last EIC at EGM, the one that was supposed to lead the magazine back to the promised land.

And you know what? Well, let’s just say I told ya so.

Being an outsider, and by that I mean someone outside of the games journalism circles, I can very specifically define the type of person James Mielke is. He craves attention, most likely stemming from personal issues regarding him being adopted as a young child. He was abandoned once, by the people who should have loved him most, and even though he was found by a seemingly wonderful family, he’ll always seek acceptance by anyone and everyone or risk being abandoned once more. Everything he did at 1UP wasn’t about how much he loved videogames, it was about how cool James Mielke was. Every interview was to show the world not that he was a fantastic journalist, it was to show off who he knew on a personal level. He didn’t DJ because he loved the music, it was so people would accept him for the music to which he listened.

His personal blog posts are an ego trip spewing details of his synergistic relationship with New York City, brushing aside the tens of millions of people who have called The Big Apple home. Coming from someone who did, I can certainly say no New Yorker would profess their love for the city by saying they love it more than the next guy. True New Yorkers brandish their time in the city like a tattoo – beneath layers of clothing, to show only when asked, and to keep the true story to themselves – yet it permeates their soul, defines their character. They don’t have to tell people, “Hey! I’m from New York!” because they are from New York. James does the complete opposite, and every self-respecting New Yorker wouldn’t give him the time of day because of it.

And I think that’s exactly what happened during the 1UP aftermath. 1UP folks banded together to create new business ventures, or to reflect on the past. But James was not found in any of it. He was cast out of the fraternity by its own brethren. Whether he was invited to that Area5 video or not, he wasn’t there. He previously worked for Gamespot, but when the Giant Bomb guys wanted to bring in someone to talk about the sale, it wasn’t him. And I’m sure if you ask anyone close to him, of the people whom he calls his friends, the feeling isn’t nearly as mutual.

Now he’s back at 1UP/UGO, but it wasn’t purely because he needed, or wanted, the job; nor was it because his relationship with Sam Kennedy. It was so that he could once again be in the spotlight, to stand on the world’s stage that is the Internet and speak to all who will listen.

Admittedly, I tuned out of The 1UP Show months ago because I was growing tired of the talking heads at 1UP. But the first episode of CO-OP, undoubtedly limited (but subconsciously benefited) by budget, gave me exactly what I want out of a show about videogames – passionate and intelligent conversation. It was a welcomed change from the fluff and ego which permeated the subtext of The 1UP Show, so I hope Area5 continues paving their own road creatively going forward.

The graphics, the editing, the music and the direction, which bled from every frame in that video, elevated the episode to a professional level of quality not seen from the majority of internet video productions. But what is most commendable is that technically those guys didn’t drop a beat from The 1UP Show, even without the financial backing from a company like Ziff Davis. In other words, these guys put together this show with their own equipment, from their own homes. That statement really makes it evident the level of talent the Area5 staff has, and exemplifies just how much of a missed opportunity this was for UGO, and Ziff Davis before them.

So thanks for bouncing back in a big way, boys. Here’s to a long and successful career!

I received the February 2009 issue of Game Informer yesterday. GI continues to impress me with its editorial decisions. Not one page in this magazine feels like filler. And for all the credit the EGM and 1UP staff gets got for its memorable personalities, GI trumps them all with their Gamercard-like bios on the “GI Staff” page (p. 2) and the “GI Spy” regular column, showing just a bunch of regular Minnesota folk working their asses off on one heck of a magazine. No attitudes, no fraternity. GI is all about gamers who love games. Period. Here are some more highlights from the issue:

• “Afterwords” with Clint Hocking, Creative Director for Far Cry 2. The readers came up with the tough questions, but kudos to GI for actually letting them through. Questions like, “Why did you decide on such a wonky mission structure?” and, “Why did neither faction care that I was helping the other?” allow Clint to defend and explain such decisions, and gives great insight on the design process. Information like this is commonplace to Game Developer and Gamasutra, but seldom seen in a mass-market magazine.
• The “Where Have You Been” feature focuses on announced titles which have been quiet for too long. Conspicuously absent: Alan Wake, and pretty much all of Microsoft’s and Sony’s 2009 lineup. Either they are all embargoed or 2009 is in for tough times (as expected).
• “Loose Talk” says GTA V is expected in 2009; recent Internet buzz says otherwise. Who to believe?
• “The Top 50 Games of 2008″ is a welcomed departure from the Game of the Year and top 10 lists everyone else publishes. GI has been doing this for years, and it’s a fair and balanced look at the past year, in order of release. The staff provides their top 10 lists at the end of the end of the article, but it’s nice to see such a wide range of mentionable games all on one stage. Some interesting statistics: November released the most games on the list at nine; would you expect to see February with five games? What are they? Read the article…
• For all the credit 1UP and EGM get for their Japanese coverage, I haven’t seen them do anything as cool as the Actraiser feature in this month’s “Classic GI”, complete with an interview with Square Enix’s Shinji Futami on the story behind Actraiser 1 and 2. Sidebars include profiles on both games for newbies, and where to find the soundrack (hint: iTunes). This type of article is what made pre-Ziff Davis EGM so memorable, so it’s nice to see GI carry on the torch.
• Honorable mention goes to the “Sound Check” and “Impulse” regular columns, but the “MMO Report” is conspicuously absent here. Hey Andy, where are all those new features for 2009 you were talking about?

The February 2009 issue checks in at 96 pages, a testament to the difficulties of finding adverising in this economy. Still, the editorial content rages on. Great job, boys!

So the folks at RebelFM get a free pass, because it was an immediate reaction from the community who wanted those guys to land on their feet. $12,000 though? Well, they got it, so more power to ‘em. Then TalkingOrange, or Area5 as they are known now (free link boys, and good job!), have enough donations to have PayPal question them. And now, those who voluntarily quit their jobs are looking for community bailout funds. That’s where I draw the line.

Dan “Shoe” Hsu posted on his Sore Thumbs blog that he has this great new idea for a website. It’s so great that he’s asking for money from his audience to fund his new venture. Not for a stake in it mind you, just some good old-fashioned free money. Forget videogames, he should go into a more profitable career in the banking or automotive industries. I think they really need his moxie right now!

The problem I have with these donations is in most cases these kids who would follow any former 1UP staffer blindly, are coughing up their hard earned cash without realizing that it’s pretty much like throwing their money away. They aren’t getting any software or services for it, they are only funding someone else’s project from which they will never see any reward other than being able to read a few blog posts a week about something that was probably not only written about on countless other websites, but aggregated to death across the Web. All for free. These are the same kids who probably got their EGM subscriptions over the past few years for free, too, by the way.

And the sick thing about all of this? These kids are pissing away not only their money, but their parents’ as well. And that money, especially in this economy, could go to things like food, education, mortgage. Oh, but Dan Hsu wants to build a website, let’s give him money. Did John Davison, after he voluntarily quit his job, ask his readers for donations so he could start What They Play? No, he created a business plan, peddled it to venture capitalists and investors – you know, the people with money who in return purchase a stake in a business venture. What would have happened if he couldn’t find someone to help back his business? He’d either have to dip into his own pockets or give up the dream.

What Hsu is doing here is reprehensible. He’s not selling a subscription, he’s stealing money from kids.

Take for example the recent trend of naming their games the most ridiculous title ever conceived by upright humans. Okay, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories isn’t too bad, as long as no one realizes Re: is pretty standard nowadays for reply or regarding, not remake. But not to be outdone, two new chapters in the series – 358/2 Days and Birth by Sleep - are inconceivably bad.

This isn’t some Lost In Translation situation, this is all about Japanese developers thinking they are clever and creative to use the English language in a way it was never meant to be. How about the untouchable Hideo Kojima – you know, the guy who probably cost Konami millions of dollars by refusing to port Metal Gear Solid 4 to the Xbox 360? Smart man. That brain came up with Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, which was titled because he likes Joy Division. It might not even sound that out of place, if it weren’t for Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. So what do we get with Metal Gear Solid 4 - Substandard?

What about that tired trend of making every DS entry from a storied franchise have a subtitle that starts with the letters “D” and “S”? Dual of Sandwiches, anyone? And who could ever forget classics like Irritating Stick or Infinite Undiscovery? Japan is the land where shit is polished into Shinola, no doubt.

With some practice, I think I could make a pretty rich living in Japan coming up with names for games to reach Japanese audiences. Instead of Call of Duty, let’s call it WW3 .reload. Or instead of Halo, call it Ring of Space: Unavoidable Flood. Or Mass Effect could be called Space Jockey: Death by Talk. When anyone in Japan asks what’s for desert, are they told 4/1 Eat Prepare:  @Epilogue?

So let’s play a game, I’ll call it .Histerical Game. Take a normal game, say Gears of War 2, and give it a Japanese title, say Bandana of War re:Under/Ground. Post in the comments section or send me a Twitter with your creations. I’m looking forward to a good laugh!

People think this because EGM died a tragic, horrible, unexpected death, but that’s just not the case. In fact, it was a sick old publication that had seen better days and suffered for years before the official, certified date from the coroner. It’s no secret I was never a fan of what Ziff Davis, or more like 1UP, did to the once great gaming rag, and indeed they ran it into the ground. Literally. Six feet under.

For all those NeoGAFers crying foul and marching downtown to UGO’s offices with torches in hand, just wait a second. 1UP might have had some entertaining podcasts and video shows, but do you really think the failure of our beloved EGM had any less to do with the people in San Francisco running it?

Over two years ago, when downloads of demos and game add-ons were first made available through Xbox Live, I suggested how Official Xbox Magazine could change their strategy to move away from providing said content to readers for a premium, and instead produce original video content in DVD format, much like the Japanese magazine Famitsu Wave.

Saying all of that, it seems like the OXM disc has become obsolete, but I have an idea of how it can be relevant again. Future needs to hire a production team to create exclusive programming and content for the disc, much in the same way Enterbrain does for Famitsu Wave. Start providing more making-of, documentary-style content and entertaining segments with OXM personalities – borrowing a bit from Ziff Davis’ own 1UP Show. And make it more enticing for Xbox owners to have the disc, aside from a couple of inconsequential gamer pictures. Avoid Xbox 360 content at all costs – Microsoft wants it all to themselves so they can sell on the Marketplace. Instead, make it DVD-based so they can watch not just on their Xbox, but on any DVD player they choose. This might even sway non-Xbox owners to pick up an interesting-looking issue to sample for themselves, and even push them toward buying an Xbox.

See anything interesting there? 1UP attracted a devoted fan base because of their original video and audio programming. They were on to something, and yet never capitalized on the popularity of their shows to benefit the ailing magazine. EGM needed a fresh new business plan, something along the lines of what I suggested for OXM. And they had all the parts, too – a video department cranking out weekly 30 minute episodes of The 1UP Show, along with all the side video projects like Not The 1UP Show; and a growing schedule of weekly podcasts covering a range of topics. The problem was they desperately needed a reboot, and management sat by idle and let the train wreck happen.

It probably didn’t help there was such turmoil going on in those offices for so long. The EGM staff were tasked to put out a monthly magazine with a revolving skeleton crew that was increasingly lacking in experience to do so, and obviously quality took a beatdown by the sinking morale that was infecting the eighth floor offices at 101 2nd Street. After enduring such a prolonged and public exodus, management just didn’t have any passion left. They just wanted the pain to end.

As tough as those last couple of years were for the magazine, nothing can erase the indelible mark it left on all of us gamers today. We grew up with the fond memories of EGM’s supersized, 300 page behemoth issues, the secrecy of Quarterman and Sushi-X, and all that awesome Japanese game coverage in an era where the web simply didn’t exist. It wasn’t a magazine, it was a toy; just as much as the game cartridges that frequently lay upon it on the coffee table. Some could argue it never successfully made the transition to the pivotal 32-bit era of gaming, which incidentally happened during the handover from Sendai to Ziff Davis, and only regained footing once Next Generation folded.

But I digress. This wasn’t meant to be a eulogy – that’s been done to death already. Rather, this is a painful example of how poor management and a lack of proper planning caused a gaming icon to disappear. The current economic climate is a tough one, but it alone is not to blame. With that said, not only to I expect to see my favorite magazines continue to exist for years to come, but I look forward to the day EGM rises from the ashes of its own doing and returns to the glory as we all remember it.

A) Close shop and cut your losses, or
B) With little left to lose, you pass along to an unproven development team so they can hone their skills while keeping alive the potential of someday righting the ship

The answer, if you haven’t guessed by the title of this post, is “B”.

I get it, I get it. You shouldn’t spend more on a project than you plan on making back. So on an MMORPG, if the operating costs necessary to keep the game alive are more than what it’s taking in, and those losses mount month after month, well that’s just stupid. But if you can pare down operating costs to keep it on life support while making improvements behind the scenes to retain current players and attract new ones…now I’m making some sense.

Wishful thinking? Maybe, and I might be a bit naive to think it hasn’t been thought of before, or it’s that easy to do. But I look at my shelf and see Hellgate: London and Tabula Rasa sitting side by side, never played, and both being shut down nearly a year after they were released. But there have been several examples where MMOs headed for failure became successes. Look at EVE Online - launched in 2003, the developers purchased it back from the publisher after its first six months of production. Anarchy Online launched famously in 2001 and overcame the bugs and issues that had once rendered it unplayable; it is now free-to-play and enjoying a small yet dedicated population. Myst Online has gone through more lives than a cat – first it was a boxed retail version, then it was a GameTap exclusive, now after Cyan retained the rights to the game it’s being offered as an open-source project for the community.

Looking at these examples, could Hellgate: London or Tabula Rasa have any chance for survival? I say yes. Developers could have a trainee program, or “B” team, or even minor league team, if you will; ready to be trained on game development by using a real life project. No timelines, no revenue targets, no pressure. Their instructions: try to make this game profitable, don’t break it in the meantime, and here’s your paper-thin budget. Now get to it, and learn a thing or two along the way. This only works if the company doesn’t depend on said game for its existence, natch.

Then there is the idea of a development clearing house, where companies seek to acquire failed and soon-to-be abandoned games from publishers eager to part with their investment to recoup what little value it has left. It’s a smart idea for a new player in the game industry – create an organization whose core function is to sustain operations while funding new development for growth potential.

I feel Hellgate and TR would still benefit from either of these proposed solutions. Undoubtedly there’s more to the story than the tired “David vs. Goliath” excuse everyone seems to use when going up against the World of Warcraft juggernaut. But with their futuristic and Sci-Fi settings, these games would fetch a different audience altogether from the typical WoW player, or at least provide a welcome diversion for those who have hit their level cap or waiting for the next expansion pack from Blizzard. The downward trajectory of subscribers these games were experiencing was sure to hit a plateau that could be sustainable and profitable with a good plan. It might never eclipse the years of development costs, but it might make it sting a hell of a lot less.

Giving these games less than 18 months to succeed is a mistake. MMOs are a slow burn. Not every game is a WoW, nor should it be. What all MMOs need is a realistic goal and a proper business plan to make sure profitability is achievable. When all else fails, give the little guy a shot at making something of it. You might be surprised to see him turn it around, or at worst you’ve just fostered a potential All-Star in the gaming industry.

1. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - PS2
2. Max Payne - PS2
3. Grand Theft Auto IV - Xbox 360
4. God of War - PS2
5. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men - Xbox 360

Now, this is one person’s opinion, and everyone’s entitled to one so I won’t argue its validity, but rather I’ll merely acknowledge its existence. There are several personal factors which might have influenced his selection, such as age, financial status, or other means which would prevent or hinder him from access to any given game. I’ll also say the games on his list are no slouch, either. But I ask the question, do they have what it takes to stand the test of time and be heralded among the best the industry has to offer – past, present and future?

I look to my own experiment of listing my favorite games, which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. What I found was a list which largely consisted of games in the 10 to 15 year age range. In my analysis, I asked the question, “will there ever be a modern classic?” And what I’ve found is by looking at the GI list above, the answer is, “maybe”.

It seems I informally enforced my own criteria in selecting my all time favs. On top of the said personal influences, I looked to see which games have indeed stood the test of time for ten years or greater. In addition this time period covers videogame past generations of two or more, the most recent game being from the Dreamcast gen.

So then as I dive deeper into what makes a game “the greatest of all time”, why don’t we all implement such selection criteria? Let me give some examples:

• The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame says an artist is eligible 25 years after the release of their first album.
• The Pro Football and Major League Baseball Hall of Fames requires a candidate to be retired at least five years before eligibility

The Computer Gaming World folks maintained their own Hall of Fame for years. Although the exact selection criteria used is unknown, the most recent game on their list was Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn from 2001, which more or less also gave it a five year waiting period before eligibility. Gamespot ceased their selection of The Greatest Games of All Time back in 2007, when the last inductee was Grand Theft Auto III, released in 2001. So it appears as if the gaming press implemented their own criteria individually, but never has there been a universal, official standard process.

That’s where I invite everyone reading my blog and Twitter posts to help define this. Let’s come together and standardize the selection process for the greatest games ever made. We might all have different games on our individual lists, but at least we’ll all be picking from the same pool.

Comment with your ideas for selection critieria to this post, or send me a Twitter, and I’ll compile the results and ideas into a later post on the blog.

Videogames are no exception. Microsoft has been on the gaming forefront with its implementation of the Xbox Live Gamer Card, which has been aped unabashedly by Playstation – and largely ignored altogether by Nintendo. Ironically Microsoft succeeded on the console front but failed miserably with the implementation of Games for Windows Live on the PC; whereas Valve Software’s Steam service is considered the de facto standard for the PC gaming community. The problem here is these are three separate, closed communities.

Looks like J Allard was on to something, though. In a 2.0 world where individuals are aggregated and propagated through the tubes like yesterday’s dinner (yes, I did go there), social networking in videogames can only succeed if users are able to live well beyond the limitations of their consoles. That is where sites like gamerDNA and Rupture come in. Unlike Steam Community, which is exclusive to PC gaming, gamerDNA and Rupture pull together these separate gaming networks, such as XBL, Playstation Network and Steam, to create an overall gaming profile for a user; but more importantly provide additional social features to connect gamers across the Web.

Having used both services for a few weeks, the nod for the better service right now goes to gamerDNA for how it allows users to find others based on the games they enjoy, not just their current gaming activity. For example, I can browse all users who have Wipeout XL on their games list, and determine from their overall profile if I’m interested in adding them as a friend. I can take “quizzes”, which, like some crazy concoction of pipes, beakers and bunson burners one would find in a Mad Scientists laboratory, compiles the results to determine my player personality, as well as connect me with gamers who share similar personality traits. There’s the Twitter-like Shout Box, I can comment on any experiences aggregated from my external gaming networks, and all this can be broadcast back out through the web via Twitter, tumblr or RSS. Most important, gamerDNA has the biggest and most accessible community between the two services, which is imperative if you’re looking to connect with other gamers.

I’ve compiled a list of features between the two sites in the table below. If you’re at all interested, feel free to add me as a friend here and here.

[UPDATE] gamerDNA’s own Sam Houston dropped by with a couple of corrections regarding World of Warcraft and Warhammer Online integration in the form of dynamic signatures. I’ve added this information to the table below. Thanks Sam!