From the Editor's Desk

Cordova, TN; February 7, in the year of our Lord 2014--Family Friendly Gaming, the industry leader in covering the family friendly video games is addressing the change the video game industry needs. There is a fundamental flaw at the core of the industry. A flaw that could ultimately destroy the entire industry. Intelligent men and women need to step up, and find ways to improve the problems we all face. Last year (2013) was a horrible year for video game media. Numerous gaming sites went out of business. Countless people lost their jobs. Some may say that it was a correction. Ultimately it winds up exposing a major weakness within the video game industry.

Video game developers, publishers, PR firms, and gaming media outlets are all closely connected. Video game developers and publishers pay PR firms to get exposure for their products in the video game media. This comes in the form of editorial columns, articles, news stories, updates, social media, videos, images, previews, reviews, interviews, and more. Yes the gaming media expends quite a few financial resources covering these products. The PR firms rarely pay gaming media for all of this work. They rarely pay for all of the money gaming media outlets spend on - in essence advertising these products. All of this coverage equates into sales, and money for the video game developers and publishers. Which in turn allows them to continue to pay PR firms. Notice who gets left out of the loop? Yes - video game media.

Gaming media outlets earn money from either their fan base, or from advertisements. After making these companies thousands of dollars to even millions of dollars it makes sense they would reinvest in the gaming media outlets that made them money. Problem is, as the economy continues to flounder many of these companies have made cuts to their advertising. They are maximizing profits by taking the gaming media outlet's work for granted. Let us follow that selfishness to its final conclusion. Gaming media outlets go belly up, and there is less coverage of the game developers and game publishers products. That means less sales. It also means less money for the PR firms. When companies sell less they are not able to pay for their services going forward. What about charging the fan base? Most gamers and families are used to getting their gaming information for free. Plus I do not feel its right to hit the families who are already suffering. The game developers and the game publishers are the ones making the money. They are the ones who are benefiting from all our hard work.

I have been analyzing this issue for over a year now. I have tried different campaigns, concepts, educational events and more. One of the biggest problems is most PR representatives expect gaming media outlets to be their personal slave labor. This attitude needs to be confronted, addressed, and changed. I talk to PR reps all the time, and very few are aware of the fact that Family Friendly Gaming has costs associated with making their companies money. Which is part of the reason I am writing this Editor's Desk. There seems to be a wall of separation between marketing and PR. I am really confused by this. If 30% of our readers purchase a product we recommend, then that company will make millions of dollars. It makes sense that marketing would want to thank that gaming media outlet in a way that allows coverage of future products to continue.

I know the major danger of gaming media outlets accepting money from the game developers and game publishers. Will reviewers be too kind on a large donor? Will the public lose faith in certain gaming media outlets when they take money to continue operating? I know there are some mad at IGN for taking money from EA. How else do you expect them to continue operating? Thank you emails from PR firms, and gamers do not pay for the server costs, electrical bills, salaries, etc. Will the gamers start to pay gaming media outlets to continue to operate? Won't paying gamers then want something in return? Maybe a favorable review for their favorite game? The industry needs to find a good balance, and to address this in a meaningful way. If they don't then you can expect additional gaming media outlets to go under. In the long run that hurts everyone. I hope this opened your eyes to an important issue that needs to change.

God bless you and yours,
Paul Bury
Editor in Chief
Family Friendly Gaming