News
Making Dreams Come True
Cordova, TN - March 26, in the year of our Lord 2013
- On a daily basis I make dreams come true. A small independent
developer is starving for attention. They have a dream of making
a video game. They make their dream game. At that point their
dream turns into a nightmare. They are so proud of their
product, yet they do not have the mechanism in place to get the
word out about their game. They go around trying to find someone
in the media to make their dreams come true. Rejection is the
usual response from a variety of different sources.
Video game media is a dog eat dog world. Too often there are
backroom deals, and back scratching mentality. Many in the video
game media will ask: “What are you going to do for me?” These
small independent developers don't have deep pockets to buy
their way onto websites, and into gaming magazines. Most of them
have day jobs to finance their dreams. Unless you fit into a
certain privileged status the ESA is also an exercise in
futility. This is where many small independent video game
developers find themselves. Nobody gives them any love, and few
have the time to deal with them.
That is where I come into play. I help many of these small
independent game developers get some video game media attention.
I have given many of them a shot by playing their games, and
working on reviews. It does not always work out for them though.
Some have not wanted to accept any constructive criticism.
Others did not realize glaring problems with their games. When
it works though, it is a beautiful thing. I have lost track of
how many gift cards I have received in thanks after
reviewing their product. Want to know the real kicker? I asked
nothing of them – aside from the game of course. It is always
nice to experience such thankfulness.
I know other reviewers, and gaming sites deal with this same
issue. There are a variety of different responses. I can not
speak for the other gaming sites. I can speak for the small
independent developers I work with. Their level of frustration
with the gaming media is generally high.
What saddens me is for every dream I help come true, there are
four or five others waiting. Every so often I have to clean out
my waiting queue because it gets too large to even contemplate.
I feel bad because I know these are dreams that I am ignoring.
There is only so much time in the day, and I have been provided
a finite amount of resources. To everyone I have not been able
to help – I am truly and deeply sorry.
- Paul Bury
- Family Friendly Gaming