News
How to Improve Video Game Journalism Ethics
Cordova, TN; May 11, in the year of our Lord 2015--Family
Friendly Gaming, the industry leader in covering the family
friendly video games is bringing up some helpful ideas that will
improve the entire video game industry. Especially the segment
Family Friendly Gaming is in - video game journalism. If you are
in the know then you are aware of the corruption in many of the
video game websites and magazines. You know about #Gamergate,
and you want the bought off nature of too many video game
websites to get corrected. I have come up with two major ideas
that could improve the problems we are all seeing in the
corruption between video game companies and video game
journalism. It is my hope and prayer these are implemented
industry wide to restore the faith of the readers in the gaming
websites that have been paid off.
The first idea is to force all video game media outlets to
purchase the games they review. Let all video game media outlets
purchase video games for “at cost” rates. When IGN, Family
Friendly Gaming, Gamepro, and others have to pay the same price
for a game we have finances invested in the products. It helps
with the out of touch nature that too many long time reviewers
get. When they never pay anything for games, they forget $60.00
is a lot of money. It also keeps the playing field level, and
fair. No more fighting among gaming websites over who gets
limited reviewable copies. No more buying people off with a
reviewable copy early. No more extras coming in to sway the
opinion of the reviewing crew. No more PR people abusing their
positions punishing reviewers who give lower scores, thus
creating an environment with too many over inflated scores.
The second idea revolves around advertising. There is too much
back scratching, and threats in regards to advertising. A
company gets a bad review and they pull out of massive
advertising campaigns. I believe each company should put all of
their advertising revenue into a pot. Each gaming media website
and magazine should be allowed to file for payments based on
work they do. Some of these companies are excessive abusers when
it comes to the hated PR Piecemeal strategy (where they
consistently send out tidbits of information over a long period
of time to stay in the news). Fair rates that are even across
the board should be applied to all gaming media outlets. Maybe
even have a third party administer the funds. A gaming media
outlet should be able to go to them and point out we ran these
stories for our millions of readers, please provide some revenue
for that work. Or provide an advertisement payment.
There are a couple of caveats to these ideas. First off they
should only apply to existing gaming websites and gaming
magazines. The companies need to implement a fair and balanced
vetting process to determine who should be allowed into these
programs. I would say a gaming website that has been around for
at least a year, and is updated daily. Too many blogs pop up
trying to get games for free. Too many fly by night websites
appear trying to get free advertising revenue. On the other side
of the coin these companies can not use website tracking sites
that have no data on websites, yet do the unprofessional thing
and rank them without any knowledge. The PR people will no
longer have the duty of passing out reviewable copies so they
should have time to properly perform the vetting. So what about
you? Will you ask every video game company to implement these
reforms? Any ideas how to restore the damage corruption has done
to the video game industry?
God bless,
Paul Bury
Family Friendly Gaming