Top 5 worst gaming article types

5. Figurines, cakes and cosplay.

Any article that says "such and such made such a figurine" or "cake with picture of mario on it" or "best cosplay ever" mean one thing: slow news day. Whenever in doubt, do a search on deviantart for game figurine or cosplay and post it as news.

Biggest culprit: Kotaku.

4. Industry "analyst" says something.

So what? Really, we're gamers why the hell do we care about sales or a non-gamers opinion? It's an article type that's not newsworthy especially when the only solid figures come at the companies E3 conference/TGS/etc.

Biggest culprit: Gametrailers.

3. Pointless top 10s/top 100s (this is a top 5 lol).

These are done purely to give gamers something to argue about: thus the question forms... why bother doing them to start with? For example; top 100 games of all-time? If you put lots of Nintendo classics in there you'll get lots of fans, but also lots of enemies... If you put lots of classic PC games, again the same thing, and if you even put a mixture of all platforms -- old and new, you get it in the face for having it being so obscure. The problem with top 100 lists is they don't need to exist, you can find out the top 100 of any game site just by looking at their highest rated games.

Biggest culprit: IGN.

2. Flamebait and fanboyism.

You shouldn't really see this type of article, but you do, and what makes it worse is that the big boys do it. Posting an article with misinformation immediately without any journalistic integrity. This often happens to Sony and I don't really know why (*cough*money*cough*), and thus creates fanboyism. Reviews with a whole .5 took off because of a bit of aliasing... So they're effectively saying graphics > gameplay? Difference between a 7.5 and an 8, for me, is if the gameplay does't quite feel polished or the story is bad. But nope, for some, the difference of .5 is for graphics.

Biggest culprit: IGN.

1. Opinions posted as fact.

Not many do this in the "professional" journalistic world of gaming, but there is one (not really professional), that does it constantly. "Thor For Wii More Impressive Than PS3 & 360, Really Unbelievable To See", "Gabe Newell Joining The Wii 2 Project, Nintendo Aims To Kill Competition", "After E3 Sony Will Have The Last Laugh, Thanks Kojima", "E3' 11 Bungie Vs EA, Activision Secret Weapon Isn't Call Of Duty". Titles and wording made out to sound like you have an actual interview, but in fact have delusions of a true story.

Biggest culprit: Hiphopgamer.

[ThatCanadianGuy]

Im surprised there was no "game X vs Game Y" Screen comparison category.Gamingbolt would fit it perfectly there.Hell, they could win every category on your list to be honest..

[thorstein]

That is certainly an honorable mention category. But, this is, ironically, a top five thus violating his own argument against top 10/ top 5s.

Although, the top five hate articles of gamesradar are funny.

[Bathyj]

I thought screen comparisons would have been #1 as well.

Until today, I didnt know Lense of Truth did reviews. I thought all they did of flamebait comparisons.

PS
My pet peeve on the net is sites or people that call themselves The Truth, or the real gamers or likewise, as if credibility is just something you get by putting it in your name. Alot here on N4G seem to think this.

[thorstein]

One of the worst offenders of that is Industry Gamers. Sounds like it would be something akin to Crave or at least semi honorable.

Nope. They post trash just like anyone else.

[AllyOmega]

I know everyone hates IGN, but without IGN gaming journalism wouldn't be as popular as it is today. Without their inception, there would hardly be gaming journalism, and it certainly wouldn't be as widespread.

Also, I don't believe that IGN is biased toward 360, or is accepting money from Microsoft. I listen to their Playstation Podcasts (BEYOND!) and read the PS editors' blogs, and these guys are really diehard Sony fans. I don't know them personally, but I know alot about them, and from what I've seen they don't seem to be the types of guys that would accept bribes and those sorts of things. Personally, I think the get all the hate because they're the biggest gaming site out there, and they'e going to be nitpicked for that.

Sure, I don't agree with all their reviews or all their content. But the same goes for any website I've ever visited.

anyways, good blog. :)

Also, I despise seeing HipHopGamer stories on this site. They're not really trustworthy, have no source, and it's essentially just the guy talking to his camera. I say we don't approve them.

[Godmars290]

Gaming news needs to be accurate and responsible, not popular. The popularity IGN has brought to game journalism, compromising scores in favor of advertisers and flaring up fanboys is something the industry doesn't need.

[AllyOmega]

Give me a source, some evidence of their supposed "compromises." If you do, and I deem it legitimate proof, I'll change my stance and apologize for wasting your time. As of now though, I have not seen one incident of this. In fact, many of the games I've seen advertised on there have gotten bad scores.

As for fanboys, I agree that perhaps they do some of that, but who really cares? Alot of their fanboy-riling articles I've actually found quite funny.

[TheKindRoost]

Journalist? please, more like talboid trash. I can't help but to feel sorry for real journalist out there, browsing for fan arts, reading some random forum comments then make an post about it, listing your favourite snaks for gaming and etc... there is no such thing as gaming journalism.

Edit: A journo's job is to (real) investigate and expose what they uncovered to the public and backed by facts. You just can't have that in this industry or games would be leaked here and there and there will be no need for big events like e3.

[AllyOmega]

OHRLY!?!?

Well, what do you consider it when someone finds out about some new weapons in a game through an interview with a developer, or when someone uncovers a hidden game announcement deep in the bowels of a website's code?

[TheKindRoost]

please anyone can start up a web and get an interview like that nowadays *cough*HHG*cough*, still doesn't make you a journo. " when someone uncovers a hidden game announcement deep in the bowels of a website's code?" yeah reading( someone else's work) neogaf is real research. Like I said if they did real research they would hang around forums all day and would have posted it directly onto their site.

[AllyOmega]

"please anyone can start up a web and get an interview like that nowadays *cough*HHG*cough*"

That doesn't make it any less legitimate of an interview, nor does it make the facts any less factual. And if research is easy to find, does that make it any less legitimate? of course not! those things are still what they are.

And, just for the record, I'd like you to tell me why people outside of gaming deserve their titles as journalists.

[TheKindRoost]

Ever learned of Watergate? the two journalist who uncovered the who scandal, those real journalist. Those reporters who go risk their live during a war to bring us info, those are real journalist. Real journos are people who are willing their jobs to expose real info to the public.

[AllyOmega]

So then only the people who do something special deserve the right to be called a journalist? I don't really think you get the concept of journalism. What about those that humbly sit and write a news piece for the newspaper? What would you call them. They work hard, too. Granted, they're not climbing mountains searching for the secrets of the world, but if they didn't do the job, who would? What about people who find info that isn't going to risk their job? Do journalists only exist if they are in danger?

You're adding too much weight to the word "Journalism. Merriam webster defines it as:

a : the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media
b : the public press
c : an academic study concerned with the collection and editing of news or the management of a news medium
2
a : writing designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine
b : writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation
c : writing designed to appeal to current popular taste or public interest

Do you see anything like "climbing mountains, stealthily avoiding the police to ascertain and expose information that the government's been hiding from people"? No. The requirements for being a journalist are simple ones. Being a journalist isn't something you earn, it's not a prestigious title. It's just a career. Now, I understand your position that some journalists are more... "hardcore" than others. But they're just a different type of journalist.

I see you and I are out of bubbles. If you'd like to continue this conversation, message me.

[Odion]

I still giggle at people who believe that Gamespot/IGN are corrupt.

[thebudgetgamer]

i always thought it was a little funky that ign has a line up of videos on xbl, but to say their corrupt is pushing it.

[-Alpha]

Me too. It's so annoying. There is some serious confirmation bias that fans have for those sites

I don't like IGN much, but I hate how people only fondly remember the reviews that feed their conceived notion about the site

[rob6021]

IGN accepts paid review events and junkets from publishers. By my standards, that is corruption - as a journalist you are not supposed to accept gifts or payment of any kind. (Especially from the company's products you are reviewing) Sure they can argue they have to take these trips to get the news first and get their reviews in time to be relevant, but they still they are taking part in impropriety.

They can pay for this stuff themselves, but they don't. (Kotaku no longer attends review events for instance) Yes, IGN and Gamespot are corrupt; as well as most of the gaming press. It's the sad truth.
You guys can argue that the guys over there are somehow 'above the influence,' but I don't buy it.

[rob6021]

Here's a link that proves my point http://www.ign.com/blogs/ar...

[Odion]

I am not going to get into this argument, all I know is the idea is utter nonsense and its funny to see people think that a common practice that all major sites and magazines take part in is proof of corruption or bias.

Esp when he wrote a blog detailing it.

[rob6021]

Common Practice? If you're talking about review events, no it's not; only select publisher's that choose to engage in this manipulative tactic. It's becoming more so though now.

Common practice doesn't make something acceptable. I applaud them for writing a blog detailing it that is a good step in the right direction, it is actually an unprecedented step. But somehow that clears them from the fact they accepted paid trips/meals/ect.?

http://www.consumerreports....
This is an example of how journalistic ethics should be. Utter nonsense to you?
http://www.nytco.com/press/...
scroll down to "Paying our own way"

You're entitled to your opinion, but I'm on the other end thinking it's worrisome that people don't think it's corruption or bias - instead of laughing at the ones who do.

[-Alpha]

You know what I really hate?

Opinion pieces posted as dumb questions. Crappy opinion pieces in general get approved because they pose a question and everybody likes to answer it. It's such an easy thing to do.

[Evildoomnerd]

I agree with that. But to be fair, you would think that readers at some point would wise up and pay them no attention since opinion pieces like those pop up quite frequently here. In general, my main gripe is that there is little to no accountability with alot of gaming journalist.

[-Alpha]

Well I'm betting most don't read the pieces. They see the question and answer it.

It's a glorified Forum.

I don't think running a website (which is easy to do in this day) and focusing on gaming news by copying and pasting circulating news, making opinion pieces, and scraping some info and manipulating it into a story counts as "journalism"

Yet that's what a majority do and they seem to get PAID for it (such as getting review copies)

[ClaveroRulz]

2. Flamebait and fanboyism.

Biggest culprit: n4g.

[Speed-Racer]

Blame the community, not the site.

[DelbertGrady]

Blame Hiphopgamer.

[soundslike]

Top 10 lists CAN be done well as long as they consist of things that people don't commonly know.

EG. Sleeper hits, rare games, strategies

but if its BEST GAME OF ALL TIME, then it pretty much constitutes a 2. on your list

[HolyOrangeCows]

Why are people so against the "Top ______" articles? They're usually the most likely to be entertaining.

[Speed-Racer]

lol @ HHG - I'm surprised no one from his brigade has come to his defense yet.

[Evildoomnerd]

I like this blog, but I'm somewhat surprised that an article type is missing, which are the notorious "VS" articles. The kind that compares games that either have an insufficient amount of information about the games to make a conclusion, or do graphics comparisons using screengrabs from early trailers, with no regards as to what may be console or PC footage. Utterly pointless in my opinion.

[Raendom]

At first I was thinking eh they don't bother me but I totally agree when they take screencaps of a new trailer and claim it as new information. Really annoying. Yeah, in hindsight that'd be no.3 or 4 and the rest would be pushed back.

[k4rma]

Ha great list. And I agree. All those news articles are a pointless waste of time... and space.

BTW, you forgot to mention Online Store release dates submitted as a reliable sources of game release date info. Worst offender is N4G, sadly.

Here's one:

http://n4g.com/news/763641/...

Fact is, unless a release date is announced officially through either the publisher or the developer then it is 100% unreliable.

Online stores like GameStop makes up these dates so that gamers will pre-order the game from them.

I wish people would stop approving these articles as news. It puts out false information, that's way off the mark.

[Th3 Chr0nic]

N4G has become a joke, the people that approve on this site are the ones at fault too. If you have a blog then N4G would love to approve it and waste everyone's time, and then label you as a troll if you call them on it.

[HobbsCanuck]

N4G is an easy way for nerds to rage, but still feel like their opinions have an impact somehow. EVERYBODY on here is a nerd or geek, myself included, so I don't get why people get so pissed when there are troll comments on troll articles. Who fucking cares

[millionairefireman]

I have to say I disagree with his evaluation of "Pointless top 10s/top 100s". Even if I disagree with the lists, I tend to enjoy them, especially ScrewAttack.com's. There's a reason sites like IGN and ScrewAttack constantly make and update these lists; people read them. They want to. They generate debate (which isn't always a bad thing), provoke nostalgia, and expose some readers to games/comics/etc that they've never heard of. I for one, discovered one of my favorite comics and one of my favorite PS3 games with the help of these lists. It is true that these lists will never be able to satisfy everyone and are inherently flamebait, but flamers will flame no matter what but the mature will respectfully disagree and move on.