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Trust in games journalism, compromised by corporates and activists? (DA Veilguard)

Go_Ly_Dow

Member
Me not believing that there's a massive super-secret conspiracy that gaming journalists are being paid by corporations for good reviews and to spread woke propaganda but ONLY in certain games (because clearly EA must have forgotten to pay for those good reviews of Battlefield 2042, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, etc.. etc..) without a single ounce of evidence means I'm the one that needs to touch grass?

Jennifer Lawrence Reaction GIF
👇
The big publishers used to threaten GAF with blacklisting for allowing negative opinions and press. It was hilarious, since I never took their payola to begin with.
 
Me not believing that there's a massive super-secret conspiracy that gaming journalists are being paid by corporations for good reviews and to spread woke propaganda but ONLY in certain games (because clearly EA must have forgotten to pay for those good reviews of Battlefield 2042, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, etc.. etc..) without a single ounce of evidence means I'm the one that needs to touch grass?

Jennifer Lawrence Reaction GIF
Nobody cares what you believe but your actions speak louder than words. Defending EA slop is complete bottom of the barrel behavior. But keep going.
 

The Cockatrice

I'm retarded?
Lmao you guys are really angry over the fact that DA got decent reviews as if they matter. Oh right, sorry, these corporate tactics that have been done for ages only matter when the game is woke, but when its a game you want to like, you close your eyes to the bs. Man this forum is turning into the other one, but at the other extreme. We used to be a nice middle ground.
 

Dr.Morris79

Member
Me not believing that there's a massive super-secret conspiracy that gaming journalists are being paid by corporations for good reviews and to spread woke propaganda but ONLY in certain games (because clearly EA must have forgotten to pay for those good reviews of Battlefield 2042, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, etc.. etc..) without a single ounce of evidence means I'm the one that needs to touch grass?

Jennifer Lawrence Reaction GIF
What are you even arguing about if none of this isn't even happening?

You came into the thread vehemently spitting blood instantly going after an (as you see it) non existent threat? 🤷‍♂️
 

Fabieter

Member
>They all used a commonly-used phrase the conspiracy must be real!

Well I also dislike that the group is completely unfun. I read alot of reviews were it said no fun, arguments nothing. Just a unfun group who dont want to be offensive to anyone makes this probably the worst rpg character wise.
 

ungalo

Member
I don't even know where to start. To me it's really a hyperbolic american thing. Yes they defend some games with ulterior motives, but that's really 1% of the problem, they swallow anything anyway.

"trust in game journalism" shouldn"t even exist in the first place.

That's why i barely post even here anymore, video games is just endless circle jerking about mediocre games, meta-narrative full of shit.
 

BigBeauford

Member
Lmao you guys are really angry over the fact that DA got decent reviews as if they matter. Oh right, sorry, these corporate tactics that have been done for ages only matter when the game is woke, but when its a game you want to like, you close your eyes to the bs. Man this forum is turning into the other one, but at the other extreme. We used to be a nice middle ground.
Speaking of closing your eyes, you should try that sometime when you don't like the things you are reading.
 

RCX

Member
Yep theres a serious whiff off this one.

Very much expected a soft touch from print outlets. It ticks all their DEI boxes so they physically can't bring themselves to be negative about it.

YouTube reviewers (Mr matty, skillup) seem to be coming in much more critically.
 

Hypereides

Gold Member
Haven't trusted gaming journos for a while. Got aware of their shenanigans some recent years ago. Now, many previous misfires are starting to make whole lot more sense.

I'm just glad actual gaming enthusiast media with actual insight, skills and knowledge is beginning to arise to take over while these "gaming journalists" screech into oblivion.
 
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Astray

Member
Conspiracy deniers are more cringe than the original conspiracy therorists. Holy shit everything is a coincidence!!
You have to be very deluded if you think using a commonly-used phrase means actual collusion.

This thread is very clearly a kind of copium for the fact that Dragon Age is getting better than expected reviews.

Why are people even looking at reviews for a game they won't buy?

Well I also dislike that the group is completely unfun. I read alot of reviews were it said no fun, arguments nothing. Just a unfun group who dont want to be offensive to anyone makes this probably the worst rpg character wise.
The game itself honestly gives me Gotham Knights vibes for some reason. Probably because of the spongy enemies + live-service-y combat elements.

It's a game I'm almost guaranteed to skip after being on the fence about it tbh.
 

Fabieter

Member
You have to be very deluded if you think using a commonly-used phrase means actual collusion.

This thread is very clearly a kind of copium for the fact that Dragon Age is getting better than expected reviews.

Why are people even looking at reviews for a game they won't buy?


The game itself honestly gives me Gotham Knights vibes for some reason. Probably because of the spongy enemies + live-service-y combat elements.

It's a game I'm almost guaranteed to skip after being on the fence about it tbh.

It's so save and clearly for modern audience. I think its fine to have a discussion to dislike the direction.
 

Ozriel

M$FT
Not to mention Fextralife and other content creators were DENIED review copies because they weren't positive enough on their previews.



Did he ever come back to explain why some other folks who were critical of the game in preview got review codes?

91s6Kno.png


Or why he's citing clowns like Grummz?
 

Astray

Member
If you think this place is anywhere close to being the insane asylum that the other place is, it's hard to even argue with you in good faith.
The only real difference is that the mod team here is more tolerant towards dissenting opinions.

Otherwise both places have similar attitudes with different core opinions imo.

It's so save and clearly for modern audience. I think its fine to have a discussion to dislike the direction.
It's more than fine to discuss the game being bad to you, I was just doing so myself.

My main objection is the retarded conspiracy posting. The game is getting a polarized response even disregarding whether your politics align with the devs or not. Even people who got keys have posted some scathing stuff.

Conspiracy theorizing is the lowest form of discussion imo, the thing I always notice with these discussions about Journalists colluding is it always comes from people who also say that Journalists have no more power and are pathetic etc..

So which is it? Do they have sway over consumers or not?

Did he ever come back to explain why some other folks who were critical of the game in preview got review codes?

91s6Kno.png


Or why he's citing clowns like Grummz?
I think it's very clear that they wanted certain YouTubers to stay out of the launch day discussion regardless of their opinions on the game.

Ultimately it's their game and they have full right to do what they want with their codes.

No clue why Luke Stephens and Fextralife are doing hissy fits over it apart from not being able to share in the launch day views.
 
As a Xbox guy I think that side of things is heavily compromised, not just in their so called reviews but also their arrogant, unpleasant personalities and how in your face they are about how corrupt it all is.

The event photos, the pictures of them posing with the executives, the lack of objectivity and critical thinking, the arrogance in how they respond and try to spin negative situations.

I honestly don’t know Xbox fans can support these people when it’s blatantly obvious the only people benefitting from it all is the publisher and the media guy , the fans are treated with contempt, especially someone who is sincere and passionate in something they want to see get better.

The whole thing stinks. It takes a level of soulless gunge of a character to be so in your face about how fake and compromised they are.
 

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
Yup. Been gaming so long I really don't think reading 2 articles and watching an hour of gameplay here and there would not tell me exactly what is in the game to make an informed decision. I have never bought a bad game...except where I did day one like Starfield. 😞
When you played games long enough you usually know what you like and don’t like in your games.
 

Fabieter

Member
The only real difference is that the mod team here is more tolerant towards dissenting opinions.

Otherwise both places have similar attitudes with different core opinions imo.


It's more than fine to discuss the game being bad to you, I was just doing so myself.

My main objection is the retarded conspiracy posting. The game is getting a polarized response even disregarding whether your politics align with the devs or not. Even people who got keys have posted some scathing stuff.

Conspiracy theorizing is the lowest form of discussion imo, the thing I always notice with these discussions about Journalists colluding is it always comes from people who also say that Journalists have no more power and are pathetic etc..

So which is it? Do they have sway over consumers or not?


I think it's very clear that they wanted certain YouTubers to stay out of the launch day discussion regardless of their opinions on the game.

Ultimately it's their game and they have full right to do what they want with their codes.

No clue why Luke Stephens and Fextralife are doing hissy fits over it apart from not being able to share in the launch day views.

No iam in the same boat that these politics don't belong in video games at all. It's stupid.

The same with when they aint honest day one with certain reviewers left out. They know they have a supbar product.
 

Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
It's a commonly used phrase when something's been all over the place like Dragon Age has. Also, what if the game is actually good?

Since we all love BG3 and that team, here's a review from one of them. Definitely not a corporate activist.
 
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DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
I haven’t trusted the mainstream gaming press in a very long time. Reviewers have their own personal agendas and ideologies. And they are concerned with not pissing off publishers and losing access in the future.

Lots of times you’ll read a review and it’s so obvious they’re trying REALLY HARD not to rip into it the way they’d like to. And of course there are some things they will never criticize because they’ll get canceled for it (e.g. cringe dialog and overt moralizing about gender ideology)

Usually I’ll just skim a handful of reviews both positive and negative, and see if their pluses/minuses are things that resonate with me. And then maybe check out a video review from someone I trust, and seek opinions from this forum.
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
It's a pretty common phrase, i dunno.

Also it's not like it's lighting metacritic on fire. 83 isn't some godly score, lots of negative reviews there too. Basically the same as Starfield so it tracks.
Yeah - considering the number of times I have read that the 'old bioware is dead' on this forum it's not surprising that return to form is a common refrain from reviews.
 
I’m going to get it from GameFly (yep, it still exists.) I’ll stream it with exclusive Steve o 3000 commentary. I’ll probably be hammered.
 

proandrad

Member
It’s always been compromised. Game journalists are just cheap marketing for publishers. Same for content creators, that get flown out all expenses paid for game previews and then act shocked when they don’t get an early review code because they were negative. You saw it happen in real time to kinda funny. Once Colin got kicked out they became video game marketing to the highest bidder.
 
Never trust reviewer/journalist score anyway but to be fair, I also don't trust user scores much if it doesn't require them to buy the game. Steam would be the best. Steam scores > User scores > journalist/reviewer scores.
 
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