Mass Media Coverage Of Gaming Discussed

Thanks to Adrenaline Vault for their editorial discussing the increased coverage of computer gaming in the mainstream press, and the "major distortions" that have subsequently evolved. Among the charges leveled are that "...the mass media generally assumes all good players are teenagers and oldsters are klutzes... In reality, those who play computer games - and are adept at them - are getting on in years." The writer also suggests that "...critics in the mass media... almost always equate visual excellence with photorealism", before ending on the hypothesis that: "If you can't spot any difference between pieces by dedicated game reviewers and mass media entertainment writers, then those of us who fall in the first category are doing something very wrong."

Comments

would you..

[gl4ss]

listen to a music review on techno mix tape from a professional painting critic?

of course not.

why would you listen to a gaming review from some guy who just happens to be a resident at some newspaper? would you listen to the guys pron review either? of course not because the guy probably hasn't even played the game for more than few hours(time and intrest limits).

that being said, would you listen to a review that is almost completely based on rumours and screenshots and pre-hype like most first 'hands on' reviews are? i don't give them much weight anymore at all(in fact, i stopped giving them weight when the expansion for wing commander game out and got 99% on a local game mag, with not too much explanation why, i mean, if i did give them any merit why would i need any more reviews than that since it is obviously nearingly best thing there will be and everything is just about perfect in it).

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