Joystiq Shutdown Signals the End of Video Game Journalism?!?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDoxXF4XoPw
This video efficiently describes the "shutting down" of the video game news website, Joystiq, and some events surrounding it, from the laying off of many employees all across the video game journalism profession to the future of what is left of Joystiq. Some questions about the future of video game journalism are also raised, such as what does this mean for the future of the industry and did we really need this industry in the first place. This could have a ripple effect, soon noticeable, in the video game industry.
" What purpose does an inside look at gaming serve other than an intent to purchase? "
" ... Publishers paying journalists to have them review their games favorably, but thanks to the plethora of information and opinions now accessible via the internet, from sites like Joystiq, we can form our own opinions"
"Every day is a long day for the passionate. This is how it was for us. We had a drive to write about games and a duty to catch every little bit of information, make it fun to read and keep it grounded" (This is a quote from Joystiq's farewell article)
This makes me terribly sad. People who's opinions I have respected and have looked to for a while now are now out of a job and I won't be able to look to them for their unique views on gaming news anymore. I've read some articles and reviews that were very obviously biased and weren't objective in some cases and I felt that I could often look to joystiq for an objective review. The name itself, joystiq, is going on to different things, but the most of the heart and soul of the company, its writers, will be leaving. A few other websites have also been shut down recently, and although I don't believe this is the end of Video Game Journalism as many are saying, it could mean something worse. It could signal the end of legitimate video game journalism. These companies are losing money and its possible that eventually they will turn to purely sponsored articles, depriving the public of unbiased news and reviews.
week 5
I do not see the end of video game journalism anytime soon. I personally have not heard of Joystiq. With that being said, Joystiq may be overshadowed by larger companies. I seek other alternatives such as IGN and GameSpot for game reviews. I do not believe that IGN is all that biased given the fact that they give some low scores. I also tend to agree with their opinions. However, everyone has different opinions and the consumer may not always agree with the reviewer. I do believe that many are interested in other people's opinions to draw a conclusion on whether or not to make a purchase. With that being said, video game journalism should not be ending anytime soon.
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