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Let Them Talk
The headline said it all: ‘The 10 People We Hope Will Shut the F*** Up at This Year’s E3’. I didn’t have to read it to predict which developers’ names would be on the list – Denis Dyack, David Jaffe, Peter Molyneux – and upon scanning Crispy Gamer’s July 10 feature, those names were indeed present, along with Cliff Bleszinski and Kudo Tsunoda.
The reason those names popped into my head is not because I wanted them to shut up, but because I’d been approaching the subject of developers whose public statements polarise journalists and gamers alike for the last 18 months or so, but had yet to actually get around to it. And this was even though just the week before Silicon Knights president Dyack had gone on the 1UP Yours podcast and stirred up a hornets’ nest with his pointed attacks on message boards like Gaming-Age Forums. So when a link to the Crispy Gamer piece turned up in my inbox, it seemed like the right time to do exactly that.
These developers and others aren’t the first to rub journalists and gamers the wrong way. Still, in the old days when magazines like this one were virtually the sole source of information about this medium, the amount of exposure that readers had to any one developer was relatively limited. Some, like id Software’s John Carmack, would speak directly to interested readers through their .plan files, but magazines ruled the roost with editors serving as gatekeepers.
The rise of the internet, however, brought with it a plethora of news outlets, blogs and community sites, each one serving as a vehicle for more developer access to their intended audience, to say nothing of comments sections and message boards where any quote, statement or post can be dissected ad nauseum. So what might have been a comment to one or two outlets in the past can now be delivered to several in a series of interviews; rehashed in turn by several more; and chewed over for days in the forums where the uninhibited discussion that pseudonymity enables all too often degenerates into insult and ridicule. And, unfortunately, the echo chamber that results makes maintaining a sense of proportion about a provocative remark difficult, to say the least.
Crispy Gamer’s list was undoubtedly meant to be taken in good, snarky fun. But the STFU headline perfectly encapsulates what’s wrong with this attitude, however unintentional. How many times have I or another journalist wished that developers would be less buttoned-down and more open; give us less parroting of the company line and more honest exploration of even difficult or controversial subjects? The same can be said of certain readers, who want less spoon-feeding and more truth-telling. But the STFU mentality isn’t designed to foster debate, rather to shut it down. Rather than engage the message, some would rather tear apart the messenger.
It’s one thing to see that attitude coming from those who frequent forums under a pseudonym. It’s another thing entirely to see this view being espoused by journalists – the list is credited to ‘Crispy Gamer Staff’ – who I’d think would understand that we all benefit whenever a developer freely and frankly airs his or her thoughts. Let’s be clear: I’m not saying that developers are immune from criticism or that they shouldn’t be subject to scrutiny. But STFU isn’t criticism, it’s attempted intimidation. Why attempt to silence any developer when their words provide an opening for the kind of further inquiry and pointed questions that will generate more fruitful discussions?
At the same time, there seems to be a misunderstanding among certain developers like Jaffe and Dyack who have waded into message boards only to find, at times, a less-than-welcoming reception. They think that because they share a lot of the same interests and passions as the posters that they can be ‘just one of the guys’. But, as Jaffe says his own wife astutely pointed out to him – after an outpouring of criticism that followed some remarks he made about why he felt PlayStation Network games were superior to those on Xbox Live Arcade – he can’t just be one of the guys. His words will always carry more weight and engender a stronger response than those of the hoi polloi. (It’s a lesson that served me well given the reaction to my comments to MTV News about the racially charged imagery in the second Resident Evil 5 trailer.)
So to developers I say speak your mind, hope for the best, expect the worst, and understand that more speech doesn’t always equal more understanding. In other words, it’s generally best to say your piece as clearly as possible, then move on. As for journalists and message posters, well, we would all benefit from a bit more RTFA and less STFU, don’t you think?
Well most of these "game journalists" are nothing more than their Enquirer counter-parts who go for cheap thrills and shock value rather than journalistic integrity and facts.
In an age where anyone with access to the Net can report and write about anything, the lines get blurred pretty quickly.
But considering the majority of the Crispy Gamer pedigree, I am hardly surprised by some of their headlines tbh.
With most print media out of business and most online media sites competing for the same business, most of these "journalists" are just being recycled from site to site. With hardly any editorial oversight to speak of in most cases, you pretty much see their style propagating to all sites that they write for.
I mean everyone - EVERYONE - likes CliffyB. In fact, he hardly makes the news unless its something to do with gaming and its relevant. To see him in that list with the likes of the Gamecocks - who are always in the spotlight for some stunt or the other - is just plain wrong.
Back in the old days when everytime I opened my mouth and said something it was immediately news (print and online media) in some distorted and twisted fashion; especially if I'm taking on someone in the "media", it was pretty much a free-for-all food fight. In fact...
http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/node/16103
Many years have passed and more and more developers are being open and out-spoken, rather than towing the company line. Now they're telling them to shut up. Even in jest, the notion is blatantly pompous, out of line and patently ignorant.
But hey, we in the video game business are running a multi-billion dollar industry so I guess that means open season for all forms of angst ridden, shock value rhetoric.
As industry colleague Warren once said at a popular forum several years back :
"Game developers are just human beings who happen to make games for a living.
If you want to hold us up to higher standards of conduct, then go ahead
...but don't be surprised if we don't uphold them." Warren Marshall, Epic Games
Aside from the optics of journalism, the Dyack and Jaffe grimcrashes remind me of that general point regarding online behaviour - of getting 'communication' and 'broadcasting' confused. Same seems to happen with any developer's cajole/plead/nudge fed into the great battleship Internet Gaming Forum. No matter how intimate, honest or plaintive etc. it's almost always going to be received as a broadcast from an elevated position. READY THE TOMATOES. That will be the title of my excellent imaginary media training course.
Plus, there's the whole validation element for online communities, that seems to make them go a bit doolally/foamy, but that's just a wildcard element to be wary, rather than weary, of.
The problem seems to be with the journalists rather than those they're reporting on. What are the qualifications of being a games journalist anyways? Anyone can do it and there's so many channels to do it through. Snarkiness is what needs to STFU.
It's always a pleasure reading your articles, there's obviously more thought and consideration behind what you write than any other journalists writing about videogames. Regardless of topic, you're just a better writer.
I think one of the reasons that people get sick and tired of what people say is also hurt by news aggregate systems. In the days of print when a developer gave a presentation or had an interview, the information would be provided to those who purchased the magazine. The majority of people would only get one, maybe two magazines and anything that was stated by the developer would be seen only once, or again maybe twice.
Step up to the present. A developer says something about their game in a games conference. This statement is recorded and posted by 8-15 blogs, which is then regurgitated by another 10 or so gaming news aggregate sites and all of a sudden you have ONE statement that some developer said, hitting the tidbit thirsty gaming public from 20 odd sources.
It seems to me that we've almost reached a media saturation point. Where the number of people reporting on something or gathering news from the few existing sources is causing more harm than good. The gaming public, so hungry for more news has supported a system that can't produce more news but rather just amplify the news that does exist to a point where it's painful, and you'd like them to shut up.
This, however, doesn't really account for game developers spouting off on forums but it could be that they're sick of it too.
I could be wrong though.
Actually, some developers do indeed need to STFU. David Jaffe and Dennis Dyack are both guilty of making embarrassing commentary on NeoGAF's forums, although between the two, Jaffe's the only one who commanded a member with: "go fuck your mother up her jiggly ass twat."
I'd give that a solid 6.5 out of 10.
Developer commentary is fun and sometimes insightful, but like any other entertainment product, I sometimes wish that the product could just speak for itself.
NGai, STFU.
Just kidding. Come on, you gotta admit you MUST have chuckled when you first read that list. I mean...the criticisms ARE valid...aren't they? The comments were harsh, but that was the intent. I think you seemed to approach this issue without really accepting it was done in jest...with a huge sense of humor. Hopefully, the people targeted on that list, didn't take it too seriously either. You have to approach forum postings like you would conversations over XBL. You're going read things people would NEVER say to someone else's face. You're going to hear vulgar language and racial slurs. I'm not saying that's "okay" but it's the reality of what anonymity does to jerks.
And to think, I never would have known to look for that list if you hadn't written about it. Thanks, man.
As N'Gai mentioned, the original article was somewhat tongue in cheek. Do you honestly believe any media outlet (be it Crispy Gamer or GameSpy, or N'Gai, or Totilo) telling any of these developers to shut up will have a chilling effect on them talking? The 10 that were mentioned LOVE to talk. Some stick their foot in their mouth, some overpromise and some just love to talk and say little. Cliffy B told me at the show that he would NEVER shut up
In the end, I do agree that letting them talk provides our bread & butter in what we cover as an industry, but it would be nice that when these guys talk if there was more credibility in what they said.
I agree that if a developer or commentator is talking bullshit, they should be challenged - isn't that partly the job of a games journalist? But I don't think this article, however funny (and I didn't think it was, really), will do anything to improve their credibility any more than it will shut them up. If it has any effect, I'd think it would be on the relationship between the press and games industry. But that's just my 2c.
Kate
http://www.atypicalgamer.com
Interesting reading, unlike the original article, which struck me as something you might see in a British tabloid, where success is routinely punished by puerile, sarcastic attacks. It's one thing to criticise a piece of work, but belittling the person responsible for that piece of work seems unnecessary. I'm probably being oversensitive. But I'd like to think that a more constructive, even productive relationship between those in the games industry and gamers could develop in future, to the benefit of everyone - the means are certainly there, thanks to the internet media N'Gai mentions. Articles like this aren't going to help promote an atmosphere of openness, though, are they?
Kate Berens
http://www.atypicalgamer.com
I agree - games need more celebrities, controversy and attention for various reasons.
It's not the developers, it's the PR people who annoy me most. For every Cliff Bleszinski there is a Don Mattrick, for every Eiji Aonuma a Cammie Dunaway etc. They may work hard on their end but when it comes to emotions, they tend to be affected, arrogant, and overzealous. And that's the wrong kind of attention.
I think what you need - and what we'll get as the industry matures more - is more pervasive media training. I think the reason the pool of games biz talking heads is so small is because the task of communicating a message to the media in a concise, consistent manner is not an easy one (go try playing a game of "telephone" using 3 bullet points from the back of a game box and you'll see what I mean).
Without that training, you run the risk of those column inches being wasted on stuff that - while entertaining to read - has nothing to do w/ the game and (depending on how "entertaining" the interview is) could even hurt sales.
The problem is when you "let them talk" (some developers) they end up spewing a whole bunch of nonsense. The Denis Dyack fiasco was a good point. Also, some needs to put a muzzle on Aaron Greenberg because he always bites off more than he can chew.
To be fair though they should also make one "10 Journalists" who should STFU and "10 Gamers". The latter will harder to round up since most of the list would probably be on Xbox Live.
Agreed. I always like honesty from an entertainment perspective but you brought up some good points on why its beneficial to the community if we hear what developers think. Fans who give their two cents don't necessarily understand the development side, but maybe that is the developers fault. A more informed community will make better decisions and give better feedback. A lot of the annoying retards on the internet are just ignorant, so the more information; the better.
I really enjoyed this editorial. I can't believe that anyone reporting on the game industry truly wishes that the most outspoken and entertaining developers will STFU. In my view, the power of developers as personalities is not being exploited by game-makers who are failing to recognize that smart, opinionated developers who garner column inches are about the most valuable marketing tool a publisher can hope for. So what if they say something stupid every now and again? Ultimately, they're provoking interest in their work. And, sure. I get that the devs with the biggest mouths are pretty valuable to us in the media too.