sucks. It’s true, and I hadn’t realised until reading a self-confession of past sins be a videogame journo.
This new generation of irresponsible 30-something children probably don’t mind, but videogames are as much a potentially powerful, serious and effective artistic medium as comics and anime. It took a long time for this to be realised with the other two, but a good start would be constructive and genre-advancing critique.
Of course there is solid and favoured place for pure and simple fun in videogames as well, but a preview and review system that fears advertiser pull-out and loss of promo material does nothing more than form part of the marketing department of the producers.
Similarly – and no doubt far more serious – is the issue of advertiser control of newspaper and magazine content. I don’t have enough reighteous and idealistic fervor to preach against it at the moment, but hopefully mentioning it here will keep everyone mindful of the harsh realities of our Fourth Estate.
Have a look at http://www.edge-online.co.uk/ for the website of the only game magazine I bothered buying when I got over 16. It has good design as well.
Yes, the Edge Online certainly seems a good read for gaming news, although (I guess as should be expected) it doesn’t seem to cover any mainstream games.
But I’m tired. So no opinions expressed good. Like.
Okay Will, thanks to your sleuth-like knowledge of the interweb’s precious jewels I have added Edge Online to my recommended reading. JunkforCode is also a fantastic Aussie based blog that seems tuned into both Fine Arts, politics in general, and the Arts. Harrah.
I’ve sacrificed WorldChanging as it was only occationally interesting, though always a soul-destroyingly grim prediction of the destruction of our environment.
Wow, I didn’t know how cool the website was. I hadn’t looked at it in ages…. and sent it to you blind, trusting that it was as cool as the offline magazine was. I rock, in an subconcious kind of a way.