Video game journalism facts for kids

Video game journalism is all about reporting and talking about video games. It's like news for games! This type of journalism usually tells you about new games coming out, gives you a sneak peek at games before they're released, and shares reviews of games to help you decide if you want to play them. Lately, lots of new websites and blogs about gaming have popped up online.

How Did Game Magazines Start?

The very first magazine about video games that's still around today is called Play Meter magazine. But this one was mostly for people who make video games. The first magazine made for players (that's you!) was a UK magazine called Computer and Video Gaming, which started in November 1981. Just two weeks later, the first US magazine, Electronic Games Magazine, began. The oldest gaming magazine for players that you can still buy today is Computer Gaming World.

Online Game Magazines: The New Way

The first regular online game magazine was probably Game Zero Magazine, which went online in November 1994. Another one, Intelligent Gamer Online, had issues you could download in 1993, but its website wasn't fully online until April 1995.

Today, online game magazines and websites have some cool advantages over old-school print magazines. When new information about a game comes out, online sites can share it right away! Print magazines have to wait until their next issue comes out, which can take weeks.

Being Fair in Game Journalism

People sometimes worry about how fair video game journalism is. Here are some things they talk about:

Fairness in Reviews

Imagine a magazine gets money from a game company for ads, or goes to a big party thrown by that company. If they then give that company's game a super high score, some people might wonder if the review is truly honest. Also, magazines made by console companies, like Nintendo Power or Official Xbox Magazine, might seem to favor games made for their own consoles or by their own company. It's important for reviews to be as fair as possible!

Playing the Game Enough

To really understand a game, especially big ones like role-playing games (RPGs) or strategy games, you might need to play for hundreds of hours. But game journalists often don't have that much time to finish their reviews. Sometimes, a reviewer might only play a game for a few hours, even if it's a game that takes 50 hours to complete. This can make it hard for them to give a full and fair review.

Reviewing Unfinished Games

Sometimes, reviewers get to play a game before it's completely finished, like a "beta" version. This can be tricky because the game might change a lot before it's released to everyone. For example, an unfinished version of Grand Theft Auto 4 was given a perfect score by one magazine, even though it wasn't the final game.

Knowing the Game Type and Skill

Reviewers sometimes review games that are in a style they don't usually play or aren't very good at. This can make it hard for them to give a helpful review. There was a famous case where a reviewer gave a game called Space Giraffe a very low score, but it turned out he hadn't played it much and didn't get far in the game. It's helpful when reviewers know a lot about the type of game they are reviewing.

New Games Journalism: A Different Way to Review

New Games Journalism is a style of writing about games that started in 2004. Instead of just saying if a game is good or bad, this style focuses on the reviewer's personal feelings and experiences while playing the game. It might also connect the game to other things in life or other types of stories. It's more about how the game feels to play, rather than just listing its features. Some people like this style because it's more personal, but others think it doesn't give enough clear information about how the game actually works.

Popular Game Publications

Here are some well-known places where you can find video game journalism:

Magazines for Players

Print Magazines

• Edge
• Famitsu
• Game Informer
• Nintendo Power
• Official PlayStation Magazine
• Official Xbox Magazine
• Play
• PC Gamer

Online Websites

• 1UP
• IGN
• Gamespot
• Gamespy
• Eurogamer
• Gametrailers
• Joystiq
• Kotaku
• Gamefaqs
• Beyond 3D
• Insert Credit
• Actionbutton.net
• Insomnia.ac

Special Websites (for specific game types)

• SHMUPS! (for "shoot 'em up" games)
• SRK (for fighting games)
• RPGamer (for role-playing games)

See also

In Spanish: Periodismo de videojuegos para niños