Kotaku: “Dead Rising Creator Keiji Inafune Hurt Himself. He’ll Be Okay!”, January 10th, 2011
Take everything I said just yesterday about Bashcraft’s ongoing penchant for incredible non-news posts, and reapply it here. Again.
Also, yes, in case you were wondering, this whole “blip” and “quick bite” thing that became prevalent last year is still in the upper echelons of lazy games journalism. Don’t use what amounts to a glorified Tweet as a news article.
No, right, ‘cos… ‘cos this is obviously a promo for, like, Super Muscle Pull Panic!, or something. PS3 exclusive, I reckon. Sounds like it’ll be fun.
Christ.
Kotaku: “32-Year-Old Homeless Man Found Dead Outside Japanese Arcade”, January 4th, 2012
It is terrible that a person died, and it’s certainly even more unfortunate that they were homeless, but the sheer coincidence that their passing occurred within a mile of a Japanese videogame arcade does NOT equal an automatic, relevant post for a gaming
blogtabloid.Not only does this article have not a goddamned thing to do with gaming, the games industry or “gamer culture” (is that really even a thing anymore?), but as a commenter pointed out on this unrelated GameJournos post the other day, the one Kotaku visitor who managed the courage to speak out against this story was subsequently and swiftly met with vitriol and backlash from the readership hivemind who, no doubt, are the very reason this kind of shit is still accepted as appropriate coverage.
Were you under the delusion that Kotaku would, in any way, become less shit than it was under the watchful eye of new Editor-in-Chief, Stephen Totilo? Boy, don’t you feel embarrassed.
(OK, to be fair, it was probably misguided the think any change whatsoever would come in the first couple of weeks — it’ll likely be many months before we see any noticeable differences, if they’re coming — but still. Way to kick off the new year, Bashcraft.)
![semprafi:
CVG: “Fortnite: 15 HD screens from Epic’s trailer”, December 12th, 2011
CVG: “50 Hitman: Absolution trailer screens”, December 12th, 2011
CVG: “Rainbow Six Patriots: 13 HD screens from the VGA trailer”, December 13th, 2011
Pressing PrtScn on your keyboard while watching a trailer still doesn’t qualify as “screenshots”, CVG. Or news.
And it never, ever will.
Ever.
[There was a rather tasteless piece of commentary here, but I’ve edited it out. Not because it’s tasteless, but because it was incredibly poorly timed. My apologies.]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lw5eksjunT1qa18woo1_500.jpg)
CVG: “Fortnite: 15 HD screens from Epic’s trailer”, December 12th, 2011
CVG: “50 Hitman: Absolution trailer screens”, December 12th, 2011
CVG: “Rainbow Six Patriots: 13 HD screens from the VGA trailer”, December 13th, 2011
Pressing PrtScn on your keyboard while watching a trailer still doesn’t qualify as “screenshots”, CVG. Or news.
And it never, ever will.
Ever.
[There was a rather tasteless piece of commentary here, but I’ve edited it out. Not because it’s tasteless, but because it was incredibly poorly timed. My apologies.]
VG247: “Keighley: Alan Wake XBLA is “effectively” Alan Wake 2”, December 5th, 2011
Ignoring the non-newsworthy hyperbole from Spike TV’s glorified gaming hype man, this kind of lazy ineptitude shouldn’t be happening still, on a professional site:
The digital title, rumoured to be subtitled Bright Falls, will debut at the Spike-hosted awards this weekend.
The hyperlink above — whose URL and associated headline is visible by simply hovering over it — links back to a previous news article which clearly shows the (rumored) menu of the AW sequel, and its name. Assuming it was real.
VG247: “Rumour: Alan Wake: Night Springs front menu shown”, November 4th, 2011
It’s not Alan Wake: Bright Falls, as stated. It’s Alan Wake: Night Springs (or Alan Wake’s Night Springs). It says that right in the goddamn title, which was also coincidentally written by JoCul, just a month ago.
I mean… I’m just sayin’. Journalism.
I would suggest that someone at VG247 hop in a car (or aboard a plane, or whatever) and head over to Johnny Cullen’s house so they can give him a swift kick in the Pulitzers, but they’re probably too busy writing their own shoddily-written, poorly-researched pieces.
Also, “The VGAs happen this Saturday”? If Cullen got higher than a C in his English GCSE exam I will be incredibly surprised.
Kotaku: “Gamers Pepper Sprayed During Black Friday “Competitive Shopping”, November 25th, 2011
DToid: ‘Black Friday shoppers Pepper sprayed Walmart game section”, November 25th, 2011
VG247: “Gamer pepper-sprayed in Black Friday sale”, November 25th, 2011
Take the lucky coincidence that the person(s) involved in this incident play/are aware of/wanted to buy discounted videogame merchandise out of the equation, and would this be “news” worthy of covering on a gaming site?
The answer is, shockingly, no. Not at all. It’s not even really news whatsoever.
Would a few unruly mainstream shoppers at an isolated store who happen to be slobbering over the chance to pick up some overly promoted discounted Blu-rays or DVDs, and then getting into a minor shopping altercation in that medium’s accompanying section, be all over the web’s various film and TV/entertainment sites?
Probably not. It’s not a pressing matter of any widespread significance, even with the faux CONTROVERSY ZOMG HEADLINES! In fact, I’m quite surprised the L.A. Times made as big of a deal out this as they did. It’s not even under their Entertainment tab; it’s just ‘Local Breaking News’.
This kind of shit is not surprising in the slightest, and happens every year — and not exclusively pertaining to videogames. Retailers should honestly be ashamed of themselves for promoting, and by association, encouraging this ongoing clusterfuck of nonsense.
I long for the ending of the practice of sites — be they gaming or not — tripping over themselves on a slow day to pick out any pseudo-relevant bit of info, from an otherwise unrelated topic, to concoct an unneeded article.
Take the weekend off and eat your goddamn leftovers. Christ. Those ad clicks will be back on Monday.
Plunkett, Sterling and Cullen - the three most common offenders of “posting vaguely gaming-related not-news bullshit as if it were relevant gaming news”. Nicely done, boys.
Turns out I don’t have to do a write-up about the Metal Gear Solid 5 fiasco. semprafi rather nicely covers it here:
Destructoid: “Metal Gear Solid 5 is NOT confirmed … yet”, November 21st, 2011
Kotaku: “Is Metal Gear Solid 5 Coming? “Probably…At Some Point”, November 21st, 2011
GameInformer: “Metal Gear Solid 5 Confirmed [Update]”, November 21st, 2011
Giant Bomb: “Turns Out Metal Gear Solid 5 Talk Was a False Alarm”, November 21st, 2011
NowGamer: “Kojima: Wants No Involvement In Metal Gear Solid 5”, November 21st, 2011
VG247: “Kojima: “We’ll probably have to make” Metal Gear Solid 5”, November 21st, 2011
CVG: “We’ll probably have to make Metal Gear Solid 5,’ admits Kojima”, November 21st, 2011
IGN: “MGS5: “We’ll Have To Make It,” Says Hideo Kojima”, November 21st, 2011
Shacknews: “Kojima has ‘no idea’ what MGS5 will be”, November 21st, 2011
Joystiq: “Kojima on MGS5: ‘We’ll probably have to make it at some point”, November 21st, 2011
Just a sampling of the sites covering this and/or backpedaling on their
acts of journalismerroneous assumptions (something that’s an increasingly big problem), as a result of Official PlayStation Magazine UK deciding to “address” their conjecture-filled, incredibly misleading-so-it-would-spread-like-wildfire cover article tease earlier this month:When asked about the sequel to MGS 4 the series’ creator replied “I think we’ll probably have to make it at some point, but what that will be, we have no idea”. Once again, though, Kojima is downplaying his involvement. “As far as my involvement in the project is concerned, [it] probably won’t be as much as it was with MGS1 – maybe I can do just one stage! For MGS1 I made the maps myself, laid out the enemy routes myself, did everything hands-on – that level I can’t do again.”
Now, compare to these same outlets’ original take on the now confirmed non-story.
Destructoid: “Kojima cover story in OPM confirms Metal Gear Solid 5”, November 17th, 2011
Kotaku: “Snake? Snaaaake?!: Is Hideo Kojima Helming Metal Gear Solid 5?”, November 17th, 2011
GameInformer: “Metal Gear Solid 5 Confirmed”, November 17th, 2011
GiantBomb: “Metal Gear Solid 5 Is Apparently Happening”, November 17th, 2011
NowGamer: “Kojima Confirms Plans For Metal Gear Solid 5”, November 18th, 2011
VG247: “Hideo Kojima to discuss plans for MGS5, Project Ogre in next issue of OPM”, November 17th, 2011
CVG: “Kojima talks MGS 5, Rising in new OPM”, November 17th, 2011
IGN: “Kojima ready to talk Metal Gear Solid 5”, November 18th, 2011
Shacknews: “Hideo Kojima to discuss plans for MGS5, Project Ogre in next issue of OPM”, November 17th, 2011
Joystiq: “Tactical Espionage Announcement: Kojima working on Metal Gear Solid 5”, November 17th, 2011
You seriously have NO idea how hard I am laughing at this. Sure, a large part of the blame can and should be placed on OPM UK’s doorstep for how this played out, as print gaming magazines — especially European ones, and especially those under Future Publishing — are mostly reliant upon speculatory/conjecture laden/hypothetical/sensationalist features to sell their out-of-date wares to the public anymore, who are vastly ahead of them thanks to the web.
But you’d think after the countless, borderline embarrassing examples in recent memory, enthusiast press would have figured that out by now.
At least the folks at Giant Bomb have seemingly acknowledged this, and vow to “refrain from publishing anything from OPM UK again anytime soon,” so as to not “encourage what was purely link bait.”
Too bad that’s not an industry-wide accepted practice.
The number of times I’ve watched this over the past few days and shaken my head at its sad veiled truthfulness, rather than LOLing at the hilarity, is staggering.
It’s still brilliant though; there really are no words. Bravo, Mega64. It was flawless. 9 out of 10.
Only a 9 out of 10? Look, I haven’t watched the video yet, but I know it’s worth at least a 9.5.
When in doubt, erroneously make shit up, then amend it later and hope no one notices. Or something. More quality, reliable, professional games journalism from IGN.
If you want the full rundown on exactly what transpired in the above review clusterfuck, check out this thread of NeoGAF which chronicled its spread from IGN, to Twitter, and back to IGN again. Also, reviewer Daemon Hatfield’s delightful community blog response.
Good read, that.
IGN is the McDonalds of game journalism - they’re shit, but people still go to them because they’re a recognizable name. With that in mind, there’s no real need for them to up their game. They’re already making bank, why would they bother spending time, money and resources on people who are actually capable of doing a good job?
Kotaku: “Please Keep Lindsay Lohan and Her Nasty Teeth Away From Our Gaming Events”, October 13th, 2011
Good ole’ Fahey here, going for the gold.
This sort of tabloid level, written for clicks bullshit isn’t news, and shouldn’t be tolerated by readers.
Moreover, it bears repeating: random celebrities doing something (often vaguely) involving videogames also is not news. Ever.
This, gentle readers, is just one of the many reasons why Kotaku is considered the tabloid gutter press of the games industry.
![semprafi:
Kotaku: “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Coming “This Winter,” Capcom Says”, September 20th 2011
RipTen: “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Won’t Make 2011, Coming “This Winter”, September 20th, 2011
GamePro: “Resident Evil: Raccoon Coming Early 2012”, September 20th, 2011
IGN: “Operation Raccoon City slips to 2012”, September 20th, 2011
JustPushStart: “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Delayed”, September 21st, 2011
CVG: “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City delayed”, September 21st, 2011
This is just a tiny selection of erroneous reporting, based on a quick Google search.
Capcom has never, ever said Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City was definitely releasing before the end of 2011; it’s been a vague “this winter” since its announcement. The winter timeframe extends through nearly three months of the following year.
This is straight from Capcom’s press release, announcing Operation Raccoon City. You know, that thing all these sites sourced back in late March?
San Mateo – March 29, 2011 – Capcom® a leading worldwide developer and publisher of videogames, today announced Resident Evil®: Operation Raccoon City, is in development for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and PC.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is collaboration between Capcom and Vancouver based studio Slant 6 Games and is scheduled for release this Winter.”
That says nothing about whether it’s in fact winter 2011, or winter 2012 (which would be early 2012). And Capcom has not clarified that since.
IGN is the only outlet of the above lot that actually didn’t totally embarrass themselves — getting a re-confirmation about the intentional vagueness — but it was a completely unnecessary step to take, since simply paying attention would have sufficed.
Come on, people. When a game doesn’t appear like it’s going to make the release window that you, not the publisher, have set, that doesn’t mean it’s delayed.
[Edit]: Now come the corrections! Kotaku and GamePro are first, having to have Capcom point out to them that they’ve “always said winter”, and nothing more.
It’s the attention to detail that has me to optimistic about the future of game journalism.](http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrvi1itZZh1qa18woo1_500.jpg)
Kotaku: “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Coming “This Winter,” Capcom Says”, September 20th 2011
RipTen: “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Won’t Make 2011, Coming “This Winter”, September 20th, 2011
GamePro: “Resident Evil: Raccoon Coming Early 2012”, September 20th, 2011
IGN: “Operation Raccoon City slips to 2012”, September 20th, 2011
JustPushStart: “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Delayed”, September 21st, 2011
CVG: “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City delayed”, September 21st, 2011
This is just a tiny selection of erroneous reporting, based on a quick Google search.
Capcom has never, ever said Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City was definitely releasing before the end of 2011; it’s been a vague “this winter” since its announcement. The winter timeframe extends through nearly three months of the following year.
This is straight from Capcom’s press release, announcing Operation Raccoon City. You know, that thing all these sites sourced back in late March?
San Mateo – March 29, 2011 – Capcom® a leading worldwide developer and publisher of videogames, today announced Resident Evil®: Operation Raccoon City, is in development for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and PC.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is collaboration between Capcom and Vancouver based studio Slant 6 Games and is scheduled for release this Winter.”
That says nothing about whether it’s in fact winter 2011, or winter 2012 (which would be early 2012). And Capcom has not clarified that since.
IGN is the only outlet of the above lot that actually didn’t totally embarrass themselves — getting a re-confirmation about the intentional vagueness — but it was a completely unnecessary step to take, since simply paying attention would have sufficed.
Come on, people. When a game doesn’t appear like it’s going to make the release window that you, not the publisher, have set, that doesn’t mean it’s delayed.
[Edit]: Now come the corrections! Kotaku and GamePro are first, having to have Capcom point out to them that they’ve “always said winter”, and nothing more.
It’s the attention to detail that has me to optimistic about the future of game journalism.
Websites form erroneous assumptions, imply Rockstar involvement with Take-Two-owned domain [Update: It’s XCOM]
CVG: “Rockstar’s mysterious ‘Citizen Skywatch’ site suggests reveal”, August 15th, 2011
However, the whois log for CitizenSkywatch.com also drags Rockstar into the mix with the GTA developer cropping up in a server name … Of course, just because Rockstar’s name pops up on a server title doesn’t mean that Citizen Skywatch is anything to do with, oh we don’t know, GTA V but we’ve certainly got our fingers crossed for a gob-smacking Rockstar surprise this week.
Joystiq: “What is Citizen Skywatch?”, August 15th, 2011
A whois search reveals that the domain is registered to Take-Two Interactive, and that its listed physical address is the same address listed for Rockstar’s official site, so we can safely infer that it will at least be tangentially related to games.
G4TV: “Citizen Skywatch’ Placeholder Has Connections To Take-Two, Rockstar”, AUgust 15th, 2011
There’s no way of knowing what game this might relate to, though the timing of the website’s discovery in relation to the start of Gamescom this week suggests we’ll be hearing more very soon. The Rockstar connection means it probably has nothing to do with BioShock: Infinite or XCOM, two games in which the term “Skywatch” would seem to be relevant. Maybe GTA V…?
VG247: “Citizen Skywatch placeholder linked to Rockstar” / “Take-Two teasing “Citizen Skywatch” [Now removed], August 15th, 2011
The website’s address information matches that of Rockstar. Now, what well known series is Rockstar very strongly believed to be working on right now, which is notorious for its AR marketing including websites for fictitious organisations?
NowGamer: “GTA Studio Launches Citizen Skywatch, But What Is It?”, August 15th, 2011
The domain was registered by Take-Two Games, and is reportedly hosted on the same servers as existing Rockstar websites - while not proof of Rockstar’s involvement, the project could be some sort of ARG for another game title, or something else altogether. … We can’t see any direct link to any existing GTA 5 rumours, but could it tie-up with other Rockstar properties such as Max Payne 3? Or is it something entirely different altogether? A Gamescom reveal perhaps?
Back in April, Take-Two Interactive scooped up the domain for a mysterious new something, called “Citizen Skywatch”. Is it an unannounced new IP? A viral campaign for the XCOM reboot? No one knows for certain, so we must speculate!
Curiously, blogs covering the domain’s story — which just surfaced over the weekend, along with accompanying Twitter/YouTube profile — have taken it upon themselves to somehow gather that this is definitely-maybe-possibly a new thing from Rockstar Games, of all studios. Why’s that? Because Rockstar are noted in the filing, listed amongst the various servers:
Registrant:
Administrator, System ContactMiddleName
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.
622 Broadway
4th Floor
New York, NY 10012
USDomain Name: CITIZENSKYWATCH.COM
Record expires on 26-Apr-2016.
Record created on 26-Apr-2011.
Domain servers in listed order:Name Server: NS.TAKE2GAMES.COM
Name Server: NS5.TAKE2GAMES.COM
Name Server: NS6.ROCKSTARGAMES.COMClearly this means that the GTA creator is keeping secrets. But wait! As it so happens, the company is also listed in the domain servers of other, not-related-to-Rockstar titles from Take-Two, such as:
Gearbox’s Borderlands
Domain servers in listed order:
NS.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS5.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS6.ROCKSTARGAMES.COM2K’s XCOM
Domain servers in listed order:
NS.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS5.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS6.ROCKSTARGAMES.COMIrrational’s BioShock Infinite
Domain servers in listed order:
NS.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS5.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS6.ROCKSTARGAMES.COMFiraxis’ Civilization
Domain servers in listed order:
NS.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS5.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS6.ROCKSTARGAMES.COMDigital Extreme’s The Darkness II
Domain servers in listed order:
NS.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS5.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS6.ROCKSTARGAMES.COMEven Yager’s Spec Ops: The Line
Domain servers in listed order:
NS.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS5.TAKE2GAMES.COM
NS6.ROCKSTARGAMES.COM…And I could keep going, because this happens to be the case for a great number, if not most of the sites for Take-Two-published/owned games. [Edit: As Wardrox points out below, it’s more than likely that Rockstar’s server is the next reliable option to T2’s own, and it serves as a backup]
To throw you for an even crazier loop, the domain for 2K Sports? It’s registered to, not Take-Two, but Rockstar Games. ZOMGbwah.
I’m not stating that Citizen Skywatch isn’t a product from Rockstar Games — I have no idea, it very well could be, even if the signs do not point in that direction; seems to fit XCOM themes nicely. But to automatically infer and imply they’re linked to something new from Take-Two because of this is really sloppy journalism. Especially when the assumptions can be so easily debunked with a few quick checks to WhoIs.
[Update]: Just as I said, it’s an ARG for next March’s XCOM reboot. T2’s rolling it out at PAX where you “will be able to step into Citizen One’s Seattle bunker as he recruits new agents into Citizen SkyWatch to expose the government’s attempts to cover up the unknown threat invading our skies.”
It’s a sad day indeed when large sites like this are simply unable to do basic research rather than just vomiting up a story for public digestion. Only joking! It’s the status fucking quo.
Kotaku: “Game Movie Director’s Theory On why Game Movies Stink”, August 12th, 2011
Paul W.S. Anderson has directed every Resident Evil movie since the first one all the way back in 2002, and thinks the reason most game adaptations suck is simple: a lack of knowledge.
Resident Evil (2002); director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004); director: Alexander Witt
Resident Evil: Extinction (2007); director: Russell Mulcahy
Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010); director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Resident Evil: Retribution (2012): director: Paul W.S Anderson (for now)
No, Luke, not all of Screen Gems’ terrible Resident Evil movies have been directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, purported fan of Capcom’s franchise and husband to the actress behind made-up character Alice.
However, they have all been written by him, as well as produced/co-produced. These are things that could have literally been found out in less than 20 seconds of Google searching.
But who cares about a silly little thing like factual accuracy, amirite?
Expecting Kotaku to properly look something up before they maek poast is like expecting me to come up with a decent analogy at 1:33 in the morning - it’s not going to happen and I’m going to go to sleep shortly afterwards.
