Ben-DutkaIn many ways, the Internet has been the death of intelligent, informed reporting and civilized reader interaction. It's hardly akin to a few intellectuals discussing the New York Times Book Review on a Sunday (and yes, I'm aware the Times is online). The point is, we've admitted in the past that online gaming "journalism," such at is, doesn't really qualify as pure news reporting because there's almost always some semblance of opinion infused into the articles. And this is because most sites are trying to build an interactive community and readership, which is quite different from the old-fashioned form of reporting in newspapers.
So we admit that. But something else appears to be happening. We all know about the rampant idiocy typically found in many a gaming forum online, and while most members will say it's "all in good fun" and "doesn't mean anything," there's just something wrong in the fact that you can't post in certain places for more than two minutes without seeing some insecure, socially useless individual calling someone else a fanboy or a flat-out idiot. It has gotten to the point where most such "communities" are uninhabitable for fun-loving gamers who don't have a vendetta against the world because they freeze up around girls in real life. Now, it appears as if many so-called "journalists" and gaming websites are mirroring this behavior; there seems to be an influx of "shock-jock" reporters and random hostile gamers writing over-the-top pieces of worthless trash for the express purpose of attention and traffic.
The latter fact is, obviously, yet another negative facet of the online reporting world. It's sad that such articles get any attention whatsoever but when you see the type of adolescent whining, posturing and insulting going on everywhere online, it isn't difficult to understand. But where will it end? Perhaps the bigger sites like GameSpot and IGN are now immune to this – they won't hire such people and they won't publish such pieces – but there are hundreds of other sites, and many seem to be microcosms of the aforementioned Internet stupidity. I hate to admit it, but I'm more than a little embarrassed to tell journalists I used to work with what I do…because I'm afraid they'll go online and see what "gaming journalism" is, and unfortunately, has become. The writing quality is at an all-time low, too. But I suppose nobody cares.
I would've hoped that as the industry aged and gamers aged, the journalism would conform and age as well. And I'm not saying there aren't quality, adult reporters out there; I'm merely saying they're being overrun by the smaller and medium sites, all vying for valuable traffic by trying to run an even more ridiculous article with a more eye-catching title. The "eye-catching" part wouldn't be so bad if so many gamers online didn't let their eye be caught by junk . What, you think we don't know that "PlayStation 3 Rules and You Suck" articles wouldn't get us more traffic? Sure, you'd get a lot of haters (and rightfully so) but as Gene Simmons said, there's no such thing as bad publicity. And we've done attention-getting articles in the past. But the result is highly disagreeable to us and to our community of unusually intelligent people.
Looking at it from afar, it's a little depressing. There are plenty of civil gamers out there, and plenty of capable journalists who could simply do their jobs. Opinion and thoughts of one's own may be necessary to keep an interactive readership alive, so that will indeed differ from that of traditional reporting. But beyond that, as "articles" start to look more and more like the usual forumite ranting, the less chance we have of any other journalist for any other industry taking us seriously.
Well that's why the community loves this site and its editors. It's like a haven for the avid gamers who want to have real (non-flaming) discussions. We know it can be hard to maintain it, but that just makes us appreciate you guys even more. Thanks for all your hard work staffers of PSX Extreme.
This is basically the only site I enjoy. Even sites like Gameinformer and GamePro which I ADORE. Love those two mags have a community that let's just say is not the kind I'd like to associate myself with.
Few gaming sites are actually authentic and all 'bout news reporting.
Kotaku is probably the worst thing you could ever come across.
It's great to have psxe, here discussions for the most part are civilized and educative.
It's also a cultural issue. The West admires idiocy
Not everyone does mind you, but a large majority instead of shunning these kind of behavior actually encourage it.
Sadly it's a cultural issue at heart.
Kotaku is worse than Destructoid?
Close
I think some people are just hard wired for the extremely stupid and weird. I'm glad there are places made for them. It eases the burden on you Ben. Although I do pop in sometimes.
With articles as well written as this, you should invite your journalist friends to read your writing before they see the other stuff. That way they get a taste of what true gaming journalism is about.
I don't ever make time to read sites that post nonsense. I just read from a couple of different good ones, starting with this one.
Last edited by tes37 on 7/23/2010 10:37:08 PM
Welcome to the new generation…
Honestly, I've never had much respect for IGN's editors. They can come off as jerks, too. Heck, pretty much every site is filled with either jerks, egotists, fanboys, attention whores, incompetence and/or powder kegs. Today, you have the likes of Tina Sanchez at 1up, who uses her so-called "attractiveness" to snare little boys who have never been kissed to suck up to her or Jim Sterling sounding like your typical teenager hopped up on his version of liquid courage (Mountain Dew), spewing his worthless views of the industry.
I miss the days of Electronic Games, where the journalists were professional and took their jobs seriously.
I'm proud that PSX Extreme has followed suit and lives up to the Electronic Games style of journalism. This is how it's supposed to be done.
Last edited by n/a on 7/23/2010 10:49:49 PM
I agree with you.I never had much respect for IGN or 1UP.Tina is one of the biggest fan persons I've seen in a while, and she actually shows her favouritism blatantly towards the xbox when she writes her reviews or previews.
Well, her Xbox bias doesn't bother me as we have plenty of ardent Xbots online posing as "journalists". I'm more angry at Tina over her piss-poor performance as the 1up Community Manager. It's disgusting to see what goes on there. You have to be subservient to her and her gang of idiots to get into her clique. She bans people without warning and she's turned off people with her "Look at me! I'm hot!" attitude.
Worse yet are their top bloggers, who act like they are a big deal. Most of these people are absolute snobs and phonies.
It's a terrible place. 1up needs to die.
I guess being a gaming journalist seems to be a double-edged sword. As cool as your job is,you have to sift through this crap looking for the most recent gaming news.
Thats why you're here, though. To sift through the stupidity, so we don't have to.
This is exactly why this is my main source of Playstation News. Every article I've read here that somebody may try to claim as "fanboy," has been thoroughly, and intelligently presented, explained, argued, and backed. I'm sick of seeing articles based purely on opinion being passed off as fact, or simply old information that's no longer relevant.
I don't remember the details but last year I read an article on MSN that did reviews of the consoles, and they didn't recommend the PS3 based on old, outdated, and untrue information. Now I know they're owned by MS, so I wouldn't expect anything less, but I saw similar articles on both less reputable, and more reputable sites, and I was just astonished.
I think people are used to posting anything they want under the cloak of anonymity, and if they post something online with their real name on it, they just forget, or don't care to represent themselves with any intelligence.
I saw somebody post on Facebook today "The end of humanity began with cheeseburgers." I think the culprit was not cheeseburgers, but the internet.
People blame everything on cheeseburgers. I'm sick of it, man.
Well they do cause cancer. 😉
I think you people should head to the forums. Quick. Go look. Hurry…
The internet: cause and solution to all of life's problems.
I feel the same way. Other online sites have evolved into flamebait wars. Mostly one or 2 editors will say something like the 360 can do this better or the PS3 is L33T. After that, its like a bomb. "BooooM"
Frankly I stopped posting on other formus unless it is a really,really good post. Every now and then someone writes a great article or viewpoint on one of them. Yet they are over shadowed by the 90% Flame Wars that pop on daily. Thank goodness for this site. I wrote my peace..thank you.
Last edited by GuardianMode on 7/23/2010 11:27:32 PM
Ben, the power of the Eye or Moron continues to spread.
The Eye of Moron being the collective stupidity, immaturity, hatred, negativity and complete ignorance of the Internet. Imagine a billion minds, unfiltered. Imagine how much stupidity, immaturity, hatred, negativity and complete ignorance that represents. Remember the symbol of the disembodied "Eye of Sauron" in The Lord of the Rings. It represented the will and focus of Sauron.
I often feel like the collective stupidity, immaturity, hatred, negativity and complete ignorance of the Internet is a kind of mass consciousness and it acts independently from the individuals that form it. The group consciousness that is the Eye of Moron can be seen and felt across the web. But occasionally it will focus one one thing or another, and you can feel the atmosphere change as the minions of the Eye attempt to flood the place with negative, inflammatory, ignorant, hate ridden comments.
The world of technology in general is very prone to the attentions of the Eye of Moron. The console wars over the last few years have facilitated the Eye's presence among the community, and as time has passed and more and more commenters fell under it's influence those running forums and new blogs began to change. Over time the had to become even more inflammatory, biased, vulgar and plain ignorant in order to attract and maintain their audience.
That is one of the things that makes PSXExtreme unique. We may have our bias towards Sony, but we are thankfully free from the influence of the Eye of Moron – so far. I hope we can continue to be free of it, because it's influence is purely negative.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 7/23/2010 11:35:27 PM
I have one more thought to add.
We in the US, and to a lesser extent other countries like the UK, prize our individuality. We instill a strong sense of the individual in our children. But I have seen this change from being a great thing to be questionable at best. Generations of kids have been raised believing that they are the only ones that matter, that their rights trump everyone and everything else. They believe that they are entitled to everything, and have the right to say whatever they want without consequences or having to take responsibility. Thoughtless, inconsiderate, hateful, selfish and abusive speech are the norm. Thinking is overrated, and intellectuals (aka people who think) are denigrated for taking time to think and consider things.
The things is, that is how they behave in the real world. Online these negative aspects of the sense of individuality are magnified several times over. When you combine this wit the whole Eye of Moron thing, you can see where things are headed, and at warp speed.
🙁
This two comments are probably the two best comments I have read this whole year.
They truly signify a lot of the things I've observed/thought for years.
In fact I was actually talking 'bout the very same thing to a college friend of mine a year or two ago. The fact that the individuality America/the West instills into everyone can be a double-edged sword. In many instances it can create individuals who live only for themselves in every way possible.
Basically they're raising a lot of immature independent kids who act like idiots at any given time.
Not everyone is like that though. As always there are exceptions. But in general one has to take off those patriotic glasses and think about it.
What's amazing is the levels game communities and 'news' sites take this kind of idiotic/irresponsible behavior. Truly legendary levels.
Is there any possible way I can live without the Eye of the Moron? Pretty sure it's the bane of my existence.
I wish there was Ben, if ever I find a way, I will be sure to let you know. In the meantime I tell myself that come the revolution, they'll be first against the wall along with lawyers, politicians, bankers and insurance executives.
I have to admit, after I first realized that the Eye of Moron really does exist, it has at least helped me deal with the existence of it. Perhaps it helps to be able to categorize/ label the thing so it's no longer a nameless tide of nasty.
You know, there has been talk of a kind of internet II based on IPV6. A new version of the basic internet protocol that allows every device in the world to have it's own, unique and difficult to spoof address. IPV6 is designed to be far more capable and secure than the existing TCP/IP address and protocol standards. Coupled with that ISPs have talked about being able to use IPV6 to make individual users traceable. Perhaps the thought that they will no longer be protected by the illusory anonymity and the Internet will keep the Eye of Moron and it's individual parts bottled up on the old Internet while everyone else moves on up to Internet II?
I think I want to go back to before the cell phone.
And I also think that if the Eye of the Moron seems to have an addictive quality to it…like if you look at it, you'll be under its control. It scares the crap out of me.
Yep, it has the ability to paralyze and absorb you. I have seen relatively mature and sane people sucked in to it. It really does act like a malevolent force. It's an interesting and worrisome phenomenon of the group mind of the Internet.
You must actively maintain your standards and contacts and interests outside the Internet, and *never* tolerate the Eye of Moron in your midst.
The Eye of Moron. Curiously, it's true. The hivemind mentality of humans is frightening in and of itself, but when you picture that working in concert to spread the negative thought processes of individuals… truly scary. Unfortunately you are also right about it becoming its own entity, separate from the parts (individuals) which form it. An unstoppable beast.
As for the individuality and independence of people in the modern age. You're right, it goes both ways. It imbues them… no, us, with a sense that we can do anything we want, and achieve anything. However, is this really worth the cost of inter-personal relationships? Is the drive to accomplish something, worth the death of an accumalatory (I don't think that's a word… Well, it is now) knowledge of the human race? That is what the internet should be. A base for all knowledge, not the pit of hostility and pornography that it is today. Thinking about this is getting me down.
Peace.
Lawless,
Don't let it get you too down. We are here talking about this in one of the corners of the Net that is a safe haven from the Eye. You, me, all of us need to remain vigilant and keep our brains moving. By doing so we can successfully avoid and resist the Eye of Moron. At least that's the way I see it. I won't give in to it, I would rather leave the 'net and find a cave to live in than join the Eye of Moron.
The Eye Of Moron is a great way to describe this dark and sinister force lurking about the web.
I think its overall influence is greatly underestimated, so much so… that Joe Soap doesn't know when being influenced or degraded by it… It is a pretty scary force to deal with… I see the result of it on my computer screen daily, and wish I could take a cloth and wipe it off my screen… But alas, to no avail…
Upon arriving at PsXeXtreme… the cruddy crap of the web umniverse is no more. I can smile again, read again and be stimulated postively again… Thanks to Ben and his team…
Q!
"PsXeXtreme, It's the way the web should be!"
Last edited by Qubex on 7/24/2010 8:52:05 AM
I guess that would make PSXExtreme the Shire and Ben and Arnold are the Rangers of the North keeping us safe.
The internet has started the slow, but inevitable death of intelligence. That's it. People no longer seem to care about carrying a conversation. As many have stated here before, the modern age is one of instant gratification, and as a result, it doesn't matter whether what you say makes a shred of sense, as long as it is flaming someone else, you get a buzz from it, and it makes you feel good. It grants you a feeling of empowerment. It's a crying shame.
If you want an example of bad journalism, take a gander over at 411mania. On the other hand, such a setup could be construed as working well. They split up the news, and present it as is, while having opinionated articles seperate. I don't really like it though.
Online journalism is entirely different from what it is in print. Online, it can reach everyone, everywhere in the world provided they have an internet connection (Government censorship aside). Print cannot. Print can only reach a select audience, whether that be local, state or national. It cannot reach the entire world. So it is that the reporting is far more formal, and they don't need to attract a base, it already exists.
Compare this to what it is online and suddenly, the writers and editors need to appeal to people. They need to offer something that can garner an audience, and so, opinion is needed. The problem with this is that the aforemention opinion is usually presented as fact, and as a result the readers adopt the bias of the writers. It then continues in a circle with the whole show becoming less professional, until it devolves into a cesspool that anyone with a shred of decency would not want to enter.
Lament for the future, for the end is nigh.
Peace.
Your first paragraph is why I remain convinced I was born like 125 years too late. There's a reason my favorite authors are Eliot, Wharton, and Tolstoy.
It really is quite the sanctuary, here, at psxextreme. And it's because of a continued and devoted effort over a few years on your part, Ben. And, for that we thank you. And I hope you don't get too glum. I'm sure there are one or two peers you can keep in touch with, besides, of course, the regular Psxextreme staff, God love'em, that should keep you optimistic of other possible oases in this epic sea of idiocy permeating the internet.
Well, those peers know me for other reasons besides PSXE, so they base my reputation on that. It's just that these days, people will routinely ask why I'm "wasting my talents."
I wouldn't say you were wasting your gifts Ben, but I understand what you're talking about.
Ben, one day you should decide to write a book, your story… that pulls together the best of what you have read, absorbed, studied… A life's work about Life in the internet age, with a quirkry title.
Maybe a work covering, "Journalism, For The Internet Age". It would be an interesting read about the state of journalistic affairs and how the internet has, is and will cause journalism to change… for better or for worse…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Last edited by Qubex on 7/24/2010 8:59:25 AM
Well I can honestly say this is the only site that I comment on at all because I've yet to find another that wasn't full of mind numbingly ignorant comments and endless name calling.
Every other site I've gone to, even if there was a half decent article, the comments section is full of ppl flaming others with ridiculous comments that have no basis in reality. Sadly there are plenty of ppl to respond to these ludicrous comments and it always becomes an endless and meaningless debate.
Thank goodness for psx, because even when we don't all agree here, we all seem to be able to discuss it like humans, instead of acting like the creatures we kill in most of our games.
This is the most intelligent and unbiased sites i've visited, even though its a Sony centric website. There is a difference between your editorials and the garbage they have at Kotaku or Destructoid. You put in a lot of thought into what you write. You deserve the journalist tag more than those muckrakers. Kudos to you and to PSXExtreme for having a sensible community.
And that is the reason why this is my main source for gaming news. Everyone is mature, the articles are well-written and there is little trolling and arguments (except for some minor political arguments, mostly started by Jawknee).
(No hate intended.)
Last edited by faraga on 7/24/2010 1:23:43 AM
Thats why I come here. This site is so much more welcoming and truthful. You can't find another site like that. Heres to many more great years here at PSX!!!
I find it interesting that it's gotten to the point that if you are treated with respect, it's because that person treating you well is a regular. Non-regulars are often really mean!
For a recent example, WorstNightmare has the ability to disagree with me while staying 100% respectful. I admire that quality in people there. (WorstNightmare, I only use you due to how recent it was. :p)
I have to say this is one of the few places with quality articles. It is also one of the few sites that has been a truly fun place to be and that has very few trolls, the other site being an alt-history site.
I enjoy how the relitivy small community is courteous to one another (usually) and will contribute greatly to the subject rather than degrading into a fight. A tight ship and a happy ship often go together.
Last edited by sirbob6 on 7/24/2010 3:56:06 AM
tis why i dont listen to them anymore.
the day GTAIV got a 10 was the day i stopped listening, and the day games like halo ODST, crackdown 2 and MW2 get 9s was the final nail in the coffin!
halo ODST gets 9s, where heavy rain gets 7s?
WTF?
which games better, ODST or heavy rain?
that ones quite obvious, asking that is like asking whats better a Ferrari enzo, or a Suzuki swift!
i use to think Xplay were pretty good, i normally agree with them.
but than they gave singularity a 3 and crackdown 2 a 4!
a unique game with a strong story and great graphics gets a 3, and a game that takes 2 levels and repeats them 10 times, has poor story and poor graphics gets a 4!
WTF????????????
only reviews i bother with now are good games, there normally really good, they normally hit the nail on the head and are quite critical like me which is good!
The grand majority of critics gave Heave Rain 85-100.
yes, but a few did not.
not to mention most sites gave infamous a 7 even though its one of the best games released this gen!
besides the graphics infamous was nigh on perfect.
the story, character design, level design, the city, everything was near perfect!
if infamous does not deserve a 9, than nothing does!
same goes for R&C ACIT, most sites bagged it for being so similar to the series but WTF did they expect!?
of course R&C is going to be so similar to its predecessors its a famous series, insomniac would have their head bitten off if they changed it!
the clank levels, control of time and space missions, not to mention side missions were not enough change?
R&C ACIT and infamous are 2 of the best games released this gen, yet there 2 of the lower rated games this gen.
not saying a 7 is bad, because its not!
but its no where near what both of those deserve!
No, it's really not.
Good read. and there are hundreds of stupid gaming sites around the net.and what are you saying is the pure truth. nice job ben.
Aye, you're spot on Ben, I sometimes go for a 'wander' away from my four main news sites (here, PS3attitude, Joystiq and IGN – although IGN is a distant fourth), and most of what's out there is rubbish – really badly written articles that, even if they were well written would be pointless and lacking in logic, perspective and often a basic understanding of the facts they're writing about (or the gaming industry in general).
PSX Extreme continues to have high standards, and is my favourite 'read' of my four main sites. Although if we're talking about quality of writing, I should mention there's a tiny grammatical slip in the tenth line ;).
“You should respect each other and refrain from disputes; you should not, like water and oil, repel each other, but should, like milk and water, mingle together.â€
-Buddhist Quote
Why I choose to come to this site, to mingle with people who know the meaning of respect and journalists that reward that respect with unbiased commentary. Anything else is not worthy of my time.
That is a great quote FrostFace… and true too. Yes, I do feel similarly…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Print journalism is just as guilty of infusing opinion into stories as anyone else. Good grief, just look at the whole Helen Thomas mess if you want an example.
Internet journalism is the evolution of print journalism. Survival of the fittest, right? If print is being outdone by the internet, and the internet is awash with opinionated "journalistic" writing, then by gum, it MUST be better than what's in print.
Friggin' evolution explains everything.
Evolution or devolution? I'm not sure that print journalism has evolved is the likes of Destructoid and Kotaku care examples of Internet journalism. Devolved perhaps.
Evolution was supposed to be about the survival of the fittest. The trouble is that just as in nature a form of life that is in fact 'fitter' could become extinct because of encroachment on their habitat by others. As a *perfect* example, look at the introduction of Kudzu in the South of the US. This horrid vine/weed arrived in the US as an ornamental plant prize because of it's sweet smelling blooms. It was initially thought that fast growing kudzu would be a great forage plant and help prevent soil erosion. However, as it began to grow and spread, it became clear that Kudzu was in fact a threat to the entire region. A kudzu vine can grow anything up to 60 feet in a year and will grow over anything it touches, trees, power poles, fences, everything. It's been found that certain herbicides actually promote Kudzu's growth while most others have little effect on it. Kudzu now is recognized as a threat to the landscape and habitats of the southern US. When Kudzu takes hold of an area, it smothers all other play life. and provides very little in return other than a green blanket of cover.
When you consider the Eye of Moron, and the wave of negative, classless, thoughtless, hatred that has swept across a lot of the Net. Even carrying previously respectable journalism away with it. Then you can see the parallel between Kudzu and the phenomenon on the 'Net. Just like the real kudzu there is very little that can stop it and many attempts to weaken it actually strengthen it since it thrives on conflict.
The Eye of Moron is dangerous.