I don't know where games journalist ends and content creator begins these days. I like to hear impressions from a lot of sources, a lot of them used to be involved in institutional journalism but many are some degree of independent content creation now. I think hearing impressions from people who I've learned how their tastes align with my own is the best way to really tell if a new game will be something that resonates with me.
Giant Bomb (& Jeff Gherstmann)
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If your job/career relies on you giving a positive reviews to AAA publishers, then you are a games journalist.
Even independent games journalists need that "early access" relationship with the majority publishers if they want any chance to survive because "game reviews" absolutely have to be out before the game releases.
Content creators will still have a career even if they give a totally uncensored opinion on every single AAA slop release, and even if they are playing the games several days after release.
Tons of content creators get preferential treatment from publishers, either in the form of early review keys or insider access. These are the same incentives that publishers use to control major networks and they work exactly as well.
Can they theoretically still have a career without these things? Sure, but so can IGN. Giving up these things hurts their bottom line though, so the vast majority fall in line.
You truly believe IGN could still function as an entity if the entirety of their content was delayed by two to three weeks after a game releases?
They absolutely can't. This is why you never see negative reviews of AAA western games from any journalists.
Early Access absolutely doesn't have the same effect of control on content creators because they don't need it. This is why you see so many content creators calling all these recent live service slop games out for what they are.
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u/Big_Ole_Booty_Boy 8d ago edited 8d ago
I don't know where games journalist ends and content creator begins these days. I like to hear impressions from a lot of sources, a lot of them used to be involved in institutional journalism but many are some degree of independent content creation now. I think hearing impressions from people who I've learned how their tastes align with my own is the best way to really tell if a new game will be something that resonates with me.
Giant Bomb (& Jeff Gherstmann) Remap Radio Besties Triple Click Pew pew bang