Simon Byron is awesome. Look him up. He’s not always right, but his columns are always very entertaining. His latest column in Develop mag has finally been published online, and you should go read it.
He doesn’t like Metacritic. Citing the non-existence barriers into becoming a “videogame journalist” he laments at the impact a site like Metacritic, a site which relies on the opinions of said “journalists”, has on the industry.
Some sort of central hub of opinion is fine in theory – why make up your mind yourself when you can simply think what everyone else does? – but Metacritic’s shadow is looming larger and larger over the business, its influence largely unchallenged or questioned. Share prices, it appear, can rise or fall on a Metacritic percentage point – investors buy or sell depending according to the Internet average. Hell, even Develop’s sister publication MCV has started running stories about Metacritic scores – perpetuating the illusion that the site has some merit.
He also points out the farce of a site essentially giving platform space to some of the smaller sites which have almost no influence on gamers as a whole.
On another, a review for Bioshock on PS3 had been read by 451 people in its month since publication – you could shout an opinion on Oxford Street and influence more people than that, as that God-loves-you man will attest.
Taking that further, he also points out that most of the sites which are given credibility by Metacritic “appear to have been set up for the sole purpose of getting free review copies from publishers.” Which is depressingly true.
Anyone can claim to be a videogame journalist, but that in no way means they are, or should be treated as such. Anyway, read it.
iTunes
Nice read but… who the fuck designed that site layout?
“Not always right!”? How dare you!
Winky smiley, obviously. Thank you for the kind words.
Simon x