OPINION: Good Times are Here Again for the Video Game Industry

It is not my usual shtick to share optimism, especially in regards to the industry. Video games have had a rough 5+ years of drama, infighting, political tomfoolery - none of which contributed to the creation or enjoyment of good games. But I think after nearly a year of butthurt we are beginning to establish a new era of video games, one more similar to the one we were familiar with back in the 90's or early 2000's. And it is all thanks to GamerGate.

I'm sick of GG. As necessary as the last year has been, it hasn't been a great year for new video games (save for FNAF, thanks Scott!). But within all the intense criticism of this "movement" or "boycott" or whatever you want to call it, there is a simple message that we the consumers communicated to they, the industry;

• Make fun, high quality games and offer them at a competitive price.

That is all anyone wants out of any industry. Good product at a reasonable rate. For far too long developers, publishers and "journalists" have benefited from low expectations from wasteful spenders. But as always in capitalism, companies that embrace such a business model pay for it dearly. Sony is hurting. Microsoft is hurting. Even childhood rapists Electronic Arts are hurting. Video game journalists everywhere, those that work for large publications that is, are dying en masse. 

It is the video game journalists, what few that remain, who must be destroyed for us to complete our victory. Good news is that this is very easy and already occurring. We all have the tools to educate/inform ourselves about products and the industry. We do it ourselves, on Youtube, on forums and imageboards, and yes, through blogs. If mainstream "journalists" don't have the scoop, readers go elsewhere. When readers go, advertisers do. When advertisers go, the publication dies. If these journalists had not become so greedy in the first place they would not have sown the seeds of their own unemployment. 

Winning is assured my friends. We are the fans of this medium, which means we will always prevail over those who are not fans. Stay the course and keep doing what you have been doing.

A quick and simple statement on ethics

The video game industry has been embroiled in controversy these past few weeks. Beginning with the firestorm started by the infamous "Zoe Post" over on Tumblr, which led to pithy attempts at mass censorship on multiple gaming sites including Reddit and 4chan, which in turn led to the creation of the #GamerGate hashtag on Twitter. All of this has inspired many to take up video game reporting on their own, because the conventional video game journalism industry is clearly not up to the task. To that end, I am laying out simple guidelines for this page;

• No "incentives" or "gifts" from any developer or publisher, including press codes for copies of the game. I feel paying full retail price for a game is a part of the experience and deciding whether a game is worth the money or not is a part of the review process.
• In fact, no relationship with developers/publishers at all. I should just be another Joe Schmo buying their games. I'm not their stooge or their mouthpiece.
• Politics and "Social Justice" have no place in video game criticism. Video games are art, but not all art contains social or political points or statements. One of the greatest problems facing the entire game industry is people trying to force their political beliefs into gaming. This has led to divisions amongst gamers and overall stagnation of the industry.

That is all I can think of off the top of my head, but by no means everything. This document will continue to get updated.

Also, I review 3DS, PS3, PC, and in the future, Wii U games. First big review coming up; Super Smash Bros. 3DS. I can't believe the games journalism industry has reached a point where I need a large ethics statement before I even mention consoles or games.

Here's to fixing the industry that we all love so much.

Edit: I should qualify all of this by saying my video game criticism is just a hobby and will probably live in obscurity forever. I seriously doubt I'll ever be important enough that any issues will occur.