Why Do YouTubers and Access Media Shill for Mediocre Games?: A Theory

[Zboj Lamignat]

Not really. Depending on the type of game and why are you shilling in the first place of course.

 

[blrrmmmff]

If you want to understand why humans act the way they do, just look at one thing: incentives. Youtubers and games journalists get more out of shilling than out of being honest with their audience.

Of course when everyone is shilling, that actually creates demand for honest Youtubers.

 

[samuraigaiden]

Jason Schreier is a rare example of a gaming journalist that does real journalism and isn't just covering press releases and reddit outrage.

As is supposed to be the case with any actually competent journalist, his opinion is not where the value of his work derives from and ultimately is not relevant.

 

[AgentFransis]

And if you go around lying to enough people long enough, eventually it will get to the point where no one will trust anything you say

 

[TheImplodingVoice]

This is exactly what happened to Infinitron and why he is so defensive towards Pillars.

In a (possibly desperate) effort to boost sales prior to Dumpsterfire release, someone from Obsidian emotionally manipulated Codex staff to help them convince people the original Pillars was a "cult" RPG or some horseshit (when in fact it was a mediocrity ridden with bizarre systems). Some sweet words, a few keys. So they found some idiot to re-review the original Pillars review (which was fairly realistic) and publish it as some kind of a "cult RPG retrospective" (a cum-gargling Iliad) with grades through the roof (think 11/10). Hilarious shit. That turd of an article was pinned for like 6 months.

TLDR you're right, you just forgot to say most shills aren't aware they're being manipulated. Usually they have bad taste and/or low consumer standards which act as a barrier.

Isn't Infinitron more of a Larian shill than Obsidian?

Jason Schreier is a rare example of a gaming journalist that does real journalism and isn't just covering press releases and reddit outrage.

As is supposed to be the case with any actually competent journalist, his opinion is not where the value of his work derives from and ultimately is not relevant.

No he's a shill. He was shilling FO76 on the Fallout sub on Reddit. And he got btfo by the sub

 

[grimace]

 

[Beastro]

impossible, youtubers are full of integrity

I think an issue ignored here is the impetus of pushing out content that youtubers feel is what people want to watch, especially that which gives good returns. I'm reminded of the weird way a lot of channels I used to follow to pick up tips to play Paradox games devolved into simply painting the map over and over again (taking a peek, guys like Arumba and Quill18 are still doing it to this day, others like Kailvin and Shenryr have too, just ran off to Twitch while others like Northernlion have moved on).

That then brings to mind something years ago seeing family get sucked into watching Dr. Oz when his show first went out, hyped on all these sensible recommendations until the show degenerated into weird fringe crap (which was always there but become more and more prominent). The point was the show ran out of content to make given it's daily news nature, so it began grasping at anything to throw on the screen day to day no matter how stupid it was.

It's sadly not enough to play any game, but to do so in a good enough way to be consistent, reliable and successful for youtubers that can't be constantly creative the way Robbaz of even SpiffingBrit are. Good channels that largely put out what they want and are currently playing don't do well even though I find them more enjoyable and insightful, ones like Auldragon (13k subs), Grimith (19k), LethelFeline (15k), MysteriousJG (6k) and Gamehorder (11). It's a shame too because they can get into some good obscure games, prove nice information for specific things if you're avoiding walkthroughs and are often simply entertaining to watch like Gamehorder is on his own or the colabs between Grimith and LethelFeline which play to each of their strengths that can make interesting, but crap games watchable (Their colab with Feline playing Robinson's Requiem is a good example of that given how rough the game is to play).

 

[Gerrard]

Imagine thinking for even a second that Jason Schreier's opinion on "what is right and wrong in the video game industry" has any value and is worth spending time on discussing.

Jason Schreier is a rare example of a gaming journalist that does real journalism and isn't just covering press releases and reddit outrage.

 

[HeroMarine]

Look at movie critic Armond White, most of his reviews are negative and people hate him for it. When he ruined Black Panther's 100% RT score people damn near rioted.

What are you talking about? He's about one of the only movie critics I like, despite the fact that he's a gay black man.

 

[Swigen]

I hope they get serious $$$ for it. Anyone that still believes journalists let alone YouTube “influencers” have one iota of integrity probably still believe in Santa Claus. For me the big disappointment would be that they are shilling for nothin’ but some bullshit “exclusive” info in a misguided effort to get those tasty clicks pennies.

 

[samuraigaiden]

Yall seem to be confused about what is journalism. Twits and reddit posts are not journalism. Reporting on Blizzard's layoffs or Bioware's work conditions is journalism.

 

[RaptorRex888]

Imagine being a shill for free.

 

[DalekFlay]

Yall seem to be confused about what is journalism. Twits and reddit posts are not journalism. Reporting on Blizzard's layoffs or Bioware's work conditions is journalism.

I remember when Giant Bomb hired Patrick Klepek as the "news guy" to do "the journalism" and at least they were being honest about the rest of them NOT being that. Though they went on to just use Klepek as another commentator for the most part, for whatever reason. I was gonna type "because there's not a lot of journalism to be done with games" but honestly there could be. Rare stuff like Kotaku speaking to a lot of sources in Bioware to report on how they fucked Andromeda up so badly is interesting, despite my hatred for that website, and more of that kind of thing would be cool. We just don't get it, either because they're mostly all hacks or... or... hmm...

 

[Makabb]

I must be old, i remember youtube when it was all about meme videos and gameplay.

This influencer shit and 'youtube as a job' is alien to me, and sounds stupid.

Sure there will be a few pewdiepiews who will get rich, but that is just 10 people of out million wannabes, the chance someone will get rich out of youtube is like winning the lottery.

Pewdiepie was just in the right place at the right time, doing the right (stupid) things, and the fact that his looks are not incel type helped him a tenfold.

 

[samuraigaiden]

I remember when Giant Bomb hired Patrick Klepek as the "news guy" to do "the journalism" and at least they were being honest about the rest of them NOT being that. Though they went on to just use Klepek as another commentator for the most part, for whatever reason. I was gonna type "because there's not a lot of journalism to be done with games" but honestly there could be. Rare stuff like Kotaku speaking to a lot of sources in Bioware to report on how they fucked Andromeda up so badly is interesting, despite my hatred for that website, and more of that kind of thing would be cool. We just don't get it, either because they're mostly all hacks or... or... hmm...

When doing industry coverage (be it games, tech, automobiles, whatever) journos will be forced to choose between preserving their access to the industry - which in itself is essential to be able to keep their jobs - or making actually news worthy coverage that is informative and useful for the reader. 99% will choose the first option as 'always default', make a lot of friends in the industry and hope to eventually retire from journalism for a position as PR boss or media consultant (or something similar) in the industry.

 

[DJOGamer PT]

Look at movie critic Armond White, most of his reviews are negative and people hate him for it.

No one hates Armond White. People make fun of him because he's pretty much a meme critic, he will give good ratings to absolute shit movies (ex.: see his BvS review).

 

[sputtering fart balloon]

What are you talking about? He's about the one of the only movie critics I like, despite the fact that he's a gay black man.

Well he has to have some fans or he wouldn't be able to be actively gay. Anything you wish you disclose?

No one hates Armond White. People make fun of him because he's pretty much a meme critic, he will give good ratings to absolute shit movies (ex.: see his BvS review).

His panning of Toy Story 3 and Get Out caused notable outrage, with news articles about the e-butthurt. People tried to turn the latter into some kind of race thing about Armond being an evil Uncle Tom and still do.

 

[DalekFlay]

I got suspended from my movie forum for a week for saying Get Out was a racist piece of shit. True story.

 

[Tehdagah]

Armond White does have a ridiculously extensive knowledge about movies' story. He is one of the few critics worth reading, even if you disagree with him.

His panning of Toy Story 3 and Get Out caused notable outrage, with news articles about the e-butthurt. People tried to turn the latter into some kind of race thing about Armond being an evil Uncle Tom and still do.

I remember people making enormous podcasts and videos just because of his Toy Story 3 review lol

 

[Cromwell]

the chance someone will get rich out of youtube is like winning the lottery

Dont know about youtube but streamers dont have to reach pewdiepie levels of success to live off of it. I wouldnt call it pennies either.

 

[DalekFlay]

Dont know about youtube but streamers dont have to reach pewdiepie levels of success to live off of it. I wouldnt call it pennies either.

It's still relatively few who reach that level, surely. If you go on Twitch and search by game you'll see a few people with hundreds of viewers and then dozens with like 3 people watching.

 

[HeroMarine]

Look at movie critic Armond White, most of his reviews are negative and people hate him for it.

No one hates Armond White. People make fun of him because he's pretty much a meme critic, he will give good ratings to absolute shit movies (ex.: see his BvS review).

BvS is objectively better than Afro-American Panther.

Wakanda isn't real (but Gotham City is).

 

[DJOGamer PT]

BvS is objectively better than Afro-American Panther.

BvS is trainwreck in every aspect. Black Panther is also bad, but not near the scale BvS is bad, plus it's at least consistent with the it's own story and universe.

 

[HeroMarine]

BvS is objectively better than Afro-American Panther.

BvS is trainwreck in every aspect. Black Panther is also bad, but not near the scale BvS is bad, plus it's at least consistent with the it's own story and universe.

 

[Trans-Financial-Man]

>Not being old enough to remember that Armond White is a troll .