Quite a moment! As mentioned previously, this marks my final contribution to Sunday Papers. My time at Rock Paper Shotgun (and Gamer Network) concludes this Wednesday. Trying to encapsulate twelve years at this publication, or even twenty within the industry, feels like an impossible task. After several failed attempts at a proper essay, I’ve resorted to that classic journalistic tool: the bullet-pointed list.
Please indulge me as I share some core principles – and personal preferences, naturally – that I’ve strived to uphold during my tenure here. These values were heavily influenced by my exceptional colleagues (especially the invaluable Alice O), and I hope I’ve lived up to them more often than not.
- Game previews are often unrewarding because everyone gets the same restricted access. Clever writing and personal perspective can sometimes make them worthwhile, but be realistic: you’re often just echoing marketing messages.
- A playable game is more valuable than endless speculation about future titles. It’s concerning that we dedicate more coverage to announcements at industry events than to actual demos at festivals. Initiatives like “Free 3” and “Wishlisted” were attempts to counteract this, but we should prioritize released games.
- Games aren’t exceptional; they are just one art form among many, one aspect of a well-rounded life. They gain depth and appreciation when viewed within a broader context by people with diverse experiences.
- All games are equal, regardless of budget, team size, or marketing efforts. It’s perfectly valid to evaluate a massive blockbuster and a free indie game with the same criteria. RPS has a strong history of highlighting free games, particularly the insightful series by Porpentine (“Live Free Play Hard”), Brendan (“Free Loaders”), and Kat Brewster (“Priceless Play”). (Also, read Brendan’s “Punk’s Not Dead” for further reading.)
- It’s unnecessary to cover the same yearly franchise entry forever simply because it’s commercially successful. Allow those series to reach their predictable patterns and let critics move on to other things.
- “Indie” is largely an outdated and often marginalizing term. (“AAA” suffers from similar vagueness).
- Game discovery isn’t as important as game persuasion. Many readers already know about more games than they have time to play, with overflowing wishlists. The critic’s role is to persuade readers to play those games and deepen their understanding, not just point them to more games.
- Don’t encourage pre-orders. Digital stores won’t run out of copies, and pre-ordering asks people to commit money before knowing if a game is worthwhile. Helping people decide if a game is worth the cost is our job, so why undermine that?
- Be honest about your feelings; don’t guess how readers will feel. It may seem obvious, but writers often hedge their opinions. If a seemingly great game feels dull to you, explain why, even if the reason lies with you, not the game. Trust readers to find writers whose tastes align with theirs, rather than sacrificing your own for a false sense of objectivity. Clear expression of honest feelings is your greatest asset as a critic.
- When appropriate, highlight what makes a game interesting, remembering that its overall quality is often the least interesting aspect. Trust readers to form their own conclusions. These last two points might seem contradictory, but strive to balance them.
- Video games are more diverse and plentiful than ever. Therefore, your readers’ time is more precious than ever, demanding higher critical standards.
- Never be cruel or make it personal. Never accuse a developer of laziness.
- The impact your writing has on a developer’s business, whether positive or negative, is not your concern.
- Sales figures and player counts are irrelevant to critics and reporters (unless you’re a B2B publication). Shareholders and developers care, but we shouldn’t.
- Game development is challenging, and you can help players appreciate that. “The Mechanic,” in which Alex Wiltshire explored the difficulties developers face in designing specific game elements, was one attempt. Other series, like Pip’s “The Great Outdoors,” served a similar purpose less directly.
- The players of a particular game don’t constitute a single “community.” Games have individual players, and their interactions typically occur in small groups. Be skeptical of claims about what “the Apex Legends community” thinks; it’s usually marketing or a vocal minority speaking for everyone.
- Player actions within games are often more engaging than the games themselves. We showcased this through reporting, diary series, and Brendan’s exceptional “Ridealong” column.
- There are limitless ways to play a game, and none are inherently wrong. Likewise, there are many ways to write about a game, but you must determine your own standards.
- Read widely! I curated The Sunday Papers partly to highlight valuable writing, but also to encourage our newest writer to explore more during work hours. Games journalism suffers from a short memory because its practitioners don’t read enough of it, but you should also read beyond games journalism.
- Every word matters. Treat the strapline, slug, captions, and tags not as afterthoughts or SEO tools, but as opportunities to entertain the reader. Marsh Davies once hid entire secondary articles in his “Premature Evaluation” alt texts.
- Avoid condescending or exclusive language (“asset flip,” “casual,” “git gud,” “hardcore,” “pretentious,” “shovelware,” etc.), even ironically. I also personally avoid the word “gamer.”
- Don’t focus on angry gamers; they are perpetually angry.
- As William Goldman wrote about Hollywood, “nobody knows anything.” This is equally true in video games, especially when market analysts seek free press.
- Some games are strange; make them relatable to readers.
- Some games are ordinary; make them seem extraordinary to readers.
- Causing offense is acceptable, even necessary, but target the right people.
- “Videogame” is one word.
- Asking ten people to describe RPS would yield ten different answers. Some miss a previous era, but each remembers a different one. Coherent branding, a consistent voice, a house style—valid aspirations, but overrated. Be like Frasier Crane, who described his decorating style to his father: “It’s called eclectic. The theory behind it is that if you’ve got really fine pieces of furniture, it doesn’t matter if they match. They will go together.” Hire talented writers, provide them a platform to create, and their work will harmonize. (And expect debates about who gets Martin Crane’s beloved, yet worn, armchair.)
This final point is most critical. I do not wish to constrain my successor. I hope they run this site their way, unburdened by the past. That is what I always aimed for, and I hope I gave Katharine the opportunity to do the same. The rest of the team is also exceptional and can be trusted to guide RPS, as they already have for months.
As for me, my new role is outside games media (in game development, in fact), but I will undoubtedly continue to create games media content on the side. To follow my future endeavors, find me on Bluesky or my rarely-updated blog. Thank you for your readership and support. You are the best commenters in games media (except for the hundreds I banned, you guys were the worst!).
I tried to resist, but this week’s music is ’93 til Infinity, because I’m just chilling. All my music selections from this run of Sunday Papers remain available in a YouTube playlist.