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Metacritic and the gaming press are obsolete

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That’s the sentiment of Double Fine’s COO Justin Bailey. Speaking at the Montreal International Game Summit, Bailey said that developers and publishers put far too much stock in to the review aggregator, particularly when it comes to hiring and firing.

“There’s no need to obsess over Metacritic,” Bailey said. “We’ve basically seen Metacritic all but become obsolete right now… We get obsessed with it. Other developers get obsessed with it. The press gets obsessed with it. But it doesn’t really matter, as far as the sales of the game.”

Bailey also said that the “traditional” press  (which now, oddly, includes websites) are equally as unimportant when it comes to quantifiable sales – with YouTubers contributing much more to game sales.

“I think who’s looking at the gaming press are for the most part other developers,” Bailey said. “And so it seems important to other developers. I’m just not certain how many gamers are going to the press. It seems they’re being siphoned off into Let’s Play and other avenues. They’re going to review sites as the gateway to find their reviews.”

I almost agree with him. I do think developers put too much emphasis on Metacritic. It’s not meant to be a metric for publishers and developers – but rather a useful tool for consumers; much the same way that prolific YouTubers can be tools for the consumer…when they’re not just being tools. while I don’t at all think that YouTube’s influence should ever be underestimated, I think where their primary influence lies is with smaller downloadable titles. They watch some Swedish, foppish blonde fellow screaming about some small, $10 or $15 game, and grab it off Steam – there and then. Judging from the hits we get on reviews – and much of it directed from Metacritic – I have to believe people still do use written reviews as some sort of metric, whether for purchase intent or just confirmation bias. Besides that, I believe there’s place for both traditional press and YouTubers when it comes to games coverage – and I think both are increasingly working and feeding off of each other.

Indie hero and developer of the impending Robin Hood-themed stealth game Volume  (and some other thing featuring particularly emotive rectangles) Mike Bithell seems to agree in some part, and suggests that developers ignore traditional press “at their own peril”

What do you think? Is Metacritic and the traditional games press on its way to obscurity. Is YouTube where you find your games critique, or do you still like to read reviews to help form your opinions and purchasing decisions?

Last Updated: November 12, 2014

89 Comments

  1. William Francis

    November 12, 2014 at 10:39

    Well if it wasn’t for you chaps, I would have no idea about what new games are coming out and which are great or terrible.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Wang

      November 12, 2014 at 10:43

      Indeed, only Lagz matters!

      😛

      Reply

      • Skoobaz

        November 12, 2014 at 10:51

        Lagz FTW!!

        Reply

  2. Spaffy

    November 12, 2014 at 10:39

    I like to read reviews. Specifically on LG. You guys rock.

    Can I win a prize now?

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      November 12, 2014 at 10:49

      XD (refresh)

      Reply

      • Spaffy

        November 12, 2014 at 10:52

        hahaha amazing 😀

        Reply

      • Sageville

        November 12, 2014 at 10:56

        I knew it!

        Reply

      • RinceThis

        November 12, 2014 at 12:49

        That’s about right, Geoff chooses!

        Reply

    • RustedFaith

      November 12, 2014 at 12:57

      Isnt it supposed to be spelled Spafy ? Unless you are not the alien race from Urquan Masters “Star Control” 😛

      Reply

      • Spaffy

        November 12, 2014 at 13:48

        Spaffy being derived from my surname Spafford.
        So I can spell it any way I choose. 😀

        Reply

        • RustedFaith

          November 12, 2014 at 13:55

          Seems legit!

          Reply

        • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

          November 12, 2014 at 14:39

          You have a surname? All this time I thought you were a rogue AI. :/

          Reply

          • Spaffy

            November 12, 2014 at 14:41

            You mean like you?

          • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

            November 12, 2014 at 14:47

            Yeah… 🙁

  3. Matthew Holliday

    November 12, 2014 at 10:40

    I bought the new CoD because fluffy over there wrote a good review about a game i really wanted to hate.
    what does that say about the relevance of gaming press?

    Reply

  4. Gavin Mannion

    November 12, 2014 at 10:43

    Whether you agree that YouTube is making print and online publications irrelevant is one discussion.. but I think every single one of us can now agree that TV coverage is absolutely useless… does anyone really care about a 5 minute spot on a game in some random TV show?

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Wang

      November 12, 2014 at 10:44

      Who watches TV anyway?

      Reply

    • William Francis

      November 12, 2014 at 10:47

      The TV spot makes me hop onto the internet and see what you chaps say about it. Then a decision is made. TV spots therefore are promoting awareness. In the US of A I can imagine them to be quite effective.

      Reply

      • Gavin Mannion

        November 12, 2014 at 10:53

        Nah I’m not talking about adverts on TV which work.. but rather TV mini reviews… unless that’s what you mean

        Reply

        • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

          November 12, 2014 at 11:04

          Do you mean any non ad related TV coverage cause then I will have to disagree. There is a report somewhere that showed ever time Conan does his little game session the game he is playing gets a small spike in sales. Then again it was for Xbox so I don;t really care 😛

          Reply

          • William Francis

            November 12, 2014 at 11:10

            Those would be more like celeb play through’s I would imagine. Like when Conan played Call of Booitjie: Advanced Bliksem, that was funny as hell.

          • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

            November 12, 2014 at 11:15

            Still it is as much a review as anything that comes out of youtube. Now if it a “Let’s Game” segment on “Goeiemore Suid Afrika” (yes I don’t really watch tv) then I probably would agree that it is useless.

        • William Francis

          November 12, 2014 at 11:08

          Ah, then yes I agree, TV mini reviews are garbage.

          Reply

    • Captain JJ the valiant

      November 12, 2014 at 11:18

      TV? Can I eat it?
      I don’t think online publications will ever be irrelevant. I like reading about a game, taking my time to look at the attached pics etc. Video reviews are great, but they certainly won’t make online publications obsolete.

      Reply

    • Ragnar The Vengeful

      November 12, 2014 at 11:34

      I agree with your assessment but I still liked shows like The Verge back in the day. These days I split my attention between YouTube and written online media for news and gameplay footage. I’d really like a weekly 30 minute YouTube video discussing the week’s news with some gameplay and review footage. Make it happen Gavin. Give it to the cabbage. Make it happen.

      Reply

      • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

        November 12, 2014 at 11:57

        That however was not a 5 minute spot on a different show. That was a gaming show as a whole.

        Reply

        • Ragnar The Vengeful

          November 12, 2014 at 12:06

          Yeah, still, it had 5 minute reviews 😛

          I want something similar, trailers, reviews and news in one show. Lags may not have the resources for something like this though so it’ll probably remain a pipe-dream till I find an American equivalent.

          Reply

          • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

            November 12, 2014 at 12:16

            Camera phone + bar + new game.

            Lags Drunk review happy hour!

            Id pay premium youtube adds for a show like that. 😛

    • RinceThis

      November 12, 2014 at 12:36

      Hey, leave Grant alone with his espresso!

      Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      November 12, 2014 at 14:38

      I only watch TV for Survivor and Cops on Fox.

      Reply

  5. Admiral Chief Wang

    November 12, 2014 at 10:43

    Clickbait, I sense trolls afoot!

    Reply

  6. Admiral Chief Wang

    November 12, 2014 at 10:44

    Ah, good ol’ Mike!

    Reply

  7. Cadis Etrama Di Umar

    November 12, 2014 at 10:45

    Problem I have with youtubers such as Pewds and the like is that its more for entertainment purposes and hits. I personally don’t use youtube as a metric to my decision making. I do however use it to get an insight into how the games looks and plays. Reviews and reviewers are there to critique the game and allows consumers to make a more informed decision, but it s become such a personal and hateful thing these days that no wonder reviews are looked at in this light

    Reply

    • William Francis

      November 12, 2014 at 10:52

      Fully agree, you-tubers are presenting their opinion on the game. If they are funny about it, you get the feeling of it being a good game when it actually isn’t, the you-tuber in question is just a really good content presenter. Like JackFragz and FrankieOnPC, they make AMAZING vids, on standard games.

      Reply

    • OVG

      November 12, 2014 at 10:58

      I read the user reviews. Its easy to spot the trolls and the honest gamers. So out of the 200 good reviews there might be one negative review that I believe. Humans can smell passion like a sixth sense.

      Reply

  8. Splooshypooh

    November 12, 2014 at 10:50

    That’s why Youtube has such pull, you find someone you like with the same views/opinions as yourself then investigate further if you like what you see. Kinda like LG, and Pornhub 😛

    Reply

  9. Hammersteyn

    November 12, 2014 at 10:50

    Angry Joe and Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw has yet to steer me wrong. Mostly because I almost always agree with their critique

    Reply

    • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

      November 12, 2014 at 11:19

      Joe is slightly biased sometimes but yeah they are good. Throw in some WTF is … and you have a well rounded review system. Alternatively do what I do. Just click the buy button,play the game for 10 mins and go back to DayZ … scratch that … go back to wow. Also I noticed I forgot to cancel my CE of Farcry so that will be the very last Ubisoft game I buy (gonna be at least 6-12 month before I even play it)

      Reply

    • Captain JJ the valiant

      November 12, 2014 at 11:21

      I think Angry Joe and I have quite similar tastes and outlooks, I find his reviews very helpful. Francis often too, though I’m sure no one admits to watching his vids.

      Reply

  10. OVG

    November 12, 2014 at 10:52

    I Agree. I use Metacritic to see if a game is broken or not. Otherwise the most enjoyable games that I play over and over are all sitting in the 5s and 6s. The rest is Hype.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      November 12, 2014 at 10:57

      Certain titles like GTA,Far Cry, anything Mortal Kombat or Just Cause sequels is an automatic future buy. These have actually built up a decent name over the years.

      Reply

      • OVG

        November 12, 2014 at 11:04

        A good example, while GTAIV was getting an automatic 10 all around the web. I was too busy having more fun playing this. A 10 in my book.

        Reply

        • Captain JJ the valiant

          November 12, 2014 at 11:30

          I see yours and I raise you this…

          Reply

          • OVG

            November 12, 2014 at 11:39

            You can add all the COD games together and they will not come close to the amount of fun I had with this 🙂 Different strokes for different folks I suppose.

          • Captain JJ the valiant

            November 12, 2014 at 11:42

            Oh, I have no issues with that. My point is just that I will never trust a metascore to decide whether to buy a game. I’m sure there will be a few user reviews there that will relate to how you felt about the game. That’s the nice thing about checking user reviews instead…and also what works on Lagz. People with different tastes give their opinions and you find which one applies to you.

          • OVG

            November 12, 2014 at 11:44

            When the game has totally polaric reviews between the Crits and the Users I always go for the users.

          • Captain JJ the valiant

            November 12, 2014 at 11:45

            Me too. They are after all the people who spent their own hard-earned money buying the games.

          • OVG

            November 12, 2014 at 11:45

            and got no Dorritos or Mountain Dew in return 🙁

          • Captain JJ the valiant

            November 12, 2014 at 11:46

            lol

          • RinceThis

            November 12, 2014 at 12:36

            Poor choice of words there…

          • OVG

            November 12, 2014 at 12:43

            POP

          • RinceThis

            November 12, 2014 at 12:50

            Brings a new meaning to getting ahead 0_O

          • OVG

            November 12, 2014 at 12:52

            … BWAHAHAHAHAHA …

        • Hammersteyn

          November 12, 2014 at 11:47

          Excellent game that.

          Reply

      • Ir0nseraph

        November 12, 2014 at 11:10

        There will always be games I buy were no review would be necessary, but for the rest the metacritic and some website reviews help me decide for all the rest.

        Reply

  11. Sageville

    November 12, 2014 at 10:55

    I thought metacritics was very useful in exposing paid for bias in reviewers. e.g. Polygon.

    Reply

  12. Admiral Chief Wang

    November 12, 2014 at 10:59

    Dammit I’m supporting an obsolete site?
    CURSES!!!

    Reply

  13. Lardus-Resident Perve

    November 12, 2014 at 11:03

    The only reason I know about Metacritic, is because Lagz announced they were on it…

    Reply

    • OVG

      November 12, 2014 at 11:15

      Its like the footsie 500 for gaming sites. Still early days.

      Reply

  14. Guild

    November 12, 2014 at 11:04

    I don’t bother with YouTube reviews or Metacritic. I read about the games here. Watch some gameplay footage on Youtube to see if I like what I see. Then wait to see what LG review scores and the LG Community review roundup scores. Then I usually decide whether I want to get it or not.

    Reply

  15. ......

    November 12, 2014 at 11:11

    What sells games. Easy accessibility and options. I bought way more games for the Xbox 360 than I’m now buying for PC. I mean way more. Buying and selling. Lending and borrowing, are the main reasons why console games sell so well.
    PC has DRM. So no selling, no lending, no borrowing, needing internet. If I buy a PC game it has to be fucking amazing and something that I will be playing for years. I can not buy a game to test it out. I can not buy a game worth half a playthrough and have no option to sell it.

    Metacritic, websites, print, tv, youtube, gives you an idea about the games. But those will never be the main reasons why people buy games.

    Reply

    • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

      November 12, 2014 at 11:22

      You really think console games are going to stay like that? MS tried to push it too hard and failed but I bet by next gen it will have subtlety been patched in on both consoles.

      Reply

      • ......

        November 12, 2014 at 11:30

        Consoles will get DRM and information about games will be controlled. Exclusive rights to promote games. Can only talk about what they want you to talk about. Can only show what they want you to show. They will have final say over all published information.

        I see the gaming industry crashing. Might even be a good thing.

        Reply

        • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

          November 12, 2014 at 12:05

          Industry is already plunging into darkness with all the (insert hot topi)-Gates flying around. The only gates I can tolerate mildly is Bill Gates. 😛

          Reply

  16. Captain JJ the valiant

    November 12, 2014 at 11:16

    I’ve never used Metacritic to make decisions with. Their reviews seem way too biased.

    Reply

  17. konfab aka derp

    November 12, 2014 at 11:53

    Reviews only matter if you share similar tastes in games to the reviewer. So when I look at a reviewer, I first check what games he/she has reviewed and how they rated games that I have played.
    You guys here were dead on for me, so here I am, now where is my prize? :3

    Reply

  18. Rags

    November 12, 2014 at 12:04

    Two key players missing here: Steam and Twitch. I don’t trust reviewers on any website or publication as there is no wall of separation between their income and the products they are talking about. Twitch and Steam does not. Sifting through Steam reviews, has proved far more reliable.

    Reply

    • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

      November 12, 2014 at 12:13

      That is true but you need a system for checking reviews.

      Step 1: How many games in lib. If less than 50 it is a meh if less than 10 reviewer is most likely the dev.
      Step 2: Hours played if less than 2 you could not have experienced it enough to make a biased review.
      Step 3: IF game < Release then
      IF Find(" Early Access Review") = True then
      Read_review = True
      Else Read_review = False
      Else Read_review = True

      Reply

      • Captain JJ the valiant

        November 12, 2014 at 12:15

        Haha. I like Step 3. Also very true on all points. Games in libr is something I tend to notice. If things like those weren’t important Steam wouldn’t have put it next to the name of the reviewer.

        Reply

        • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

          November 12, 2014 at 12:18

          I could have actually programmed all the steps into one neat piece of code but I am suffering from a migraine and can only think of my WoD CE coming tommorrow.

          Also I have not programmed in years.

          Reply

      • Rags

        November 12, 2014 at 12:20

        Yes, I check it all. Some games I even give consideration if they received thumbs down, but from a person who has clocked 300 hours in it and gave a fair but critical review. 300 hours is a lot of value even if its a bad game. Positive review, but 2 month old game and only clocked under 10 hours? Pfft. 🙂

        Reply

        • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

          November 12, 2014 at 12:22

          Yeah … once again even 300 hours logged with a thumbs down can be really crap. DayZ had a review from a guy who clocked 200 hours saying the game is extremely crap cause there is no cars and he will never play it again cause it did not deliver on its promises.

          Cars coming very very soon based on dev blogs and game is still in relatively early alpha and every month we get a massive update with loads of fixes etc etc. (mind you I have not played in a week or two … WoW)

          Reply

          • Captain JJ the valiant

            November 12, 2014 at 12:23

            Funniest review I’ve ever read was on Steam for DOTA 2.
            The guy has over 2,000 hours clocked. His review:
            “It’s okay.”

          • Kromas, Guardian of Cenarius

            November 12, 2014 at 12:31

            Nah best one for me was for DayZ.

            “Well, when I played this a little kid came out of nowhere and put
            handcuffs on me, than stabbed me with a pen, later on when I was just
            about the bleed out the little kid pulled the finger at me than he was
            mauled by a zombie… 10/10”

          • Captain JJ the valiant

            November 12, 2014 at 13:47

            Haha. Excellent. I love stuff like that.

  19. HvR

    November 12, 2014 at 12:05

    New games I can decide from trailers and previews whether I would want it, just want a couple of week 1 reviews and user opinions on whether the game is broken for which Metacritic and Lagz works fine.

    For older games and obscure and indie titles most of the time I go with recommendations in the Lagz comment board.

    Think a weekly Lagz podcast can really add value and if you guys can get a proper Lazygamer forum up and running I might even throw some cash at you.

    Reply

    • Captain JJ the valiant

      November 12, 2014 at 12:05

      I once made the mistake of pre-ordering a game just from looking at trailers and such. Now I’m too afraid to pre-order again.

      Reply

      • HvR

        November 12, 2014 at 12:07

        Had 2 bad experiences, reason why I wait for week 1 reviews.

        But on very rare occasions have a week 1 review changed my mind to buying something.

        Reply

        • Captain JJ the valiant

          November 12, 2014 at 12:09

          As far as Early Access goes I’ve bought a few in the past and only one really disappointed me. Planetary Annihilation.

          Reply

  20. RinceThis

    November 12, 2014 at 12:49

    Have to agree. I use all sources of information, including ‘traditional’ press.You see an ad in the cinema like the “Mad World” one of Gears if affects you! @360Mirror:disqus

    Reply

  21. RustedFaith

    November 12, 2014 at 12:55

    I read gaming sites etc to see whats new in the industry, dont mistake it for reading your reviews and buying a game based on your score 🙂

    My bullshit radar usually warns me of a crap game long before its out. Unity is the most recent one I can think of.

    Reply

  22. Her Highness the Hipster

    November 12, 2014 at 13:39

    Okay, i know i’m biased in this regard, but i like to read the words of reviews. someone might give a game a low score, but for reasons that would make me give it a high score. it’s all about what they liked or disliked, and even if i don’t agree with them, that’s where i can find value in a review. it’s not just about the number for me, it’s about how the reviewer got to that number.

    Reply

  23. JustAnotherGamer

    November 12, 2014 at 13:48

    I only trust user reviews and lagz. Every one else can suck it.

    Reply

  24. Alien Emperor Trevor

    November 12, 2014 at 13:54

    I use Metacritic when deciding if I want something I don’t know much about. Don’t read the reviews, just look at how much green, yellow & red there is from the reviewers & users.

    Reply

  25. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    November 12, 2014 at 14:37

    I don’t particularly care for metacritic. Nor do I really care for the usual suspects of the gaming press either (or as I like to call them the Gaming Cabal). Don’t even get me started on that echo-chamber, the hive-mind that is Neogaf. What a dreadful bunch of mental midgets.

    I do trust my peers though – like the lagz community. I don’t trust Geoff though, he has a funny-looking forehead, and Zoe… cos she’s a GURL!!!!!! (I’m just kidding, sniff.. you got me interested in Spelunky)

    Reply

  26. HisDivineOrder

    November 12, 2014 at 14:39

    This is probably why the Press is going bananas and writing articles like, “Gamers are dead.” They realize their own irrelevance. Meta-critic has no real value, the press really have no value, and now gamers are going and getting their relevant review material from fellow gamers instead. Publishers and developers are reaching out to their audiences directly.

    The gaming press is dead.

    Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      November 12, 2014 at 14:44

      As I said a few months ago, when Gamergate just broke and Leigh Alexander posted her infamous article, “The gaming press is dead! Long Live the Consumer!”.

      Take NAG for instance, they’re completely irrelevant now. I honestly can’t remember when last I bought a NAG, and why would I? If I want demos I can download them myself, and as for gaming news, they’re always a month or two too late, Their opinions are as formulaic and redundant as they come – usually merely rehashed from other sites.

      There hasn’t been any growth at NAG. To be honest, they could have repositioned themselves years ago, but they grew over-confident, stuck in the rut and now… inching closer to the oblivion of the rest of print media.

      Reply

  27. prolific

    November 12, 2014 at 15:50

    I think i got the gist of the article at the phrase “youtubers can be tools”. Says everything about relying on them for honest reviews.

    Reply

  28. Brendon Bosch

    November 12, 2014 at 20:03

    I use websites for research on potential purchases. Reviews don’t have a major impact on my purchassess. Just because DO:I is getting rave reviews doesn’t mean i’m gonna buuy it. I bought Destiny but the reviews weren’t stellar for good reason. Anybody wanna buy it R500 hehe

    Reply

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