I really like the concept of Steam Curators. I still need to sit down and make my own list of curated games. Tons of people have signed up and made a huge variety of lists. However, some of them were money hats and Steam doesn’t like that.
In a new update on the Steam Curator page, Valve has added an extra rule for Steam Curators. Added to the existing rules for keeping in on the Steam store and following the general rules and guidelines for user generated content, there’s this stipulation:
If you’ve accepted money or other compensation for making a product review or for posting a recommendation, you must disclose this fact in your recommendation.
This follows Twitch’s transparency rules amid all the YouTuber payola scandals. It seems that reviewer integrity is increasingly questioned; while it makes me sad that these measures have to be explicitly stated because we can’t trust people to do it on their own, at least we can hopefully expect more transparency in this regard.
Unfortunately, an unethical few are making game journalists in general look bad. There will always be those people who get into the industry for the free things, instead of realizing that there is a responsibility to your audience. If those people go on to recommend games purely to get money from the developers, it just shows how bad things can be. Not all journalists are like that, and I strongly believe that people can see through those gaming mercenaries whose integrity is for sale. Unfortunately, the mere fact that these hucksters exist taints the rest of the industry.
Last Updated: October 6, 2014
Viking Of Divinity
October 6, 2014 at 11:14
Zoe, why isn’t your list up yet, huh? It can’t be that hard to curate “things Mike Bithell has done” 😛
Hammersteyn
October 6, 2014 at 11:26
Waiting for sponsorship 😛
RinceThis
October 6, 2014 at 12:22
HAHHA!
Admiral Chief 0
October 6, 2014 at 12:22
LOOOOOOOOOOOL
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 6, 2014 at 11:19
#NotAllJournalists #OPENTHEGATE! #CorruptionEruption #AllTheGamersAllTheGatesAllTheTime #InetherkalJurnalizm #ImBoredRightNow
Viking Of Divinity
October 6, 2014 at 11:20
#Garme Jurnalizm
Sageville
October 6, 2014 at 11:21
#HashtagsDontWorkHere
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 6, 2014 at 11:40
Thats jurst wht they wsant you’re too thuink! Expos thr TROOF!!!!1!
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 6, 2014 at 11:23
Don’t cave to the traditional notions of grammar & spelling, that’s what those corrupt “journalists” do – they’re in the pocket of Big Dictionary!
Obviously Geoff is immune from that. trollol
RinceThis
October 6, 2014 at 12:23
Ouch! You are just mean to him cus you envy his Asian skillz… BWAHAHA
Sageville
October 6, 2014 at 11:20
Stupid Question: What is a “Steam Curator”?
Viking Of Divinity
October 6, 2014 at 11:21
essentially, users who create a publically viewable “favourites” list.
Sageville
October 6, 2014 at 11:22
So, basically just randoms, not specifically Gamez Jurnalists (But could be – hence article?)
Viking Of Divinity
October 6, 2014 at 11:23
Correct, Currently the 3 top Curators are: Totalbiscuit, Jim Sterling, and PC Gamer.
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 6, 2014 at 11:25
Basically people who create lists of games that they think are worth mentioning, to get them more attention. It’s supposed to help with getting smaller or more obscure titles noticed.
Rags
October 6, 2014 at 12:22
Payment in sexual favours count?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
October 6, 2014 at 14:59
And they say #GamerGate has had no impact… Banana is one hundred percent behind GAMEGATE!!! #CHANGENOW #SAYNOTODRM