Link: New heights in game journalism

April 17, 2009, 02:16 PM

by brandon, via blogosphere -
[permalink]

OK, maybe I can't get off my butt to post news on insert credit anymore, but when I do, I try to read about my subject, find correct information, and represent it in a way that is interesting and informative to readers. That's journalism, right? It's an attempt anyway. Witness the opposite. The author of this Joystiq post, one of the most influential game blogs, is almost relishing the fact that he can't understand some Gamestop financials - and that *is* the entirety of the story.

In case it changes, here it is: ""GameStop is reaffirming its first quarter comparable store sales guidance of flat to +2% and earnings per share guidance of $0.40 to $0.42. Full year comparable store sales guidance remains +4% to +6% and full year earnings guidance is still expected to increase between +18% and +22%." That's the release, but we have absolutely no idea what that means. We see some pluses, that's what you want, right? We mean ... they're better than minuses."

This is the kind of representation of game journalism that gives us all a bad name, and gives others legitimate cause to put quotes around the term. For my part, I've sent author Justin McElroy a stern email, like the petulant old man that I am. I only post this publicly that we may all push together for a higher standard.