Game Informer Has Exclusivity Deal With Bethesda

Post by **King of Creation** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:44 pm

[ Community -> Editorial ] - More info on <a href="#Fallout 3">Game: Fallout 3</a>

Or How I Stopped Worrying and Realized that Ethics in Gaming Journalism Are Non-ExistentWe've suspected it for some time now. I've had numerous people tell me about it, and today Bloodlust was kind enough to <a target="_self" href="http://www.duckandcover.cx/forums/viewt ... 3590">post some unofficial quotes on our forums</a> from the Bethsoft forums which indicate that Bethesda has an exlusivity deal with Game Infomer with regards to their article on Fallout 3. <blockquote>They'll have given GI an "exclusivity agreement" (as they did with
magazines around Oblivion's release), meaning that that magazine will
have the exclusive rights to those screenshots for a couple of
weeks/months. Then Bethesda can post them.... Yep, it's an exclusivity agreement. With Oblivion this lasted until
their next issue officially hit the shelves, although I'm not sure if
this one will last as long.


The more exclusive an article is the more important it is for the
magazine. In the case of TES IV and FO3 it was important enough to be
the cover story, which is great for the game developer. If half a dozen
magazines were running the same article it's less likely they'd give it
preferential treatment since it is no longer a selling point.</blockquote>
If this is the case, it's really sad. Journalists are supposed to be impartial, reporting only on the news as they see it (or games in this case). What we have hear is like if a Member of Congress only gave interviews, news, press releases, etc. to one newspaper on the condition that they only write good things about him. It's a marketing strategy. This is not journalism....this is corporatism at it's finest, and almost the entire gaming industry has sunk to this level. As a famed member of the community said to me:<blockquote>No wonder mainstream news press doesn't take game journos seriously. It's embarassing. </blockquote>It's a sad day when gaming fan-sites run by volunteers with no real professional journalistic experience are the closest thing you can get to real journalism.

Brother None · Post by **Brother None** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:50 pm

This is news to you?

Seriously?

The exclusivity deal was known/suspected/assumed weeks ago, by the way.

Note that your quotes are not from an official source. So careful there.

Post by **King of Creation** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:57 pm

Brother None wrote:This is news to you?

Seriously?

Sure. It seems a lot more important and relevant than new music tracks from some random game at least.

The exclusivity deal was known/suspected/assumed weeks ago, by the way.

So what? I felt like posting it today.

Note that your quotes are not from an official source. So careful there.

On top of numerous other tips, so I decided to write something about it.

Brother None · Post by **Brother None** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:59 pm

Wow, hold the venom there, KoC, I wasn't attacking you or your newsposting.

Though I'm a bit surprised by your pattern of reactions. First you're surprised by not getting an invite to Bethesda's private party, now you're apparently surprised that GameInformer's scoop means an exclusivity deal. This is how the gaming industry has worked for years, and Bethesda is one of the worst companies out there, PR-wise. I wouldn't be so surprised if it gets worse before it gets better.

Mr. Teatime · Post by **Mr. Teatime** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:00 pm

Hey, I've said it before, games journalism is in the gutter. Some of the hacks wonder why they're paid shit, amongst the lowest paid jobs in the country (at least in the UK, and it's worse in the US): this is why. The journalism of games will never be respected unless, well, the journalists can respect themselves. Currently, I can think of NO publication or website dedicated to games, run on a professional - i.e. salaried - basis, that I trust. No equivalent of, say, the BBC, the New York Times, and so on. PERHAPS Edge magazine, but that's debatable.

It sucks, but that's the way it is. When money gets involved in this industry, professional ethics goes out the window. Not all bad though - just don't visit the paid sites.

Post by **King of Creation** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:04 pm

Brother None wrote:Wow, hold the venom there, KoC, I wasn't attacking you or your newsposting.

Sorry, but your post came across that way.

Though I'm a bit surprised by your pattern of reactions. First you're surprised by not getting an invite to Bethesda's private party, now you're apparently surprised that GameInformer's scoop means an exclusivity deal.

Well no, I was never surprised by any of it at all. I've just become disgusted with it.

This is how the gaming industry has worked for years, and Bethesda is one of the worst companies out there, PR-wise. I wouldn't be so surprised if it gets worse before it gets better.

I know it's worked this way for years, but this is the worst it has ever been. Ever. I'd just like to see some professionalism coming from the professional journalists.

Bloodlust · Post by **Bloodlust** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:06 pm

Civil war!

Seriously,that quote came from one of the bethsoft forum moderators.
I assume they must have been told about the exclusive deal when they were instructed on the nazi scans/transcript policy.I guess this is the closest we get to an "official" confirmation on the exclusive since whenever Bethsoft is asked
about fallout,just points at the new issue of GI.

Brother None · Post by **Brother None** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:08 pm

Well, I'll agree with you there, it's at a new low and falling. I'm still surprised we haven't seen a break point. I know a lot of people were unhappy with Oblivion, yet there was still no massive protest against the way it was reviewed (i.e. as flawless. I'm fine with reviews stating it's a good or great game...but flawless?)

We'll see some kind of break, but it'll have to come at the same time as the gaming industry in its current form will reform or collapse. Like Dave Gaider said to me on the Codex once; are you sure you'll like what you're going to get after that collapse?

Seriously,that quote came from one of the bethsoft forum moderators.

BGS forum moderators are not given any information about Bethesda's PR or game design that's not given to us. I'm sure they know a little bit more, but not much. They're just volunteers.

PsychoSnipers · Post by **PsychoSnipers** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:51 pm

Brother None wrote:I wouldn't be so surprised if it gets worse before it gets worser (game release).

Fixed.

Thor Kaufman · Post by **Thor Kaufman** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:34 pm

embedded journalism ftw

frissy · Post by **frissy** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:51 pm

Well if I were running Beth i'd do the same, but I would still release the other info or rumours or active feedback with the community.

Exclusive deals are the best deals if you already have a brand behind you.

Post by **Dogmeatlives** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:53 pm

It's good you posted this as news. Of course evryone pretty much knew this but Now it's on the front page of DAC so there you go. KoC if it saves just one life that's all anyone can really hope for.

Honestly, I trust the reviews on this site more than I do the professional sites because the bullshit has become so obvious. I can trust that Pooperscooper hasn't been paid by anyone to tell us how awesome Ratatouille was.

PsychoSnipers · Post by **PsychoSnipers** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:16 pm

Hell, if I started posting news again, and did a FO3 interview, I bet even deadnut would trust me not to be bribed by the,.

EDIT: Hindsight beign 20/20, I wish I had been MUCH more harsh on 'ol pete with that interview I did on him way back when.

Urizen · Post by **Urizen** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:22 pm

i'll take pooperscooper over IGN or GI any day.

btw: cock, you wrote "game infomer".

Briosafreak · Post by **Briosafreak** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:23 pm

KoC I'm surprised you didn't knew that. Look I made my share of blunders in the last weeks, but still I'm normally reasonably informed of what's going on, do call me when in doubt, on messenger or Meebo.

Still I heard an UK mag is going to have a Fallout 3 article soon, so maybe the arrangement was only to the States? We should check that.

Brother None · Post by **Brother None** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:31 pm

Come to think of it, it is more weird when you consider this:

On Mon Jun 11, 2007 16:47, Brother None wrote:Game Informer is supposed to have the exclusive, so while the press gathering tomorrow (I think, at least this week), no info should be released before the July issue of GI, release June 18th.

frissy · Post by **frissy** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:44 pm

They might have the print exclusive, or perphaps the visual exclusive.

Post by **King of Creation** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:57 pm

Yeah...when I hear "exclusive" I think "Ok...so this mag/site is going to get the exclusive first interview or whatever, and then more places will get stuff after it goes to print." I don't think of some elaborate contract where Party A has to wait x number of weeks before said screenshot can be reproduced, whilst Party B is subject to legal clause Alpha zulu foxtrot.

frissy · Post by **frissy** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:59 pm

Never under estimate a firm that makes you pay for a virtual horse armour just to hide the horses own natural beauty.

Mori · Post by **Mori** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:35 pm

frissy wrote:Never under estimate a firm that makes you pay for a virtual horse armour just to hide the horses own natural beauty.

The natural beauty of the bump-mapped horse assholes in Oblivion should never be covered up.