This post has not been edited by the GamesBeat staff. Opinions by GamesBeat community writers do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.
The Bitmob community continues to churn copy at a copious pace (crap, I couldn’t come up with another “c” word). I’m impressed with the quantity and quality that we’ve been seeing as the community grows and writers find their voices.
I’m fond of many of the topics in this weekend edition of the Bitmob Spotlight. Read on to learn about countering silly game studies, gamer rage, funny fictional interviews of Bitmob editors, the tactics publishers are using to get gamers to buy new copies of games, and the critiquing the techniques used by reviewers.
BYU Study: Gaming Will Make You a Loser
By Evan Killham
Evan debunks a study on college students linking video games to poor relationships with friends and family. What’s Evan’s angle? MacGyver reruns. See? MacGyver really can solve any problem! (OK, so he uses college life more than MacGyver to defend gamers.)
Gamer Rage!
By Luke McKinney
Gamer rage is an unfortunate by-product of our passion for our hobby. Most of us are guilty of it at one time or another. I once wrote an entire blog over my displeasure with the initial look of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Luke spotlights folks that he feels have taken their wrath too far: pirating a game because of its digital-rights-management software, supporting rape games, fury over a sequel to a hit zombie game, and manufactured hatred over a complex issue (yes, Luke, I realize that I’m only feeding your rage by using that exact phrase).
Fictional Bitmob Editor Interview: Greg Ford
Fictional Bitmob Editor Interview: Michael Donahoe
By J. Cosmo Cohen
Cosmo’s put together some entirely fictional interviews with Bitmob staffers. He turned his attentions first to former EGM stalwarts Michael Donahoe and Greg Ford. The funny thing is that these could be real. Especially Donahoe’s. I can see him dishing out a smackdown at Hooters.
The Incentive of Buying New
By Mark T. Whitney
Publishers are attempting to get gamers to purchase new copies of the latest titles by giving them extra. Some gamers are upset about this. Mark doesn’t understand why — he sees it as a boon for gamers who might otherwise end up paying more for downloadable content, like with Fallout 3.
Reviewing the Review: An Exercise in Critiquing Technique
By Davneet Minhas
Davneet says reviews, be they for books, games, film, or even restaurants, have two purposes: to inform consumers and provide feedback for developers. They need to be subjective, not objective. And, Davneet says, game reviews should be more like restaurant reviews than movie critiques.
Natal: I Liked It Better when It Was Video Zone!
By James Cotellesse
I’m too old to have watched Nick Arcade; I was already in college when it aired in 1992 and 1993. I wasn’t even aware of it. But James remembers it. Quite fondly, in fact. Gamers may be excited about Microsoft’s Project Natal. But with the Nick Arcade’s Video Zone and the PlayStation EyeToy, James says Natal isn’t as revolutionary as Microsoft wants us to believe.