This post has not been edited by the GamesBeat staff. Opinions by GamesBeat community writers do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.
Man, where did 2012 go? Must've been all that time I spent playing video games. Anyway, it's time for another round of Bitmob's Big 10, where we feature the most popular stories of the previous month, as written by you, the Bitmob community.
This month's list has a great mix of first-timers and old site veterans, covering topics as diverse as sex, drugs, and Final Fantasy. (OK, maybe those aren't that diverse. Anyway.) Congrats to everyone!
Here are the most-read community articles for October 2012:
10. Far Cry 3 might lead to a new era of first-person shooters by Chandler Tate
9. Video game music just isn't the same any more by Bryan Harper
8. The Legend of Zelda needs to evolve by Brandon Guerrie
7. My completely objective Resident Evil 6 review based on other reviews by Mark Purcell
6. Experimenting with video games as drugs by Nathaniel Dziomba
5. The one Final Fantasy game you should play by Nate Ewert-Krocker
4. A run-and-gun retrospective of three modern-day gaming classics by Jonathan Oyama
3. Stop the witch hunt: Exploits are not cheating by Carlos Alexandre
2. How I sold my soul for sex in the Mass Effect series by Michael Westgarth
1. 5 games you should play for Halloween by Jesse Meixsell
Do you want to be on next month's list? Here are some tips:
Catchy headlines: A great one goes a long way — you'd be amazed at how much this matters. If it doesn't draw people's attention, it doesn't matter how good your article is. You can easily double or triple your hits with a catchy and interesting headline.
Format your articles: Short, concise paragraphs and pictures go a long way. Check out our writing tips column, too.
Encourage comments: Ask your readers to share their opinions.
Promote your work: Share your links via Twitter, Facebook, message boards, N4G, Reddit, Raptr, and StumbleUpon.