Video games media and journalism facing a strong current of change

August was yet another tough month for gaming media and journalism. Game Informer was unceremoniously shuttered by GameStop while What’s Good Games, a prominent voice in gaming run by an all-women team, announced its last show coming up in September. As with much of the media and journalistic landscapes, things are changing within gaming thanks to several different factors. What gamers consume, how they consume said information, and where they consume it continues to change, putting the future of games journalism and media in a perplexing position.

For many, journalism and media are the same thing. But they are two separate sides of the same coin. At the simplest of levels, journalism describes the fabled 5Ws and 1H, who, what, when, where, why, and how. Media, and the personalities working in that space, take that information and add their own spin and insight into the mix. Those with better connections work their sources for more behind-the-scenes information, while those who don’t have them often speculate and pontificate.

So where do these two dimensions fit in gaming? There’s a space for both as individuals, but also the perfect amalgamation of them into a single output. However, as more entities continue to go away, there’s a growing fear that journalism in gaming is dying a slow death.

Even though the video game industry is a multi-billion-dollar world, the reporting on such is still a niche market. The top jobs at major outlets are few and far in-between, with even those falling to the wayside as media cuts continue to mount up. Gaming media is much more than the standard formula of the guides, reviews, and previews that laid the foundation. There’s a space for more intricate reporting behind the scenes on topics such as mass layoffs, new ideas, acquisitions, and companies struggling to find what works for gamers versus the competing bottom line. Even though there’s a space for journalism and media coverage in gaming, why is it struggling to find a footing in today’s industry? That’s a question that must be answered in multiple facets.

Let’s start with the big bad in the room, revenue. It doesn’t matter which industry is in discussion, the looming challenge of making enough money to keep operations afloat is always one of the main drivers for success. It doesn’t matter if a media outlet is doing fantastic coverage, if that organization isn’t making enough money to pay the bills, it will go away. The media and journalism industries were forced to change with the times, as the advent of the internet cut into print production as it did with magazines and newspapers everywhere. Outlets adjusted, creating online outlets to continue the work, while printed options became less and less optimal.

But those adjustments weren’t enough for the long haul. Today’s online landscape is governed by hidden algorithms and sliding SEO standards, making it harder to create content that consistently grabs eyeballs. This has impacted gaming media by forcing outlets to deemphasize news and focus on guides and reviews. Take what happened with Kotaku as an example, as that outlet was pushed to produce 50 guides per week, cutting into the opportunity to do investigative journalism that the site was known for producing.

From a business perspective, it makes sense to focus on what brings in more eyeballs and stronger web metrics. Those metrics are then turned into advertising opportunities which powers the bottom line through revenue generation. It’s the treadmill that keeps the business going. If a 1,000-word piece about crunch doesn’t draw in the right type of metrics, it’s harder to justify the resources to create that content. This equation remains a big issue with gaming media and journalism surviving today.

The Internet also brought with it another challenge. Access. Journalism and media used to be a space where few could get in the door for various reasons, limited to whose voices were heard. Those times are long gone. What started with users creating their own websites, has grown to content creators building massive platforms on outlets like Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and many more. Any person with an internet connection can hop online and start talking about the video game industry, training and access be damned.

This level of access has become a staple across the media and journalism industries. Is it a good or bad thing? There are reasons to answer in both ways, On one hand, there’s more access for those looking to cover the stories that aren’t seeing the light of day. The stories that need to be covered for full transparency and understanding. On the other hand, individuals can grow large platforms to spread misinformation and conspiracy theories – an act that has the gaming industry in a choke hold today. If you don’t like what an outlet is reporting, simply find the one that reports the angles you like. Today’s society is less informed on what media literacy looks like and the gaming space isn’t immune to the outcomes of that problem.

Everything isn’t doom and gloom when it comes to video games media and journalism. As AAA game studios struggle, players are turning toward indies to fill in the gap and some are doing that job well. There’s a shift away from big brand journalism and media to more independent outlets carving out their space and audience. Platforms like Substack and Patreon make it possible to earn a living while covering games, and when combined with a strong social media presence some of these creators are making it work.

That “indie” feel is long rooted in journalism and media. Companies like Complex started with handing out magazines out of the back of a trunk. Some of the biggest music groups took an underground route to gain traction. It’s great to see users building followings on platforms like YouTube or TikTok where they add their voice to the equation. This is especially important when bringing in voices that are frequently left out of the conversation like female gamers, gamers with disabilities, minorities, and others.

As the video game industry struggles to fight against the pulls of capitalism, media and journalism are taking up a similar battle. Long-standing contributors are struggling to generate the eyeballs they once held. Smaller personalities are nipping away at their heels, and grifters are taking root. There’s less money and attention to go around for all. As that battle continues, gaming content creators will have to find a way to carve out their own audience and monetize them. Otherwise, they will be forced to put down the pen.