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New York Times Article on Game Reviews #176683
07/17/07 01:07 PM
07/17/07 01:07 PM
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 26,918
Stony Brook, New York, USA
Becky Offline OP
The Medieval Lady
Becky  Offline OP
The Medieval Lady
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Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 26,918
Stony Brook, New York, USA
There's an article in the New York Times about game reviews that is worth a look here. (Link may require registration.)

The article discusses the fact that bestselling books often get bad reviews from official book reviewers -- and movies that are box office winners often get bad reviews from official movie reviewers. But for games, bestsellers tend to the games with the most laudatory reviews and top review scores.

Here's a short excerpt:

Quote:
“Game reviews are written by people who are, relatively speaking, gamers,” said Mike Vorhaus, a managing director at Frank Magid Associates, a market-research firm. “Movie reviews tend to be by an older person, more highbrow person, who might not have as much in common with people who are actually going to the movies.”

...Some executives in the game industry have their bonuses tied to the Metacritic scores their games receive. The problem is that following the critics so slavishly discourages people from taking chances and a dearth of creativity is the biggest problem in the game business.

I’m not suggesting game producers try to antagonize critics for the mere sake of originality. But it is worth pointing out that the only game among last year’s Top 10 sellers with a Metacritic score less than 80 was Brain Age, the mental-exercise software from Nintendo meant to appeal to users much older than the typical gamer. Nintendogs, another innovative Nintendo game intended to expand the gaming audience (in this case among women and girls) also did not receive totally boffo reviews.

If the future of gaming is in reaching beyond hard-core young male players, that may mean risking some lower grades from the young male critics. Either that or the critics themselves can open their minds to new concepts.




Re: New York Times Article on Game Reviews [Re: Becky] #176685
07/17/07 01:11 PM
07/17/07 01:11 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,145
Somewhere ? in Massachusetts?
cailyn Offline
BAAG Specialist
cailyn  Offline
BAAG Specialist

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,145
Somewhere ? in Massachusetts?
Interseting article Becky :)Thanks wave


I may not have gone where I intended to go,but I think I have ended up where I need to be.

Sue
Re: New York Times Article on Game Reviews [Re: cailyn] #176698
07/17/07 01:38 PM
07/17/07 01:38 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 40,644
southeast USA
Jenny100 Offline
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Jenny100  Offline
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southeast USA
Quote:
Nintendogs, another innovative Nintendo game intended to expand the gaming audience (in this case among women and girls) also did not receive totally boffo reviews.

Didn't Nintendogs sell really well?

Re: New York Times Article on Game Reviews [Re: Jenny100] #176703
07/17/07 01:42 PM
07/17/07 01:42 PM
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 26,918
Stony Brook, New York, USA
Becky Offline OP
The Medieval Lady
Becky  Offline OP
The Medieval Lady
Sonic Boomer

Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 26,918
Stony Brook, New York, USA
Yes, it sold well.

Quote:
Nintendogs sold a quarter of a million units in its first week, making it the bestselling new game franchise ever for a portable system.


The article uses it (I think)as an example of a game that is attempting to tap the more expansive market beyond young males -- hence it's relatively low score (presumably from young male game reviewers).

Re: New York Times Article on Game Reviews [Re: Becky] #176706
07/17/07 01:50 PM
07/17/07 01:50 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,022
Northeast NJ
Darleen03 Offline
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Darleen03  Offline
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Northeast NJ
Thanks for the link Becky

I will look at it tonite in my spare time..


Luv Dar


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Re: New York Times Article on Game Reviews [Re: Darleen03] #176749
07/17/07 03:32 PM
07/17/07 03:32 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,631
Lillian Al USA
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bouv mama  Offline
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Lillian Al USA
I think I will continue to use Gameboomers posts and comments to decide which games I will choose and which I will avoid. It has worked so far for a good many years.
Marion


The Bouv said "If I can reach it, it's mine"
Re: New York Times Article on Game Reviews [Re: bouv mama] #177243
07/18/07 01:34 PM
07/18/07 01:34 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,310
Larnaca, Cyprus
Butcher Offline
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Butcher  Offline
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Larnaca, Cyprus
I'll have to register to have a further look, thanks Becky smile


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