New Games Journalism

1
New Games Journalism

• Andrew Williams
• A.Williams_at_bolton.ac.uk

2
Gonzo Journalism

• Started by Hunter S Thompson
• Died 2005
• Central to gonzo journalism is the notion that
  journalism can be more truthful without strict
  observance of traditional rules of factual
  reportage. The best work in the genre is
  characterized by a novelistic twist added to
  reportage, with usual standards of accuracy
  subordinated to catching the mood of a place or
  event. The reporter and the quest for information
  are central, with other considerations taking a
  back seat.
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzo_journalism

3
New Journalism

• NB not new games journalism
• Rather than pretend to a perhaps impossible
  stance of objectivity, the New Journalist often
  acknowledges his or her own intervention into the
  story being covered and embraces the consequent
  presence of his or her own personal experience as
  a part of the drama of unfolding events. many of
  the original New Journalists were pioneering the
  notion of being "imbedded" years before the term
  was coined.
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Journalism

4
Journalism Old, New and Gonzo

• On 24th November 2005, the licensing laws in
  Britain were liberalised
• Old Journalism Talk about the terms of the new
  legislation. Compare the new laws with similar
  initiatives in other countries. Talk to
  interested parties and debate their views.
• New Journalism Go to a pub and talk to the
  landlord and some regulars and get them to tell
  their stories. Hopefully witness a fight and
  interview everyone involved.
• Gonzo Journalism Go to a pub, get drunk and get
  beaten up. Then report on your experiences from
  AE at the hospital.

5
Examples

• Bow, Nigger, by Ian Shanahan
• Perhaps the seminal work of the genre
• A gamers encounter with an idiot in JKII Jedi
  Outcast
• I think the reaction to this piece has been a bit
  over the top
• What would the response have been if he had lost
  that fight?
• Certainly a visceral example
• Served to bring NGJ to a wider audience

6
Examples

• Ste Curren (Red Eye 114 in Edge)
• Not a review of a game
• An encounter with a dentist with views on games
• Presumably made up!
• Extremely involving!

7
Examples

• Going Planetside and All about Eve, by Jim
  Rossignol
• Extremely approachable
• These articles give the impression that Rossignol
  loves games
• Recommended for non-gamers
• Eve Online has been the subject of some very good
  writing

8
Look out for

• Jim Rossignol and Kieron Gillen are writing a
  book
• An anthology of games writing
• The title is still under discussion (as at
  November 2005)

9
Questions

• What would New Movies Journalism look like?
• Or New Television Journalism?
• What does NGJ have in common with NJ or Gonzo
  Journalism?
• Is it something to do with the controller?

10
Answers?

• I just found this (after the lecture)
• This makes us Travel Journalists to Imaginary
  places. Our job is to describe what its like to
  visit a place that doesnt exist outside of the
  gamers head the gamer, not the game, remember.
  Go to a place, report on its cultures, foibles,
  distractions and bring it back to entertain your
  readers. (Kieron Gillen, The New Games
  Journalism, http//gillen.cream.org/wordpress_html
  /?page_id3)
• Travel journalists to imaginary places is
  exactly what I was thinking of

11
Answers?

• Broadening the Audience
• My feeling is that New Journalism was about
  broadening the audience for news
• Im unsure as to whether this is true of New
  Games Journalism
• In the lecture, I said no, but I wonder if the
  correct answer is maybe
• The academics prerogative!

12
Reference

• Examples from Ten unmissable examples of New
  Games Journalism
• Guardian Games Blog
• http//blogs.guardian.co.uk/games/archives/game_cu
  lture/2005/03/ten_unmissable_examples_of_new_games
  _journalism.html