Integrity

Owing to a more or less chronic addiction to Dwarf Fortress, I'm going to keep this short and sweet.

There's recently been something of a furore about the links between some influential journalists and the PR people of games companies.  More specifically, a writer named Robert Florence noted on Eurogamer that there were a few journalists who seemed not to understand 'conflict of interest' issues.  They'd get a little too close to the PR people, and there were concerns that this affected the judgement of the journalists, and at the very least undermined the trust between journalist and reader.

Trust is actually quite a big issue.  There are still plenty of people who harp on about the high scores given to Dragon Age 2, but as many in the industry point out, writers get shouted at more for bad scores than good (with the notable exception of dear Yahtzee, who exists in a cramped, bitter niche of his own).

Now, this doesn't mean that writers should automatically inflate review scores just to keep feedback positive - there are serious ethical issues in doing so - but if the aim is to keep readers, you can see why some are tempted.  They are writing for the audience after all, and if the audience want positive reviews, if that's what keeps people coming back, then in a highly competitive world where your readership counts, some journalists are going to give readers what they ask for.

It doesn't have to be that way of course.  One of the major features of games writing is how entertaining it is. Seriously, you don't get this stuff in film criticism.  Games journalism is about, more often than not, making a story out of how you played the game.  You can easily incorporate criticisms without offending people, because you're making them laugh at the same time.

Entertainment aside however, being a trusted source is important, and even if you're the most reliable and objective person in the world, some won't believe it.  So it's important to avoid anything that might cast aspersions on your character and judgement.  But at the same time, it's tricky to avoid conflicts of interest.  So the PR people gave you a cookie.  Is that wrong?  It could be perceived as wrong after all.  A new Playstation?  Well, yes, that might be just a little suspect.

It's a fine line to walk.  And at the end of the day, it's down to the writer.  Many readers have a troubled relationship with reviewers, and some will always suspect you.  You can't please everyone, though there's no harm in trying.

So keep your hands clean, as clean as possible.  If they get a little dirty, through mistake or accident or whatever, just be careful how you write.  If you're always objective, always writing well, then that's half the battle.  Perception is important, but personal integrity has to come first.

I think it was a character in E.M.Forster's A Passage to India who once commented on bribery.  He admired the British system over the Indian system.  The Indians take a bribe, and bend the rules.  The British take a bribe, and do nothing.

There are many perks in games journalism - the main one being that you get to write about games - and if you do once in a while find yourself with a gift it would be rude to refuse, you don't always have to refuse it (although more often than not, it probably is best to do so).

Regardless, present or no present, don't change a damn thing about what you write.  Let them give gifts if they like. After all, true gifts have no strings attached.