Bloomberg video game reporter Cecilia D’Anastasio, who previously worked at Kotaku, bemoaned the fact that YouTubers are eating away at “journalism’s mindshare.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
D’Anastasio bemoaned this fact following the news that IGN Entertainment acquired the Gamer Network which includes a number of video game websites including GamesIndustry.biz, Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, VG247, and Dicebreaker.
Not only did they outright acquire these websites, but also acquired shares in Outside Xbox, Digital Foundry, and Hookshot. Hookshot operates Nintendo Life, Push Square, Pure Xbox, and Time Extension.
IGN Entertainment did not acquire Popverse or the UK-based events EGX or MCM.
Eve in Stellar Blade (2024), Shift Up
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Following this acquisition announcement Jeffrey Rousseau detailed he had been laid off from Games Industry. He posted on X, “Hello folks, I’ve unfortunately have been laid off from Games Industry. I’m fine really. I’m open to new work opportunities. If you require the skills of an award-winning reporter/journalist with a focus on marginalized voices and B2B writing, please consider me. I’d appreciate it.”
Jeffrey Rousseau on X
D’Anastasio reacted to Rousseau’s post writing, “Jeffrey has quickly become my go-to source for fast, business-focused games news. Absolutely wild decision from Games Industry new owner IGN. Was also shocked to see they’d laid off Brendan Sinclair, whose games businesses analysis and features are appointment reading.”
In a subsequent post she added, “A strong games press is especially important as the lines blur btwn gaming and social media/big tech. There are so f***ing many stories to write. These senseless layoffs are especially painful as reactionary YouTubers with no journalism training eat away at journalism’s mindshare.”
Cecilia D’Anastasio on X
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Numerous individuals responded to D’Anastasio. YouTuber Hypnotic wrote, “It’s not our fault that journalists decided to stop being journalists and instead be activists writing lies to benefit whatever agenda that is important to them. Youtubers took over because you guys are boring and liars on top of that.”
It’s not our fault that journalists decided to stop being journalists and instead be activists writing lies to benefit whatever agenda that is important to them. Youtubers took over because you guys are boring and liars on top of that.
— Hypnotic (@RealHypnotic1) May 22, 2024
John Goetz added, “Gaming media has needed a purge for awhile now. Terrible agendas being pushed for years is finally catching up with them.”
Gaming media has needed a purge for awhile now. Terrible agendas being pushed for years is finally catching up with them
— John Goetz (@john_goetz) May 22, 2024
Stuttering Craig of Side Scrollers wrote, “Cecilia, we’ve never met but for you to honestly think that video game ‘journalists’ have journalism training is legit laughable. In my nearly 2 decades of experience, most have never been in a journalism classroom or know the ins and outs of true journalism. The VAST majority are glorified bloggers with access. That’s it.”
Cecilia, we’ve never met but for you to honestly think that video game “journalists” have journalism training is legit laughable. In my nearly 2 decades of experience, most have never been in a journalism classroom or know the ins and outs of true journalism. The VAST majority…
— Stuttering Craig (Official) (@StutteringCraig) May 22, 2024
RPGenie wrote, “YouTubers are outpacing ‘journalists’ at an incredible pace. Unfiltered raw information and usually with little or no bias due to lack of knowledge on the situation and no intricate details fed by corporate overlords. It is crushing journalism and I love every single minute of it.”
YouTubers are outpacing “journalists” at an incredible pace. Unfiltered raw information and usually with little or no bias due to lack of knowledge on the situation and no intricate details fed by corporate overlords. It is crushing journalism and I love every single minute of…
— TheGhost (@RPGenie) May 22, 2024
Prairiefawkes also replied, “Why would I listen to a journalist try to spin their own pet social commentary into a story about a game when I could just listen to a YouTuber tell me about the game?”
Why would I listen to a journalist try to spin their own pet social commentary into a story about a game when I could just listen to a YouTuber tell me about the game?
— prairiefawkes (@prairiefawkes) May 22, 2024
Vony256 also stated, “Laying off bad journalists is a good thing, and “journalism” training is literally just ideological indoctrination these days. If you want good information on games, find a youtuber you trust.”
Laying off bad journalists is a good thing, and “journalism” training is literally just ideological indoctrination these days.
If you want good information on games, find a youtuber you trust
— Vony (@Vony256) May 22, 2024
What do you make of D’Anastasio bemoaning that journalists are losing “mindshare” compared to YouTubers?
