SaintWaldo said:
Can the press please stop disappearing itself from the relationship? Being a voyeur that we all know about makes this a four-way. Trying to RUN when we thank, chastise, or otherwise attempt to get you to recognize you play a role in the act just takes us all out of the moment and makes you look really creepy.
Hey, you started this metaphor…
Busted. Thanks.
I think the press definitely has a role to play, but I think mostly it tries to amplify the response of all the other three parties. Some writers get caught up in the pre-release enthusiasm for projects, and some writers vent the consumer's frustration when promises are broken. The better writers, at least the ones who stick around long enough to make a difference, are able to keep these impulses in balance and in proper proportion.
We're in a strange place because gaming is covered by enthusiast media where objectivity isn't necessarily as attainable (or, in some ways, even desirable) a goal as it would be if we were covering, say, finance or science. But I think many writers and readers crave that sort of detachment. I think it's possible for us to have a substantial impact, but I don't think our influence can trump good (or bad) design or the desires of the market. The best we can do is try to highlight topics that are being ignored and elevate the level of discussion overall.