BC of the Month, May 2007: Matt Paprocki - Page 5

Look at the MPAA and how it’s run. A movie is released in theaters with a PG-13. A parent thinks it’s okay, and their kid loves the movie. Well, when it comes to DVD, it’s a super violent director’s cut without a rating anywhere to be found. Said parent buys it because they found it appropriate in theaters. If the ESRB let something similar happen (say, a game is re-released in a violent edition without a rating), I can’t imagine the backlash the industry would receive.

The game industry isn’t completely for kids anymore. That’s something missed by all violent game critics. Parents can check out the ESRB website before buying a game for their kid, or, as shocking as it may be, be with them when they’re choosing a game to buy. What is your child doing out alone with $50 in the first place if you’re not there? Getting some of the basics of game playing isn’t hard either and enjoying the medium with your child is a must regardless of the situation. Peeking into their room once in a while to see what’s on screen isn’t a bad idea either at a bare minimum, but personal responsibility seems to be a premium these days.

Where do you see your writing career taking you a few years down the road? Any plans you'd like to share with us?

I want to write. That’s the basic response. The long winded response is that I’d love to be able to push gaming journalism in a different direction. As it stands, it’s unprofessional, riddled with cheap jokes, and leading to many believing this is an industry for kids, as I mentioned above. It’s filled with hype that tends to overtake the important things.

To put this into perspective, many gaming magazines don’t have a single article on the current legislation being brought against the industry, yet they find room for a full-page, single screen shot of an upcoming game with potential promise. The website GamePolitics manages to find multiple stories per day. Why can’t the magazines find one per month?

That’s not to say there’s no place for fun (it is an entertainment medium after all), but if you flip through older game magazines and current ones, the standards haven’t evolved at all with the audience growing up from the days of the NES. Where did this go wrong? Only two magazines (not including those outside the US such as Edge) have ever tried a full journalistic approach: Electronic Games and Next Generation. They’re no longer around. The gaming audience isn’t used to a true source, and have been pushed into reading hyperbole that leads to junk like the “console wars.”

Article Author: Lisa McKay

Lisa McKay is Blogcritics' Executive Editor. At BC she can usually be found hanging out in the film section. She recently started food blogging at Will Kill for Food.

In her spare time, she watches movies, listens to music, reads, and caters to the whims of two spoiled cats. …

Visit Lisa McKay's author page — Lisa McKay's Blog