10 Misconceptions You Have About Being A Games Journalist

10. It's More Than Playing Games All Day

The elephant in the room first, then? Fine. Anyone who's worked as a games journalist for any noteworthy period knows full well that a remarkably small percentage of the work actually revolves around reviewing games. In fact, newcomers know this more keenly than anyone, as they almost certainly didn't receive a review copy for months after taking up the pen, and even then probably had to pick through scraps of Steam Greenlight and Kickstarters. Certain positions specializing in critique are exempt from this rule, but on the whole, review and preview content is spread thin among publications. Even the smallest of sites will consist of a handful of writers, while the big leagues of the industry are supported by dozens. The ugly point in all this is that everyone doesn't get to review every game. Publications often receive only one copy from a publisher or developer, meaning only one writer played it (for review, anyway). You then have to consider that games are typically played on journalists' own time€”because regular columns don't write themselves while they're playing it€”and in a very different manner than relaxing on the couch. Note-taking and asset-nabbing isn't quite as relaxing as cozying up one Saturday and getting lost in your favorite RPG. And let's not forget that bad games€”in many cases quite frankly irresponsibly bad games€”need reviews too. For games journalists, that means buckle up, grit your teeth, and get a white-knuckled grip on that controller because you've got some crap to shovel.