The New Style

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The term 'accessibility' should be reserved for features supporting players with disabilities, rather than being used to describe a game's ease of entry or tutorial quality.
02
Industry discourse should distinguish between 'machine learning' and 'artificial intelligence' to avoid adopting corporate terminology that obscures the human-based nature of generative content and potential labor implications.
03
Game journalism should move away from reductive genre labels like 'walking simulator,' which often serve as unhelpful and unflattering shorthand for new or experimental game experiences.
04
Microsoft retracted a legal filing that challenged the constitutionality of the Federal Trade Commission's court system following public backlash.
05
Sony reported that PlayStation 5 console sales have surpassed 30 million units to date.
06
Approximately 20 former staff members of Striking Distance were omitted from the credits of 'The Callisto Protocol' because they departed the studio before the game shipped.

Summary

The provided text serves as a stylistic manifesto for video game journalism, advocating for a more precise and responsible use of language within the industry. The central thesis posits that as the medium of gaming evolves, the lexicon used to describe it must undergo a corresponding shift to avoid outdated, misleading, or corporate-aligned terminology. By refining these linguistic habits, the author argues that critics and writers can better serve their audience and maintain professional integrity.

The analysis highlights four specific areas requiring reform. First, the term "accessibility" should be reserved exclusively for features that assist players with disabilities, rather than describing a game’s difficulty or ease of entry. Second, the author distinguishes between "artificial intelligence" and "machine learning," cautioning that the former is often used by venture capitalists to romanticize automated processes and obscure the potential for labor displacement. Third, the industry is criticized for its reliance on reductive or unappealing genre labels, such as "walking simulator" or "boomer shooter," which can unfairly bias potential players. Finally, the author calls for the retirement of "addictive" and "compulsive" as positive descriptors, noting that these terms ignore the psychological design tactics used to monetize player behavior.

This commentary reflects on the state of the global games industry as of early 2023, touching upon broader trends such as the rise of generative AI, the consolidation of studios, and the ongoing challenges regarding labor rights and credit attribution. The author draws on personal experience as a former editor to provide a critical perspective on how industry jargon often mirrors the interests of corporate entities rather than the needs of the gaming community.