I completely agree with this statement, but you have to realize this is *not* specific to game development in any way. Most mainstream media channels cover bullshit stories and impart preconceived ideas on the general, ignorant public. It's a serious problem and always has been.Accy wrote: I don't give a fuck about any of the sites in question. The issue is that their preconceived ideas of what games are can affect actual game developers. The game Divinity: Original Sin really suffered because of them. And I think you can imagine how many companies won't want a site with 20+ million visitors to talk shit about them, and will do whatever they say.
This is the exact reason I choose to go elsewhere for my news, reviews, and opinion pieces.
You basically have two choices:
1) Develop the game you want to develop but accept the fact that MANY people won't like everything about it, some will straight up hate it, and others will just not give a shit about it. (Antichamber)
2) Develop a game for the masses, profit wildly, but the accept the fact your idea has been so bastardized for the mainstream audience it's hardly recognizable. (FarmVille)
The third option is not an option you can choose, but rather something that just happens out of pure, shit luck: develop the game you love AND the world ends up loving as well (Minecraft)
There's always going to be someone to shit all over your hard work. At the end of the day, you need only ask yourself where you want your allegiances to lie: money or pride.
Sometimes pride brings money (Minecraft),
Sometimes money brings pride (Zynga is probably proud of their hugely profitable empire of shitty games),
but if I only get to choose one, I'd rather have pride.
