Over on PR_Flak’s Flak Attak, I’m discussing the impact that emerging business models and added content is having on the media cycle for video games and how PR and press are having to adjust.  Between DLC coverage widening the coverage window and “new to us” online game emerging in North America, there’s a lot of confusion as to what should be covered and how…

A <snip>:

This is where the next challenge for the VG media and VG PR professionals lies – to define the terms and options for covering what, by current definitions, is simply uncoverable.

Take a read of “Shipping a Game Ain’t What It Used to Be” - hope you enjoy it!  Love to know your thoughts.

- PR_Flak

Welcome to Part III of The Art of the Screenshot.  So far we’ve covered “big picture issues” – how it is PR’s responsibility to produce screenshots that do more than just look good and the importance of conveying emotions and attitude in assets.

Now that you understand the key ingredients, you’re ready to rock n’ roll!  So let’s cover more hands-on material, namely, what you need to do to work effectively with your PD teams to secure great shots.

Do this wrong and you’ll get shots that aren’t perfect along with a PD team that thinks you’re a total idiot.  Do it right… well, then you’ve got PR gold.

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Over on PR_Flak’s Flak Attak, I take on the issue of MetaCritic and its misleading and distorting aggregation of review scores.  It’s a major issue in our industry, and it can no longer be denied or tolerated.

I can’t tell you how many times I get emails from the development team after reviews post saying: “Hey! We got a B- on XXX site, but on MetaCritic it shows up as a 67!  WTF!?!?”  It happens all the time.

What I’d love to see is some kind of resolution that removes the obvious issues and allows editorial integrity to reign supreme.  Hopefully we can find a way to get the scoring system fixed.

Meanwhile, here’s a <snip> for you, and be sure to head over there and check it out:

It comes down to a simple fact — MetaCritic casts a powerful shadow but it is constituted of editorial inaccuracy, factual distortions and unchecked subjectivity.

The Problem With MetaCritic - PR_Flak’s Flak Attak

- PR_Flak