Photo courtesy of The Escapist/Jim Sterling

Jim Sterling is one of the most polarising figures in video game media. He proudly wears a moniker that a mudslinging pseudo-game developer gave him (Jim Fucking Sterling Son). He used to mock the nature of game journalism by saying he was “The Pride of Garme Jurnalizm”.

Worst of all, he gave a rating of “mediocre” to No Man’s Sky and a rating of “good” to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. He was, however, punished for those past two injustices through organised denial of service attacks to his website.

So how did we get here? And how does Sterling manage his reputation in the face of lawsuits, criticism and vocal distaste of the establishment that once employed him, and a bombastic, self-righteous on-camera personality?

Jim Sterling has been working in game journalism since 2006. He’s worked at major outlets Destructoid and The Escapist and has since moved to a fan-funded site that shares the same name as his video series The Jimquisition. He currently reviews games as well as writes editorial and feature pieces (the focus of the weekly video series), as well as podcasting and writing other various bits for the site.

His video series are often video feature pieces, highlighting often negative aspects of video games and video game journalism. He also includes short character sketches and asides to talk about a different topic or a related branch.

Jim Sterling is a perfect example of knowing your audience and setting yourself from the competition. Jim’s characteristic snark and inflated self-worth (as a character) give his audience something they couldn’t find on sites like IGN or Destructoid. His unwillingness to let anything that he deems as bullshit is remarkable. He’s not afraid to go in on anyone. This has gotten him into hot water with large companies and small companies alike. He has an ongoing feud with Konami (and an ongoing segment on his show called “Fuck Konami News”), and Steam Greenlight game developer/asset flipper Digital Homicide tried to sue Sterling for defamation among other charges.

Jim has made a lot of enemies, but he also knows who to appeal to. In a burgeoning field like game journalism that’s crowded, sometimes a character is what you need to get ahead. All the strong writing in the world (and Jim is one of the best in the industry) won’t help you if nobody will read it.

So Jim Sterling, thanks for giving burgeoning journalists both a cautionary tale of a polarized reputation and how to appeal to a niche market.

Thank God for you indeed.