Gameranx celebrates video games, their greatness, and all they have to offer. Not only do we cover the news—we often break it, too. You’ll find almost everything you need to stay up to date with all the games worth playing, news about the industry, and the community surrounding the hobby we’re most passionate about—gaming.

Our site is staffed by a dedicated crew of writers and freelance contributors passionate about their craft, whose works have appeared in respected publications more well known than the one you’re currently reading—but hey, we’re getting there.

It’s no big secret that when the site first started, we meant to take on Metacritic. Hence the name. As you can obviously tell, that didn’t work out so well, and we discovered that we were a lot better at covering the news and putting up editorials, critiques and features worth reading. You’ll also find plenty lists here, because they’re fun to write, and they’re also fun to read.

We like to consider ourselves professionals, because we are. We’re paid for this. I was paid to write this very piece, you know. So because we’re professionals, you can expect some modicum of professionalism in everything you read on Gameranx. If we don’t meet your standard, feel free to call us out on it. We’re big fans of the concept of “improvement” over here. Which is everywhere, because we come from all over the world.

That’s another thing you’ll get from Gameranx: diverse perspectives. I’m happy to say that we’re host to one of the most diverse groups of people I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with.

If you’d like to get in touch with us, reach out to Atul Kashyap.

Ethics Policy

These are some of the guidelines that were first instilled in the Gameranx style guide upon managing editor Holly Green’s arrival to the site in 2013, along with professional policies formed during private staff discussions. We are happy to share these guidelines with you now in the interest of professional transparency:

We value diverse opinions and embrace open discussion of the issues affecting our industry. However, there are some things we ask you keep in mind when you are on staff and acting on our behalf. Remember that you represent the site across the web. While you are free to express yourself as you see fit, Gameranx does not tolerate sexism, homophobia, racism, ageism, and other forms of discrimination. We ask that you reflect that in your online conduct. While you may not feel the site should be personally responsible for what you say, our audience feels otherwise. Keep your fellow writers and their livelihoods in mind when considering how others perceive you.

In order to respect our PR contacts and maintain order we request that you do not ask for or accept free items, swag, merchandise, or games exceeding in value of $60. Items exceeding or equal to that amount must be reviewed or otherwise appraised in an honest editorial fashion.

We honor all NDAs and embargos, with the exception of those that are scheduled post-release.

If writing a feature or post that relies on an anonymous source, please disclose the nature of the source privately to upper management for our editorial approval. Limit the extension of anonymity to those who are at risk of danger or retribution (financial, physical, etc.), and state clearly in your article why the anonymity was granted.

Use discretion when sourcing a post from social media, particularly Twitter. Your subject may not consider their comments to be formal or official. It is in poor form to expose the details of a conversation you were not invited to, whether or not it was had in public. Information shared from Twitter or Facebook or other social media accounts in violation of that person’s privacy settings will not be tolerated. Remember that just because you can does not mean that you should. You must also be cautious when using a quote in your headline. Take care to accurately summarize the intent of the original speaker. Avoid the use of hyperbole or oversimplification to prompt page clicks.

When raising criticism or discussing allegations of wrongdoing, seek out the accused and allow them to respond and/or make a statement. Update stories as needed to reflect new information. If you must edit an error, make note of the correction at the bottom of the post and the time and date of the edit.

Opinion, conjecture, and commentary must be clearly labeled. We do not post sponsored content, or anything that blurs the line between advertising and editorial. Writers are forbidden from tailoring their content to the demands or needs of our advertisers, and clear boundaries between writing and advertising staff will be maintained.

During your time as a Gameranx writer it is unlikely that you will be offered direct compensation in exchange for positive coverage at the request of a PR representative, developer, or publisher. However if the situation arises, the acceptance of such a bribe is strictly forbidden. You may accept paid travel and accommodations for conventions and other major gatherings or events, however, you must disclose this clearly in any ensuing coverage. Preview events are to be avoided altogether.

While we encourage our writers to be friendly with their colleagues and professional peers, we ask that you use discretion in forming acquaintances within the industry and disclose such relationships should they become a potential conflict of interest. Writers are not to cover companies they have invested in or worked for, nor those who employ family members, spouses, partners, or others with significant romantic or deep personal significance.

We do not forbid you from participating in video game Kickstarter campaigns, however, we ask that you limit your donations to the minimum amount necessary to acquire the game. Disclosure of Kickstarter and Patreon support is encouraged but not required.

Attribution is extremely important. Backlinks can be easily inserted within relevant pieces of text in the body of your post. Visit the article’s source and follow the link trail until you find the original, then link back to that. If you found the original source through social media, out of courtesy you should link back to the user who first brought the item to your attention. NEVER fail to attribute when the item is something the original poster found themselves, or is of an exclusive nature, like an interview.

You may come across ethically gray areas that are not discussed or covered in the above paragraphs and for which there is no precedent set. In the event that this occurs please consult upper management. You may also refer to the SPJ Code of Ethics for additional guidance.

Affiliate Linking Policy

We sometimes include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Our affiliate links do not influence editorial decisions in any way.