Ethics Policy

For the most part, the world of gaming journalism is awful. With clickbait, rumours and lies being widespread across the medium and gamers treated like dirt by many journalists, your average gaming site is not a nice place to be.

Gaming Reinvented on the other hand, is not your typical gaming site.

To put it simply, we have no stake in the industry. We have no ‘friends’ or connections involved in developing games, we have no political views to push on our readers and we have no interest in getting cheap hits through meaningless clickbait articles.

What’s more, this site is going to follow every single rule in the Society of Professional Journalists Ethics Code. Yes, every one. To the letter, with no possible exceptions. Here’s the Code of Ethics in case you wish to read it for yourself:

SPJ Code of Ethics

So how does this affect you? Well, let’s break down some of this document and explain exactly how we intend to adhere to it:

– Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work. Verify information before releasing it. Use original sources whenever possible.

We investigate all our own stories rather than just taking rumours from Twitter or forum sites like NeoGAF. This automatically puts us above many of the gaming ‘journalists’ out there (and their obsession with posting press releases as news).

– Identify sources clearly. The public is entitled to as much information as possible to judge the reliability and motivations of sources.

We always link to our sources for claims, unless the video or embedded media itself IS the source in question.

– Diligently seek subjects of news coverage to allow them to respond to criticism or allegations of wrongdoing.

What’s more, we plan to let you actually respond to claims directly. Anyone who’s a member of the site will be able to write a full blown response article that’s then shown underneath the original one, posted to the home page and reposted as a topic in the forums.

How’s that for a way to respond to criticism?

– Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. Give voice to the voiceless.

We plan to seek contributions from all kinds of people and groups, not just ones we agree with or whom happen to be well known already. Our GamerGate cover and fan game developer interviews are only the beginning.

– Support the open and civil exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.

Also known as something much of today’s media seem to have forgotten about. We haven’t.

– Label advocacy and commentary.

We often label opinion articles as opinion and news as… news.

– Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity, even if others do.

This is probably the most minor ‘flaw’ with gaming journalism, but it’s a problem that’s found in abudance regardless. Either way, we do not post clickbait. Ever.

– Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose unavoidable conflicts.

We will mark any games where review copies are given with a banner stating just as much. We also have no ‘insider’ connections with the industry, we don’t sign agreements or embargoes, we don’t let staff get into romantic relationships with developers and we take the customer’s side as much as possible. We represent our audience, not an ‘elite’ or ‘clique’ with self serving motives against their audience.

– Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility.

We refuse free stuff as much as possible. Multiple times in the past (before we changed to a general gaming site) we told developers, publishers, advertising networks and other such organisations that we weren’t interested in working with them and would rather go alone.

– Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; do not pay for access to news. Identify content provided by outside sources, whether paid or not.

While this is a massive problem in the gaming media, we do not partake in it.

– Deny favored treatment to advertisers, donors or any other special interests, and resist internal and external pressure to influence coverage.

We do not give special treatment to advertisers or special interests. You can buy as much ad space as you like; we can still give your game a nice zero out of ten rating and say it’s an unplayable piece of crap.

– Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two. Prominently label sponsored content.

This is done by default. We do not accept sponsored pieces, nor do we accept guest posts written specifically for money or backlinks.

– Respond quickly to questions about accuracy, clarity and fairness.

If you ask us anything about an article, we will give you a detailed reply that explains exactly why we wrote it the way we did.

– Expose unethical conduct in journalism, including within their organizations.

We support GamerGate. Aka we support ethics in video game journalism and work tirelessly to try and right it by making its existence known.

Either way, Gaming Reinvented is an ethical, honest, and above board gaming site. We don’t take money or deals from developers in return for coverage (positive or otherwise). We treat our visitors with respect like intelligent human beings rather than sociopaths or morons. And we hold the industry to account. We’re a watch dog of sorts, the group that watches both the industry and calls it out whenever necessary. And no, we’re not the metaphorical toy poodle that acts as a lapdog to industry interests either (like so many other organisations in the world today). We’re the 20 stone attack dog that will happily put bullies, trolls, corporate shills and gamers haters in their place.

Because that’s what this industry deserves. A media source that stands up for the readers against all manner of outside interests trying to co-opt or take over the gaming world. Want real, honest, unbiased gaming journalism? Stick with Gaming Reinvented.