Videogame Style Guide writes the book on game journalism

by Kyle Orland on Feb 27th 2007 10:25AM

We here at Joystiq don't usually post about our own outside work, but I figured I'd make an exception for my first foray as a dead tree book author.

The Videogame Style Guide and Reference Manual is an effort to set down some consistent answers for those niggling copy editing questions that constantly come up when writing about games -- questions like whether videogame should be one word or two (the guide says one, you say two), whether to capitalize the B in Xbox (no) and whether the term "Wiimote" should be excised from the English language forever (yes, yes, a thousand times yes). Not everyone will agree with our choices, and others won't even care, but as I say in the book's introduction, we hope that addressing these issues will "build trust and respect for both our art and the emerging field of gaming as a whole."

The guide will be available in hardcover, paperback and eBook editions on June 1, 2007. Working game journalists can register for a free eBook edition for a limited time by e-mailing freebook@gamestyleguide.com.

Read - Excerpt from the Guide's introduction
Read - Official Guide web site

Tags: game style guide, GameStyleGuide, style, style guide, StyleGuide, video game, video game style guide, videogame, VideoGameStyleGuide

Reader Comments (31)

I might pick up a copy, just to see if my journalism is similar to what you state is optimal.

You can pry the space in "video game" out of my cold, dead hands!

In all seriousness, a style guide is something the games journalism industry has needed for a long time (there's an internal one at Netjak, but only staffers can view it). Hope you make lots of money with this.

That's a really good idea, for when writers don't always have access to PR materials to refer to.

But I as a fan cannot let go of Nintey Shiggy Wiimote waggle.

Good luck anyways. :)

The usage of the term "videogame" over "video game" only makes sense if you would consider games like Monopoply a "boardgame," games like rummy or contract bridge a "cardgame," games like Dungeons & Dragons or White Wolf's offerings a "role-playinggame," or so on.

Look, I'm a huge partisan of video gaming, but they are not so appreciably different from other games that it justifies violating the rules of American English to name it. To say otherwise is pretentious.

Though it's much easier to deal with things that are produced by companies - the style should be the trademarks. You say "Xbox" instead of "XBox," "X-box," or "X-Box" because Microsoft uses "Xbox" at all times. Similarly, "Wiimote" is not used at all by Nintendo, so it shouldn't be considered standard (however, they do use the term "nunchuck" for the analog stick attachment, so that's usable).

That said, I'll probably pick this up, if for nothing else than it'll be fodder for a column.

Two freaking words. If the AP stylebook says something, I'd tend to agree with that, since they represent the legitimate press and all.

Whore.

;-)

Why don't you like Wiimote? Does that mean you also don't like Nunchuck?

Yeah, a style guide is a step in the right direction for game journalism. Sometimes when I pick up Game Informer and EGM, I can't help but feel embarrassed that I'm reading it due to poor word choices, bad grammar and and overall tone that a high school kid had written the article, including the horrendous "jokes" that they put in the captions. It would be nice to see a game magazine along the style of the New Yorker (maybe not as pretentious, though. But more of a professional caliber in what articles they pick and how they write them).

Kudos to you guys, I may have to pick one up for the sake of having it when I post comments here.

I think Nintendo officially calls it Nunchuk, without the 2nd C. Just like Game Pak. :P

#4 - I also would have accepted "roleplayinggame".

Oh woe is me. So is Nunchuk on the chopping block then?

Sorry, you lost me at improperly spelling "video game."

Since this seems to be a point of interest among commenters, we prefer "Wii remote" to Wiimote. Nunchuck is acceptable on all references, capitalized.

So is this just the vanilla brand of self-promotion or is this actually going to improve gaming journalism ... like say here? White Rose said it best ... 'Hope you make lots of money with this.'

Way to write a book that will really make a difference. Everyone who was confused over videogame/video game, Xbox/XBox and Wiimote/Wii Remote will now be able to offer you praises for raising the bar of gaming journalism. Maybe next time, you can actually tackle tough issues.

Thank goodness I can get the eBook for free.

GUS

You use way too many commas to be taken seriously.

You tell 'em Randy! Way to really get at the problem!

In regards to "video game" and "videogame," what does the mainstream media say?

Currently the immersive concert event, Video Games Live, uses two words.

I own a Wii. I refer to the controllers as Wiimote. Reggie Fils-Aime refers to the Wii remote as Wiimote. When the Nintendo execs start refering to their own peripheral as Wiimote I think you need to go with the flow.

I'm not trying to kick a dead horse here, just merely giving mainstream examples already established or in use.

You've combined two of my favourite pastimes: Copy editing and gaming! I need this book.

PS: "Video game" FTW.

Wiimote is a great term, Kyle, and its here to stay. Suck it.

: )

I've grown up correcting people on both my first name (which is Korean) and my family name (Americanized Hungarian with descent from India). My own sister says our family name differently but that's how I've always said it. Ah, arguing with my brother over how to say Scyther. Anyway I've always said video games because that's how I've always read it everywhere. I didn't even know it was called videogame by some.
Ninty is a dumb name. Who's lazy enough not to call them Nintendo? Weird how FireFox's spell checker catches videogame but not Nintendo.
Wiimote is like saying it really fast but I don't hate it.

And with all the woe is the decay of the English language, there's a silver lining. Maybe when English, and other languages, are dead, the entire globalized world can just use one.

Maybe you should add an entry to your book called, 'Conflict of Interest.' You're writing a column about your own book? Both on here and at Game Daily? That's a joke. I'll stay with my copy of the AP Style Guide.

It's important to note that both the AP Style Guide and New York Times style use "video game."

I hope you can make a strong argument against the two most trustworthy standards of journalism style in the United States.

WII-MOTE!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Hmmmmm. How is a style guide for VG journalism even necessary? AP and NYT got you beat a long time ago with all the important stuff, and the rest is just detail wrangling between VG journalists and press flacks.

You are definitely on the wrong site of history with "videogame." And Nintendo dropped the ball with the "Wii-mote" coinage. They deserve to have their product mislabled. "Xbox," well that's just a dumb name to start with.

And don't turn to the press flacks as the ultimate authority. Otherwise, you'll find yourself writing revisions everytime Sony wants free press for the newly re-named "PLAY-STAY-SHUN TRE."

"How is a style guide for VG journalism even necessary?"

Surely you mean "V journalism", it's one word now...

Shouldn't the style reflect the terms and spelling used in colloquial speech? Certainly Wiimote and 'video game' have become consistent pieces of vocabulary, changing it takes credence away from your book.

@soul4sale

How did Nintendo drop the ball? The term "Wiimote" is used very loosely and managment seems rather fine with the usage. I guess I am missing your point of having their controller mislabeled when there isn't any negative flack for the term, even in Nintendo's main circles.

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Videogame Style Guide writes the book on game journalism

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