GameDaily's delusional list of 'overrated' industry people

by Alexander Sliwinski { Mar 22nd 2007 at 9:30PM }

GameDAILY's Chris Buffa has moved on from talking about the sad state of game reviews and giving lessons on how to be a better games journalist. Now he's after the big guys. In probably the most incredible grab for traffic we've ever seen, he explains who the top five "overrated" industry people are. Ready to hear the list?

Koji Igarashi (Producer of Castlevania)
David Jaffe (Creator of God of War)
Hideo Kojima (Creator of Metal Gear Solid)
Shigeru Miyamoto (Creator of most things Nintendo)
Reggie Fils-Aime (The only non-developer)

There you have it, the list of the most "overrated" people in the industry. Other than Reggie, who is a marketing guy and is paid for being "overrated," these other individuals are the industry. Shigeru Miyamoto is overrated, but American McGee merely gets an honorable mention? This list wasn't about going after those who are actually overrated, it was just finding the biggest fish to fry with only a dab of oil in the pan.

Tags: crazy talk, delusion, gamedaily, overrated

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Slaziman @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:35PM

Flamebait!!!

samfish @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:36PM

I agree about Reggie. He just kind comes across like a douche.

...but then, most PR men do.

As for the rest of the list, Chris Buffa can shove his fist back up his ass.

EihBeir @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:38PM

Love Nintendo, Hate Reggie.

fawazr @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:40PM

Ooohh, look at me! My name is "controversy!"

KC @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:41PM

I feel like he just took the most popular names in the industry and labled them as overrated for shock value or something. Not much of a list.

BUT, David Jaffe of God of War fame is indeed "overrated". If he's hyped in the first place. I dont think he's made much of a name for himself though. The game God of War is entirely overrated as well, and serves better as a movie than a videogame.
Seriously, to anyone whos played God of War (I've yet to play 2 yet, but seen it in action and its more of the same), can you honsetly say its gameplay holds up next to games like DevilMayCry, NinjaGaiden, or any 3d action game? I say no. Aside from the cinematics(which are also the button press attacks in the game"play"), the voiceacting, and the production values, the game is hardly a game. You're watching it more than playing it. Especially when the combat is so button mash friendly. I understand some people like easy games, I dont, but anyway God of War and its creator Jaffe is completely overrated.
THAT, I can agree with.

Fioter @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:42PM

Shiggy should be number one.. can you say N64 cartridges? And, how is that DOA guy not one here? At least Jaffe speaks his mind and tells interviewers to go f*ck themselves in the grotto.

Reggie needs to lose some weight.

generaldane @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:45PM

I when i saw the names i thought this must be a list of the most popular industry people

Taylor @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:48PM

I agree that Reggie is overraed. Shiggy and Kojima though? That's stretching it. Yes, they may be 'rated' pretty high, but it is well deserved imo.

Hello @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:48PM

I agree on David Jaffe and Reggie

Poisoned Al @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:50PM

"I want attention but I don't have boobs (nice ones anyway) what can I do to forfill my attention needs? Hummm.... I know, I'll post something "controversial" on the interweb tubes! That will make me edgy and popular!"

NintendoFanbot @ Mar 22nd 2007 9:52PM

Reggie danced on stage at E3 2006 to demonstrate WiiSports. FOR ME.

[/over-enthusiasm]

Besides, he's only the American voice for Iwata and Miyamoto. He takes their message and makes it in a way that American fans can really be excited about it (examples: Every E3 since E3 2004). He even admitted he's just PR. Unlike most PR, Reggie is likeable.

Jaffe's famous for Twisted Metal and when God of War 1 came out EGM ran an article/interview with Jaffe like, "look at me, I'm all introspective".

GameDAILY is overrated. Controversial lists are overrated. Controversy's when you know they have no additional insight on whatever they're talking about and just want to be in an angle to 'dispute with conventional thinking'.

generaldane @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:02PM

“Kick his ass and take his name!” someone shouted from a few rows behind me.

“Who?” answered Reggie in mid-autograph.

“Phil Harrison, front row!” Sure enough, there was Phil Harrison, seated dead center, front row. Looks like he could show up on time for Nintendo’s keynote, but not Sony’s.

With a grin and a chuckle, Reggie replies, “Some would say we’ve already done that.”

Touchdown. The crowd goes wild.

Reggie is f'ing badass

tmmoore_nc @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:03PM

I can agree with Igarashi because he hasn't found a way to translate Castlevania to 3d yet, even after so many failed attempts.

If Reggie is on the list, where's Phil, and where's Peter?

Putting Shiggy on the list just begs for this man to be burned at the stake by many people. Simply put, if he didn't create Mario, none of us would be here.

Miz @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:07PM

Honestly, what is Reggie supposed to be "overrated" for here? Everyone knows he doesn't REALLY go around kicking peoples asses and taking their names, that's just a running joke.

His real job is to run NOA as a business and sell systems, which he happens to be really damn good at.

HyperOnion @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:07PM

IGA's first Castlevania game was Symphony of the Night. He didn't invent Castlevania. And while all of his games do play pretty much the same (which he's been criticized for by both critics and fans, it's not like this is the first time anyone's mentioned this. It's about as common a critique as "no one wants to play as Sonic's friends" is), the Metroidvania entries play very differently from the classic Castlevania games.

Apparently fact checking is overrated too.

lessbiasedthanmost @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:08PM

@13
You mean my real father is Mario? :p

But seriously, lists like this don't bring about anything good, especially when they are about people who have made the industry what it is.

Rubang B @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:20PM

I was interested in seeing the angle this guy put on this list, but seeing Miyamoto on there just made me laugh my ass of. The father of the platformer, the genre that defined games for over 2 decades so far, is overrated? Yeah, and so are the Beatles.

Silver R. Wolfe @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:25PM

Do you know who is over-rated? CliffyB.

Ludwig Kietzmann @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:28PM

Hyperonion,

Thanks for pointing that out. The implication was that Koji was a Castlevania creator, not THE Castlevania creator. Changed it to "producer" since that's really a more accurate description of what he does right now.

Also, am I the only that loved Lament of Innocence?

Sly @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:30PM

My list and their true ratings: 1. Reggie Fils-Aime (antique salesman) 2. Phil Harrison (junk salesman)

Rubang B @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:33PM

I agree. CliffyB is overrated. And so's that DOA guy; he's like the Paris Hilton of gaming. He makes mediocre games, but he's always in the gaming news for sexual harassment and drinking on the job. I bet he releases a sex tape right before his next game comes out.

ShortFuse @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:36PM

"Seriously, to anyone whos played God of War (I've yet to play 2 yet, but seen it in action and its more of the same), can you honsetly say its gameplay holds up next to games like DevilMayCry, NinjaGaiden, or any 3d action game?"

Yes, and better. Have you even played God of War?
"You're watching it more than playing it."
Um... no. I know it has those cool "finisher" sequences but you don't have to kill enemies like that. It's for extra damage. But I've learned my lesson from the first one, and I when I started playing the second one, I played on the hardest setting, as opposed to normal on the first one.

Devil May Cry is JUST like god of war in terms of combat style, so don't knock it. You can't praise the combat style in Devil May Cry and criticize God of War. It just screams bias. The fighting style is so similar, it doesn't make sense to criticize it.

n2 @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:42PM

I agree with David Jaffe, only because I'm always reading about his ramblings, and I think after his involvement and comments regarding Warhawk, he lost some credibility with me.

Ryde @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:43PM

No Molyneux? I mean, it seems like the press always fawn over his designs, yet he consistently under-delivers. And yet people still seem to hold him in high regards as a designer.

epobirs @ Mar 22nd 2007 10:46PM

When the revenues from your products are measured in the capital-B Billions of dollars, it's hard to imagine how you could be overrated. Miyamoto has had his influence on more hit games than any other person in the history of the industry. Some people may be sick of hearing hime worshipped but that is a different issue than him being overrated.

gregory mitchell @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:06PM

I love GoW but I knew when i 1st saw it that it was A devil may cry knockoff. DOnt get me wrong its a great game. But compare notes
1. red orbs/green/blue both use red orbs as currency to level up weapons.

2. devil Mode/ Sparta mode. Both have the same looking effect. In DMC the letters Have electricy. in GoW the lil head has it.

3. The way you level up....ITS EXACTLY THE SAME IN BOTH GAMES!!!!!!!

4. The names of the combos (stylish, brutal......Whatever the fuck they say)

5. This is a stretch yes i know. 1. son of sparda. 2. a spartan.....yea yea like i said its a stretch

feel free to add more. i havent played DMC since the 2nd one....

LaughingTarget @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:12PM

Gonna have to agree with Kojima. What exactly has he done beyond the Metal Gear series (notable, Boktai doesn't count, it sucked)?

wildweasel @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:17PM

@27: "What exactly has he done beyond the Metal Gear series (notable, Boktai doesn't count, it sucked)?"

A little game called Snatcher for the Sega CD.

LaughingTarget @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:19PM

My point was just made.

Rubang B @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:21PM

Well played, Laughing Target, well played.

your mother @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:24PM

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdcgw/is_200501/ai_n7182347

The link above sums it up perfectly.

American McGee doesn't make it on this list? The guy doesn't do much of shit. He should be #1 on the bogus game designer shitlist hit parade!

American McGee Presents Scrapland... boy, does anyone know who really designed the game? Probably not. It certainly wasn’t him. While the game title does not state he designed it, most anyone that sees the title will say, "Hey, a game designed by Mr McGee!", giving no credit to the real designers, Mercury Steam, the Spanish developers.

His Alice game had two things going for it: EA resources, and EA budget. Look at the incredibly asinine and horribly mangled Bad Day LA, where he worked with another team lacking in resources and budget, and you can see that the guy does not do miracles.

In fact, the guy doesn't do much at all except market his name correctly. The guy doesn't have an original bone in his body. Alice was a rip-off from the Lewis Caroll tale. His new "IP" (right, rip off someone else's idea and call it your own), based on Grimm's fairy tales, is another example of how completely uninspired and unoriginal he is. Getting someone’s idea and making it “quirky and darker” is not original. Hell, for that matter, I’ll just scan the Mona Lisa and photochop it so that she looks “goth” and darken the background, include bats, and maybe a pumpkin.

Hmm… let’s see… American McGee presents the Iliad! American McGee presents Antigone! American McGee presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream! (Crap… just game him some more ideas to “IP” and claim as his own…)

The only thing he's got right is his marketable name, and even there you have his parents to thank, because he didn't think of it. That, and an ego the size of Jupiter's nearest moon, is all he has going for him.

How can it be that Miyamoto, who actually created some of the best IP and games, and mentored the next generation of designers in Nintendo's camp is even mentioned, let alone on the list, and not the piss-poor hack that is Mr McGee is way beyond my comprehension. Previously a cultural icon, now a Nintendo PR puppet, at least he DID something (many things, actually) to earn his cred.

American McGee has done far more damage to the industry by not including the names of the real developers and designers of the games he is able to slap his name on thanks to it being ridiculously gimmicky.

So in the end, he attends the PR events and gets all the credit while the poor guys trying to earn a living while slaving away at the computers actually developing the games get absolutely no recognition and whose names just as easily dismissed and tossed away into the rubbish pile of abandon.

Matt Wagner @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:24PM

c'mon man. metal gear solid (19), god of war (33), and Castlevania SOTN (16) are in the top 35 on IGN's 100 greatest games of all time.

this is purely an attention-getter and a controversy-starter.

Toothpick Guy @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:33PM

I can't really say anything that hasn't already been said. I'll just add my voice to the resounding disgust of gamers around the world.

These publicity stunts make me laugh. I didn't even click the original article. No point in trying to put out fires with gasoline.

Noshino @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:41PM

David Jaffe? why? He did say that his game (GoW) was nothing like DMC....how does that make him overrated....

This list is missing other ppl,

Peter Moore
Phil Harrison
Major Nelson

Non developers....and yet still create huge hype, and they aren't even funny!

NintendoFanbot @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:51PM

Sony PR can't make the list because they're never liked.

Ben Tremblay @ Mar 22nd 2007 11:59PM

That's the saddest excuse for an article I've ever seen and for this I will not even pay them a visit (which is exactly what they want).

klink-o @ Mar 23rd 2007 12:03AM

Cause everyone loves lists...

Greg the Paladin @ Mar 23rd 2007 12:18AM

No Wil Wright? I always hear The Sims getting praised as an honorable pillar of the gaming community, blah blah blah. It's a virtual dollhouse. Big deal.

Also missing: CliffyB, Molyneux.

Antonio @ Mar 23rd 2007 12:54AM

I read over the article and it's funny how often they qualify everything they say. "We love Miyamoto, but blah blah blah". And I love when they say "He doesn't create games by himself." NO SHIT SHERLOCK. The whole article is pure drivel. Miyamoto is undisputed in the title of most influential and accomplished designer in the industry, Kojima's Metal Gear games play the same in the same sense Zelda: OoT and WW play the same, and no one really gives a flip about David Jaffe and Reggie Fils-Aime.

rfom @ Mar 23rd 2007 12:56AM

Miyamoto? overrated?
WHAT THE F ARE THESE GUYS TALKING ABOUT?
MIYAMOTO = GAMING
God things like this make me angry.

Matt Wagner @ Mar 23rd 2007 1:24AM

i would say Nolan Bushnell = gaming. he did found both Atari AND chuck e. cheese after all...

NintendoFanbot @ Mar 23rd 2007 1:45AM

Nolan Bushnell to me = Arcade gaming

I wish Arcades will still popular. :(

rokerovakero @ Mar 23rd 2007 1:54AM

Was this made by "industry analysts"? that guy seems be be pretty lost on game creators.

karmaghost @ Mar 23rd 2007 1:54AM

Just off the top of my head, here are some big ones:

1.) Peter Molyneux
2.) American McGee
3.) John Carmack
4.) Chris Taylor

Jeff Freeman @ Mar 23rd 2007 2:09AM

I feel sorry for David Jaffe.

I mean... I can sympathize.

His major transgression seems to have been combining accessibility, with a couple of outrageously popular games/series.

No matter who you are or what you've done - If you're out there posting in forums, blogging, etc. then occasionally people will disagree with you.

If you've had THAT kind of success, it'll make some folk defensive enough to trot out their "over-rated"-attack, even if you'd never even TRY to win a debate through appeal to authority (most especially due to the fact that you aren't nearly as impressed with yourself as everyone thinks you would be).

Or maybe just because you know better. Might have taken debate in Junior High.

As one of those "accessible" sorts of game designers myself, I get the same thing.

Well, not really the SAME thing...

Alright, maybe not actually even anything remotely like the same thing.

'Really...

...Ook, so I don't get any "thing" at all.

But I can imagine that I *would* get the same thing if I'd made Twisted Metal's one, two, three, and black, then God of War, and not only got put on IGN's "Top 25 Greatest PS2 Games Of All Time"-list TWICE whether I liked it or not, but right there in that number one spot, to boot.

It doesn't help to deliver God of War again - and still get this sort of response:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/03/19

Plus, now, with millions of fans *daydreaming* about how great whatever might come next will be - just spending all their idle moments pondering all the infinite possibilities:

A) Another color of Twisted Metal
B) GoW III

...or maybe even a GoW spin-off called God of Jumping Over Blades On Logs for the folk who might have been disappointed that GoW only had one entire %^&@#%# level of that... Ah... well...

Anyway.

The cherry on top of this bloody Sundae is busting out with, ""Oh, I don't even LIKE video games! I want to make PS3crabble!"

We won't believe how REAL the little wooden doodads look on a PS3, I bet!

We've never SEEN anything like this, except for the actual real scrabble pieces which one in three of us already own on account of it being a seventy year old BOARD GAME.

So like I said, I can sympathize. That could have been me.

I'm a game designer, and I have a blog. I post on forums.

Check this out: I'm posting a comment on a blog right now!

That's why I feel for the guy. I'm just six or seven Best of All Time games away from being in the same boat!

HyperOnion @ Mar 23rd 2007 2:11AM

Ludwig,
Haven't played LoI, but I've heard it's pretty good, barring the boring level design (which was also a major problem in Portrait of Ruin). And at least it has the sweet gothic art style that the DS games have (sadly) abandoned.
(And sorry for being a bit snappy there. I was more going off on Buffa, who pretty well implied that Iga worked on the pre-SotN Castlevania's as well. And the charge that original Castlevania plays anything like the current ones is still ridiculous. What a half-assed cry for attention.)

meow @ Mar 23rd 2007 3:03AM

blah blah blah

OhJustSomeRandomGuy @ Mar 23rd 2007 5:24AM

How did Igarashi make that list? I don't think people talk about him that much. He's not even talked about as much as Jaffe is.

The other 4 are correct, though, and here's why:

1) Reggie.

He doesn't actually DO jack. He's effectively a higher paid Major Nelson. And he's got some retarded cult following. Japan's basically making all the decisions, all he does is coast. That fact that people know who he is means he's overrated. Bonus overrated points for that "fireworks" comment at GDC.

2) David Jaffe.

Much like Reggie, the fact that we're dicussing him means he's overrated. He'd barely crack the top 100 game creators of all time.

3) Kojima.

People love MGS, and that's fine. He does that series pretty god, although I have to say, it's not for me. I do like how much effort he puts into thinking like a gamer, though.

However, the first Zone of the Enders and Boktai were pretty awful. Add to that the fact that he split off to form his own company, to stop making the only game he's done well so far, and it makes you scratch your head.

4) Miyamoto.

The guy that's actually done the most on this list, but he's still overrated. Why? Because Nintendo fanboys view him as a god, if not THE God.

Not even close. The guy's good. Probably a top 15 game creator. But he's not the clear and undisputed #1 all time. He didn't invent platformers, people. The gap between fanboy fantasy and reality is why he's a deserved choice.

To replace Igarashi, though, it'd have to be, who else...John Romero.

The fact that the guy still has a job at all in the game industry is shocking. Sure he might not be to highly though of now, but think back to a time when he was as highly if not MORE regarded than Warren Spector.

What had he done up to that point? Come up with the PLOT for Doom. He was so overrated at one point that his also-did-nothing wife was named a "God of Gaming" by PC Magazine. What had she done? QA and John Romero!

He retains the top spot for ALL time.

Other notably overrated folks:
John Bachus
Al Lowe
Major Nelson
Peter Molyneux
Trip Hawkins
The entire staff of IGN (yes, every single person there.)
Jessica Chobot
Ken Kutaragi
Perrin Kaplan
Orson Scott Card
Johnathan "Retard1ty" Wendel
American McGee
Tetsuya Nomura
Hironobu Sakaguchi

And that's about all I can think of off the top of my head.