Zombie Cow's Marshall: All journos should have to make a game

I agree completely. The whole adage that art is only subject to criticism from other artists is completely without merit. It makes him sound like sour grapes.

Did you actually read Joystiq's post, or the source article? He writes about games and makes games, which he felt that gave him a more well rounded perspective. He's not criticizing games journalists, he's just pointing out that they would be more informed if they had actually tried to make a game (and he's right).

The best science journalists I know have a fair science background (even if they never worked as one). The best economic journalists come often have economics degrees. Having deeper, even hands on, knowledge of the subject you are writing about makes you a better journalist. Period.

Besides, games journalists will never have the same perspective as you. When your job revolves around gaming, you think about it differently. When many of your games are free (either from pubs or from the entity you write for), you don't think about the experience the same as if you had shelled out the money yourself. You might try to think that way, but it won't ever be exactly the same.

I think it's important to note that not all gaming journalists are reviewers, and not all game reviewers are journalists. The original article isn't aimed at reviews and reviewers specifically - it's aimed at gaming journalism in general.

Courtney, yes I did read the Joystiq article and I agree that creating a game would give a journalist a more rounded perspective, but my issue is when he says, and I quote, "I think all games journos should be forced to make a game somehow." Forced. Somehow. Those are pretty strong words. I just got the impression that game journalists who don't make games are a little less valid to Mr. Marshall, but that's just my opinion and translation of the article.

Oh and people who call journalists "journos" don't get much respect from me. Very douchetastic.

I don't personally like the term journo, but I see it pop up from the British more than anything (have even seen it in BBC headlines), and assume it's just more of an accepted colloquialism for the Brits than Americans.

They are strong words, but it was also an off-the-cuff answer to what was likely an unexpected question. I tend to try and take such quotes in context. If he had taken the time to write out a blog post on Zombie Cow's site about how games journalists ought to be forced to make a game, then I think that's a different situation than glibly answering a question he's been asked about whether one informs the other. I took it as a bit of hyperbole.