Where does an avid gamer go for gaming news? Traditional sources might give a new release
a few sentences buried underneath the horoscopes and celebrity gossip. Of course a game publisher might have an IPO
that makes it to the business page. If
it doesn't have the World of Warcraft in its catalog, however, don't count on a
lot of coverage.
Of course most gamers already know where to get the best
information on games. PC Gamer, Internet
Gaming News and Electronic Gaming Monthly are probably the de facto sources. Sites like HardOCP or PC Perspective have
gaming reviews usually in concert with coverage of the latest enthusiast PC
hardware. The trouble is that the content can be a bit
dry which may lead you to less authoritative but more entertaining sources.
Your path to gaming enlightenment continues to a virtual avalanche of gaming podcasts and
YouTube videos of purely subjective value.
Like every other aspect of the digital age a gamer is subjected to
information overload. That puts you
right back where you started relying on flashy marketing and developer pedigree
when you're eyeing your next 100 hour time sink.
If you've been paying attention to the current TWIT.tv
lineup you may have another option on your list of gaming information. One of the newer shows on TWIT, GAME ON! hosted by Brian Brushwood (scamschoolbrian) and Veronica
Belmont (TekZilla) debuted
January 15th. After 5 episodes (not
counting the November beta) the new show is shaping up to be an entertaining
take on gaming.
The show is partially scripted by Justin Robert Young (NSFW, Itricks.com)
and takes a lighthearted but informative look at all things gaming. The weekly show/podcast consists of gaming
news, reviews, humorous skits and interviews with gaming movers and shakers
like Rob Krekel, sound designer for Uncharted 3 and Curt Schilling (of baseball
fame), chairman of 38 studios (Kingdoms of Amalur:Reckoning).
The overall feel of the show harkens back to the ZDTV/TECHTV
gaming show Gamespot TV (now X-play on G4 network) except platform coverage
isn't as limited. Most gaming shows tend
to focus on consoles almost exclusively.
Game On! covers consoles too but equal time is given to PC and mobile
platforms as well.
In support of the show a weekly televised LAN party, Shut Up
and Play! hosted by Glenn Rubenstein (formerly of Gamespot and CNET) has guests including Game On! hosts and
production staff playing popular multiplayer games with viewers. A recent development is the "grudge
match" between Brushwood and Rubenstein for often humorous stakes.
Game On! follows the general TWIT formula of audience
participation but relies less on the real-time nature of most TWIT
programming. Feedback comes from email
and twitter posts at the end of the show rather than the live chat room. This allows the hosts more control over the
shows pacing and content.
Coupled with the scripted portions of the show there's a
more polished feel that keeps the audience engaged but allows the end product
to rise above the average gaming podcast.
As a cornerstone for TWIT's designs on being a major player in IPTV the
show fulfills its role well. It's likely
that Game On! and TWIT's other more structured offerings such as their daily
tech news program Tech News Today (TNT) or Triangulation will likely lead the
TWIT IPTV lineup.
Game On! is available live on the TWIT network Sundays at
6PM Pacific with Shut UP and Play immediately following. Game ON! is recorded as a weekly podcast and
is usually available the following Monday.
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