Is the Gaming Media Biased? The Microsoft Payola

A topic of notable interest has recently been brought to the forefront of gaming journalism: is the gaming media biased toward Microsoft, or are its hardware and multi-platform titles truly outperforming its next-generation competitors? Popular gaming forums have hosted numerous debates, mostly detailing coverage of the latest mega-conference E3, at the root of this bias. Posters point to popular gaming sites and shows (G4TV, AOTS, etc.) suggesting that Microsoft has received additional coverage and praise over competitors.

The idea of media bias is nothing new; it has been going on for a long time. The original form of the bias was coined as “Payola,” at the invention of the radio. Record label executives and people of similar interests would pay off radio stations to play songs on their label more. In turn, the increased play time on the radio heightened song popularity. While the impact on a superficial examination looks minimal, we must address the exposure in compounded terms, a 3-minute song getting aired one more time over the course of a year, that’s 1095 minutes (18:15) of the same song!

So, how does this relate to video games? Within the discussion forum at G4, people reported seeing more coverage of Microsoft titles, and a more favorable reflection of a lackluster showcase at E3 (FFXIII was considered the biggest announcement). Gamers suggest that G4TV employees even utilized cheap shots as a means to devalue Nintendo and Sony’s presentations (Morgan Webb, how could you?!).

However, this could just be the enraged ranting of fanboys gone wild. Many chastised Iwata for Nintendo’s lack of commitment to their audience with core games. Fans alike dumped on Tretton and Hirai’s Sony presentation, suggesting it lacked a jaw-dropping moment, nor did their game demos get the expected press time (even though they were available to be viewed via podcast).

One poster even attacks Adam Sessler, saying he is in cahoots with Microsoft. The reprimand details the Sessler Soapbox Spotlight, and how the Microsoft segment was rushed well ahead of Nintendo and Sony’s.

So, the real question is: can we trust our popular media gaming sites and television shows?  Trusted journalists and people iconic to gaming are susceptible to corruption. It wouldn’t be unforeseen if we learned that someone like Sessler from X-Play had received secret payments from Microsoft to abuse his facilities, influence and position in the gaming industry. If this corruption of the gaming press is real, it most certainly explains the lack of negative press surrounding the Xbox 360.