When it comes to the Internet, change is the only constant. It happens in an instant and permeates our lives so quickly that we don't even realize how much it impacts how we communicate and interact with people. With the advent of Web 2.0 exploding in 2008, we at GameCritics.com felt it was a good time to take a look at ourselves in relation to the reality of content today to see how would could evolve and contribute to the new socially-driven Internet.
With that in mind, I'd personally like to introduce our new mission statement and tagline.
Our Mission: To elevate the quality, culture and perception of video games as contemporary arts and entertainment through game criticism and community development.
We will accomplish our mission by presenting a diverse range of perspectives from authors and gamers of different backgrounds in order to provide readers with insightful, useful, and entertaining content on video games and their growing presence in society.
Our old mission statement didn't properly convey our values and our passion for video games, and the concept that criticism can be beneficial to a community. Not only does the new mission make our goals more clear, but it also recognizes that this isn't something that a small group of individuals can accomplish in isolation. As the saying goes, it takes a village and this new mission serves as an invitation to those in the gaming community who share our passion to join us.
Our Tagline: Games. Culture. Criticism.
After expanding the scope of our mission, it became clear that "Smart Reviews" from our old tagline felt too limited in its ability to describe our editorial drive. "Serious Gamers" had started sounding too elitist, exclusionary and dull. By exploring the "Culture" of video games, we hope that our content will continue to be intelligent and insightful, but will also acknowledge a more personal and emotional side of the video game experience and how it touches our lives.
So now that we've made this announcement, it's time to go to work. Be on the look out for more changes, new features and hopefully more content on GameCritics.com in the coming weeks and months. We look forward to hearing your feedback and we hope you'll join us on the journey.
Somewhere between all the gaming, Chi some how managed to finish high school and get into the New York Institute of Technology. At the same time, Chi also interned at Virtual Frontiers, an Internet software consultancy where he learned the ways of HTML. Soon after acquiring his BFA, Chi went on to become the lead Web designer of the Anti-Defamation League. During his tenure there, Chi was instrumental in redesigning and relaunching the non-profit organization's Web site.
Today, Chi is the webmaster of the American Red Cross in Greater New York and somehow managed to work through the tragic events of September 11th without losing his sanity. Chi considers GameCritics.com his life's work and continues to be amazed that the web site is still standing after the recent dotcom fallout. It is his dream that GameCritics.com will accomplish two things: 1) Redefine the grammar of videogames much the same way French film critic Andre Bazin did for the art of cinema and 2) bring game criticism to the forefront of mainstream culture much the same way Siskel & Ebert did for film criticism.
- Fraud Alert: Pete Smith, Content Producer - September 9, 2014
- Observations from PAX East 2012: What’s old is new again - April 12, 2012
- Observations from PAX East 2012: Are video game gimmicks finally maturing? - April 11, 2012
[quote=Crofto]Aye, I pretty much agree with you; this website is probably the most informed and accurate when it comes to serious reviews, although it does have a good few I would completely disagree with.
[/quote]
If you agreed with all the reviews, would you still want to read the site, since you’d know the authors’ sentiments without reading? 🙂
But seriously, thanks for the positive words.
[quote=Crofto]I hope the website stays true to the same writing and review style it has to gain the respect it has today, while still growing ever more popular. Keep up the good work.[/quote] Yes, staying true to what we love about the site and mission while making changes is a underlying theme. Thanks for the praise.
Aye, I pretty much agree with you; this website is probably the most informed and accurate when it comes to serious reviews, although it does have a good few I would completely disagree with. Still, a good few is much less than the majority of crap the likes of IGN, Gamespot and now even the once reliable Eurogamer come out with.
I hope the website stays true to the same writing and review style it has to gain the respect it has today, while still growing ever more popular. Keep up the good work.
[quote=Aoki]…and bring back the baby photos of the critics! Ah come on :)[/quote] How can I refuse this request? The baby pics have been restored. You know what strange? I can feel my critical mojo returning. I think those baby avatars granted us awesome reviewing powers.
…and bring back the baby photos of the critics! Ah come on 🙂
Looking forward to the recalibrated GC…
I’m a newcomer to this website but I so far I really enjoyed reading most of the articles and reviews. I don’t agree with some of them {especially your Virtua Fighter 4 review, no offence Chi} but you guys do make valid points than most mainstream game critics and Yahtzee. I’ll be visiting this website more often now and I hope many gamers will as well.
BTW, great tagline.