Edge - Enthusiasm - Gone?

[Mayhem]

I have no idea how much work is done by freelancers though...

I know 3 people who freelance for Edge, most issues something by them is in there. Two of them also write for other Future publications...

[El Geet]

I think word count is not really the issue here. I have read many very deep but very short reviews of games, written by people who understand the subject matter. It is possible. Nor should the stellar work of NTSC-uk be dismissed under the guise of "fandom". Many of these writers put the "professionals" to shame. The fact that the likes of NTSC-uk are so bloody good only highlights how amateur most games publications are.

I would say that a lot of EDGE is very well written, but that the majority of the "informative content" is woefully lacking. This is unacceptable for a professional games publication. A good use of language is important, but knowledge about the subject matter is utterly paramount.

If you're referring to my use of the word 'fanzine' I didn't mean it in any dismissive sense. I mean it in a positive sense. Could it be the case that if the NTSC-UK writers started to get paid for their efforts and received much critical acclaim for their work would they believe their own hype? Probably. It's human nature. Would they become more stand-offish less enthusiastic about something because it was no longer a 'hobby' but a job? I expect in most cases this would be the case.

I know this is speculation but it happens in most areas, call it selling out or disillusionment it's practically inevitable. Are Edge responsible for creating this ethos of apathy towards games that seems to be a recurring theme in their mag because they themselves were once enthusiastic writers who have become embittered?

My point is there is an advantage to being a 'fan' rather than a 'professional'. This, of course, has nothing to do with the quality of the writing of the NTSC-UK writers which I have always found to be of a a decent standard.

I want both...

[chrisp]

Oh yeah, let's not forgot all those urban legends about Edge being entirely written by freelancers and then touched up and edited slightly by a group of low paid know-nothings to sound pretentious.

Oh and,

the majority of the "informative content" is woefully lacking.

I fail to see how this can be a serious comment. Take the SNES feature this month and compare it to the GamesTM one. It's not a remark upon you if you prefer one or the other, but to suggest that stuff like this from Edge is woefully lacking and other magazine's aren't in comparison is a bit off. Yeah, you said "majority" but I still don't see how this is at all. The RETRO editions of Edge actually go out and find revelatory, and interesting new facts about the scene, GamesTM just says "Ah, weren't times great then! This was ace! So was this! And wasn't that too? Yes it was!". I wont espouse one way over the other (even though it's fairly implicit which I prefer) but Edge is never really lacking in informative content, especially not in the context of the overal UK magazine market.

[Molloy]

This sort of discussion is getting really tired. If I had to play through half the **** that gets released these days I wouldn't be half as enthusiastic as Edge is. I think there's plenty of humour and the pretentious stuff is usually as funny as the intentional jokes.

Everybody complains about the reviews and says that the quality is slipping evey issue. I always thought they were unreliable but they're very well researched and written and the rest of the magazine is going from strength to strength. Part of Edge's charm is they can write reviews that are just opinion. There are plenty of far more balanced publications out there but they aren't half as much fun to read.

That post by Doug in "From The Forum" a few months back cracked me up. He wrote out a big sarcastic rant about how Edge was printing opinions that didn't coincide with his own and that this offensive practice was to terminate immediately.

[chrisp]

This sort of discussion is getting really tired. If I had to play through half the **** that gets released these days I wouldn't be half as enthusiastic as Edge is. I think there's plenty of humour and the pretentious stuff is usually as funny as the intentional jokes.

Everybody complains about the reviews and says that the quality is slipping evey issue. I always thought they were unreliable but they're very well researched and written and the rest of the magazine is going from strength to strength. Part of Edge's charm is they can write reviews that are just opinion. There are plenty of far more balanced publications out there but they aren't half as much fun to read.

That post by Doug in "From The Forum" a few months back cracked me up. He wrote out a big sarcastic rant about how Edge was printing opinions that didn't coincide with his own and that this offensive practice was to terminate immediately.

Yes, I agree with nearly all of that. Except for the bit where you said that this *sort* of discussion is getting really tired, when this *sort* of discussion doesn't really go on that much. It's been a cracking thread, not like similar in concept, but mind numbing in execution ones on the old Edge forum.

[Sarkster]

Chrisp, do you work for Future/Edge?

[marcus]

It has been a good thread, Id rather see it closed as it is now than for it to degenerate into another typical Edge thread we see so many times before. If it goes that way, Ill close it.

[chrisp]

Chrisp, do you work for Future/Edge?

Nope.

[Bomberman UK]

He also banned Saurian from the forum. And Saurian = gnodab, hence David = badong!

What for?

And why on earth has Edge got rid of F.A.Q at the end of the mag? Boo!

[marcus]

Ok this has really ran its course now. Thanks for all the input people