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Daily Clarity from Hawkes: For the benefit of Mr. Hsu

Gaming journalism as a print medium is dying.

It’s a natural progression for gamers, seeing as we’re very impatient and on-demand type of people. Most magazines need a two month lead time, making exclusives and real behind the scenes items old news by the time they hit stands.

It’s sad really, because as Maj Malfunction once pointed out, it’s hard to pinch one out with a laptop rather than a magazine.

Thankfully that image isn’t permanently registered in my brain anymore, though it took quite the bleach washing to get it out. I’m pretty sure my vocabulary lost a word or two.

Where was I?

Oh yes, Dan Hsu and Electronic Gaming Monthly.

EGM has been the only magazine I’ve trusted for reviews. I could never put my finger on it, but I always felt their reviews were honest, more so than others. At the head of EGM for quite a long time, was Dan Hsu.

Keyword is was. It was announced on April 11th, that Dan was going to take a vacation, and move on to something else.

The very capable Sam Kennedy will be taking his place. I’ll refrain from the shoe joke I made on Morning Gaming News.

So why is Hawkes all broken up about this?

Integrity.

Dan Hsu has it in spades. I challenge you to read, not just gaming journalism sites or magazines, but other supposed news organizations, and find one editor or one journalist who keeps objectivity or tells the story black and white. You won’t find it, I’ve looked. I do not trust anyone when it comes to informing me of the state of the world or of the PlayStation 3.

Save for EGM, but now that’s gone. I’m sure Sam Kennedy will do a bang up job, but he hasn’t earned my trust the way Dan Hsu has.

Dan Hsu, who put Peter Moore’s feet to the fire when reports of Xbox 360’s overheating were first coming to light. (January 19th, 2006, 3 months after Xbox 360 launch.)

Dan Hsu, who called out other gaming journalists for the practice of fluff piece previews in exchange for ad dollars or “exclusive access”.

Dan Hsu, who publicly admitted that poor reviews get you blackballed by gaming companies, something proven down the line when Jeff Gerstmann met his fate.

He appears to have been the last of his kind. A man who loved the art of journalism and gaming so much that he protected both of them with every fiber of his being.

Fare well Mr. Hsu. I’ll be looking out for you no matter where you land. You have inspired faith in someone cynical. For that alone, thank you.

Night folks.

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