Borderlands 2 and Shoddy Journalism

It was not unexpected that Randy Pitchford’s comments on Borderlands 2 announcement’s leak would spark some controversy, as the editorial from Ars Technica we’ve reported on already proved, and in fact, Jim Sterling editorialized on it too on GameFront:

I understand embargoes and NDAs. I’ve agreed with publishers before about releasing reviews on set dates at set times. I see no harm in that. At the end of the day, these are videogames, not military secrets, and I am happy to work with a publisher rather than against it in the name of mutual benefit and ensuring I can continue to deliver useful coverage to my readers. I respect embargoes and I respect a company’s need for them. However, I also respect that if one writer was not under embargo and did not have to sign an NDA, then it owes a publisher nothing. I might agree to an embargo if a publisher shows me some new game content. However, if another publication wasn’t invited, but was able to get the same content, I cannot begrudge that publication running it. The company did not ask the writer to agree to anything, ergo the writer has no moral or professional obligation.

This is the risk you take when you lock all but one publication out of covering your games. They owe you nothing. When Game Informer runs an exclusive game reveal, that is the only outlet that signed an NDA or agreed to an embargo. Eurogamer didn’t. GameFront didn’t. Destructoid didn’t. We agreed to nothing, and if we hear about a game announcement before the preordained date, what the f**k do you have for us that should stop us running it? To not run it would, in fact, be shoddy journalism. If, of course, you actually consider yourself a journalist, which I do not. Hey, even less reason to abide by the Game Informer Code Of Honor.

At the same time Gearbox CEO and founder Randy Pitchford clarified his position on Twitter and responded to Ars Technica’s editorial:

Hey Ben Kuchera – you missed my point and twisted my meaning. Breaking a story is fine! But do it legitimately!

But, well… News of the World – that’s where uncouth journalistic practices lead us. You are better than that!

Nice picture, though! Love it! Keep up the good fight and stay classy 🙂

The point: Where’s the line? If it’s broken NDA’s or cell phone hacking, the intent and cost to integrity is real.

Fortunately, most video game journalists are awesome, real gamers and genuinely good people with a strong moral compass.

@DuvalMagic I still don’t understand why the story was illegitimate. Or how it was shoddy journalism.
@BenKuchera My assumption was that the mostly awesome journalists are confident in their approach and wouldn’t worry it too much.

@DuvalMagic This I agree with, but isn’t that on the head of whoever talked when he shouldn’t have, not the writer who ran the news?
@BenKuchera Yes!