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Jason Bailey, an editor on The New York Times’s Culture desk, felt that the opportunity to cover a major moment in pop culture had been missed.
In October 2018, the highly anticipated video game prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, was released. While the game was advertised on the front page, there was no review or coverage of its release in the news pages.
Bailey expressed the need for The Times to review and criticize major video game releases, similar to how they cover plays, movies, and other forms of entertainment.
Bailey, along with Zachary Small and Kellen Browning, journalists at The Times, has worked to expand the coverage of video games. They have published articles exploring the impact of Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda franchise and the creation of the new game Starfield.
They aim to provide thoughtful and experimental coverage of video games, catering to both gamers and non-gamers.
When did you first become interested in video games?
ZACHARY SMALL Video games were a childhood passion for me. I found them more accessible than visiting museums and appreciated the storytelling and puzzles they offered. As a writer, I see connections between the world of fine art and video games in terms of creativity in different artistic mediums.
JASON BAILEY I’ve been interested in video games since I received a Nintendo Entertainment System as a child. Games like Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. were my favorites. I continued playing games like Halo in high school.
KELLEN BROWNING My experience with video games was limited before joining The Times. However, as a reporter covering technology and business, I now have a unique perspective that bridges the gap between the gaming industry and a general audience.
How do you balance writing for gamers and keeping articles accessible?
SMALL We aim to strike a balance by assuming a base-level knowledge of games from our readers while still providing enough context for those who may be less familiar. For example, when writing about Zelda, it’s important to explain what type of game it is.
BROWNING It’s crucial to find the right balance in our articles to include both casual readers and more knowledgeable gamers. Over-explaining can alienate experienced gamers, while under-explaining can leave others feeling excluded.
What storylines are you focusing on in the coming months?
BAILEY We are excited about covering both small, independent game studios and major gaming publishers as they take creative risks. Our goal is to provide comprehensive coverage of the industry instead of solely focusing on blockbuster releases.
BROWNING We will be following the implications of the merger between Activision and Microsoft and exploring social issues such as gender diversity and unionization within the gaming industry.
If you could choose one video game to have on a desert island, what would it be?
BROWNING I would choose Age of Empires: Definitive Edition.
BAILEY My pick would be Power Stone 2 on the Sega Dreamcast.
SMALL Instead of recommending one specific game, I would encourage someone who has never played a game before to try We Love Katamari. It provides a unique perspective on the world and showcases the artistic potential of gaming.
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