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General: Jon Wood Rants on Press Releases
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
MMORPG.com's Jon Wood returns with a column this week. This time around, he's on the warpath about MMO press releases and some of the poor wording that can often go into them.
It's a new column, a new day, a new beginning for me. As much as I enjoyed and still do occasionally enjoy writing those lists, it's good to be able to get out from numerically rating groups of things and spend my columning time doing what I really enjoy doing: ranting about things that piss me off.
I'm not going to say that I'll be ranting and raving for your amusement every week or anything, but at least for now, at least today, I'm going to lay into a topic that's been getting on my nerves for quite some time now:
Over the years, I've read a lot of video game press releases. And when I say a lot, I mean more mind-numbing press releases than is actually good for the average person's mental health and stability. As a result, I've developed my share of pet peeves.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
I agree. Maybe not in such a harsh tone, but I think a few of the press releases are getting too predictable and dissatisfying. When I can look at a brief overview of an upcoming game and guess what the press release is going to say AND BE RIGHT; that's when the industry needs to rethink their press releases.
Also, some of my friends back in high-school can translate things better than some companies. It's not to hard to change "Amazing Graphic" into "Amazing Graphics!". It's just an s. Just have someone who speaks english as their first language look over it.
Read Jon Wood Rants on Press Releases
I agree with you on all points here. Especially with the crappy English bit. I took 5 years of French across Middle and High School, took the AP exam and did well, and even went on a school research trip to France my senior year to study the cultural and political climate there. I can probably, with the help of a dictionary translate most things from English to French or vice versa, and even if I couldn't I have people who I could contact that are native speakers to help me out with it. If I can do that with my high school French, I am sure a corporation that hires an official translator to work for them should have access to more resources than I do. If not, just advertise online, and hire someone foreign, maybe you could hire them as a contractor and maintain virtual correspondence with them. It really shouldn't be that difficult to do.
Your complaints about poor language use are well-taken, but people who live in grass houses really shouldn't stow thrones. Next time, save the rant and spend a few minutes looking for a native speaker of English, or at least somebody with the proficiency of the average subsequent-language high school student, to look over the material written by some of your columnists before it gets posted.
Last week I culdn't spil editer, nao I are wun!
I couldn't help myself... even if I do agree with the poster, and even if it's likely they made the spelling errors on purpose (as spell checker won't catch that the words are wrong as they're spelled right).
I think that a game FEATURE can be innovative, as there have been some innovative features in the past few years that really change things up, but I agree that a GAME itself will have a hard time being innovative considering that it's already been done in other games and MMOs.
I wanted to add that I hate it when a press release talks about how the the MMO is "one of the best in the world" or the company "is the leader in MMOs" or any other BS claim that they really can't make.
This is true too for "XX number of registered users!!" Yeah, don't care. You start talking about the number of people who logged on in the past month and THAT NUMBER I'll care about.
Finally.....an innoviate article from an industry legend....! Sorry couldn't help it :P
Anyway I do agree with your sentiments after working in marketing departments, the PR disaster of WAR, and the MMO industry constant use of buzzwords in their documentation to promote their games , (e.g. "innoviate", " original content", lame attempts to connect with the community by calling something, "bad ass", etc,etc), I think I've become a terribly cynical person, damm you false expectations!!!!! :P
While I do agree that some of the columnists have had some typos in the past, it is nothing compared to the abuses committed in many press releases. Also, instead of attacking Jon on the point, perhaps let the columnists themselves know. Lastly, rather mature way to make a point, really it is.
Funny post Cassie. Well done. Someone missed the joke, apparently.
As for poor English in releases? They are just playing down to the level of their market. Check out the quality of the average post in any MMO forum.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Though you have quite a few posts, I'm still forced to ask... how long have you been a part of this community? I mean... really now... do you honestly think that THIS community, when seeing mistakes, just sits by idly and never comments?
While yes, Cassie does focus too much on a small part of the article, they have a valid point: that is, if you want to complain about something, make sure that you aren't making the same mistakes yourself. While I'd say that 99% of the stuff posted on this site is more than passable spelling/grammar-wise, that 1% ends up being extremely glaring (like... my cat could use better English glaring). And as Jon is the only one on the staff page with the term "editor" in his title, the blame for things not being properly edited do fall on him (at least publicly).
Jon holds these professional companies to a higher standard (and he should). Just as we hold MMORPG.com to a higher standard (as we should).
Everyone has somehow come to focus on the language aspect here. Well, I'll throw in my two cents. A poorly written (or translated) press release says a lot about a company. Namely, "I'm too lazy or too cheap to have this properly done," or "We don't have the budget to hire a better quality translator, even though it might only cost us slightly more." The end result of this cheapness, for whatever reason, shows in the quality of the game, be it just a translation from one language to another or a new game seeing multiple region release.
Now, I think Jon brings up some other valid points in a game press release, as well.
I think some of the things, such as using 'industry legend' have become so boilerplate that companies will likely never stop using them. (It draws the eyes to something to see a commonly used phrase.) When marketing says that using a phrase increases customer response to an announcement or advertisement, it's going to get used. Get used to it. It's just like my World of Warcraft warrior using plate armor. I could use leathers, but I just wouldn't be effective in my task. Are you going to tell me that you can't stand all these plate armor wearing warriors are mucking up a game?
Using 'Innovative' for a new game is something that I can't stand. 99% of the game is the same crappy level and gear grind that every other MMO is, then you can't really call it innovative. I can only think of a handful of innovative new technologies in civilizations history: the wheel, money, written language, metal smelters, the lens, mechanical calculating devices, the logic gate.... Anyway, my point being, we can probably call the very first MUD innovative and the first RPG, and maybe the first MMO, but definitely not some small gimmick in a game that has probably been used somewhere else, just not in an MMO.
Great article, Jon. Maybe the editorial process for the columnists needs looking at, but even my local paper shows up with typos, misspellings, and grammar errors. You guys are running a great site.
Though you have quite a few posts, I'm still forced to ask... how long have you been a part of this community? I mean... really now... do you honestly think that THIS community, when seeing mistakes, just sits by idly and never comments?
While yes, Cassie does focus too much on a small part of the article, they have a valid point: that is, if you want to complain about something, make sure that you aren't making the same mistakes yourself. While I'd say that 99% of the stuff posted on this site is more than passable spelling/grammar-wise, that 1% ends up being extremely glaring (like... my cat could use better English glaring). And as Jon is the only one on the staff page with the term "editor" in his title, the blame for things not being properly edited do fall on him (at least publicly).
Jon holds these professional companies to a higher standard (and he should). Just as we hold MMORPG.com to a higher standard (as we should).
Yeah, ya know what guys, typos happen. I am in no way raking anyone over the coals for making an occasional error. I'm also not talking about wanting companies to strictly follow the "rules of grammar." I think to a point, game writing of all kinds should be far less formal than that.
Now, that doesn't excuse the really bad stuff that gets by me. And I'll be the first to admit that it does on occasion.
What the article referred to was companies who put out press releases that read as though they were hastily tossed through a bad translation program and distributed. There is a world of difference between honest mistakes and just not trying.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
So, Jon is expecting writers to know their subject, have a good and informed perspective, understand the language and actually know how to write?
Good luck on that one.
I have noticed this trend too, but it is not just in the MMO industry. It is a problem that plagues the whole spectrum of journalistic writing from games, to sports to even the world news.
It's not just an Internet thing either, for it seems that even well respected magazines and publications are becoming more sloppy over time.
The only soulution I can see, is that writers such as Jon here try to lead by example (which he does pretty good at) and hopefully others will follow suit.
But yeah, good luck.
Oh so true. It just get's ridiculous in some point when the gaming company's spokesman keeps throwing these sugar coated words to us in all his videos, blogs etc. Using few of the most used adjectives in your game presentation and press conference is a clear sign you don't actually have anything here. They are just words to fill your empty sentences.
Good show Jon!
The only thing I disagree with is that I'm the opinion that actually the whole world SHOULD just speak english as a second language.
Not because it's pretty, but because it is a useful tool and it is easy to learn to an extent that you can make yourself understood on a basic level. Since that level is not the desired level of a press release i'm totally d'accord with the rest you've said... Just that little bit bothered me.
I am not a native English speaker and because of just that I know how ridiculously easy English is compared to my own language, German. And it's still easier than the third language I speak, French, which has a little more grammar and a far more challenging pronounciation. But the biggest reason for English's ease of use is that i guess 90% of pop culture (movies, music, literature, games etc.) is in English. Even here in Germany where we have a long history of high quality synchronisations of even the crappiest Dolph Lundgren or Michael Dudikoff flics you can hardly buy a DVD without the original English voices. Combine that with subtitles in your language and you can learn a new language while being entertained.
Nice article. I'm tinkering with a game, myself, and I'll try to keep this in mind.
If you think game press relieces are bad, try looking at press relieces from polititians and political organizations. I did for 25 years and my head exploded, well not exactly but it felt that way. If you think game companies over hype thier games, check out the bovine scatology from polititians. It's like a voice from the heavens, the clouds part and the voice of God, sounding like Charlton Heston, announces how great new taxes are, paying for more bureaucrats to make things worse. Game hype is nothing compared to what you get from Washington. Hyping games may cost you a little money and aggrivation, while Political BS can cost more than money, it can cost you your freedom. Remember all Polititians are Guilty untill proven Innocent..
There was great irony in the section complaining about innovation being overused in trying to look at the picture in detail and being told that it was an "Exclusive Image" in an "Exclusive Feature".
I don't think that is an "exclusive" image at all. ;-)
The use of buzz words, hype and sound bites is now endemic in any area of our society that uses or features in the media.
Doing press releases for an up and coming MMO is great on the job training for doing a press release for a new government policy too. New policies tend to be ‘innovative’ and feature words that are meant to gel with electorate. Only a couple of years ago there was a ‘Respect’ bill passed in the UK for heavens sake. Instead of industry legends, politics now uses celebrities to further their cause.
It is always a good idea to take a step back and see the wider picture, MMO press releases are just reflecting the hype obsessed, media worshiping society we have become.
I'm afraid that, like swearing, press releases have debased the currency with over-use. Friends know that I seldom swear but when I do I mean it. It's not some sound bite to fill the empty airwaves while my brian flounders about for the next word. If you only ever use superlatives they become the new norm. Aion was recently reviewed here and scored an 8.7, a score that proved controversial. Out of 10, I would consider score of 5 or better as worth a look and, with a personal score of 7.4 out of 10, I consider it a new game worth playing. However, based on how some other games score the reviewer seemed a little bit harsh with only an 8.7. Being old and cynical, I've come not to expect anything to live up to the PR hype. I'm seldom disappointed and occasionally pleasantly surprised if it does.
While I'm a real pedant when it comes to grammar, spelling and syntax, a smile flits across my face when I read Amerenglish [just made that word up] writers claiming the high ground as if English is a single language and theirs is the Authorised Version. Unfortunately, your Noah Webster so disliked Samuel Johnson and his works, together with Johnson's illogical spelling of words that, in 1828 he published An American Dictionary of the English Language with different spellings to Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language, 1755. Webster is solely responsible for nearly every variation in how English is spelt either side of the Atlantic [apologies if I've upset and Canadians]. Before Johnson's arrogance setting it all down for us, we had no standardised spelling either side of the Atlantic.
Love it or hate it, English is the new Lingua Franca as a legacy of the former Bristish Empire, where it has further diversified regionally in the Carribean/ WIndies, East /South Africa, India and Australia/New Zealand. While we can understand each other fairly well as long as we avoid too much dialect we have to remain open-minded to alternative spellings. English is an easily learnt language to communicate on a basic level so I accept that when someone says "pedanticisms" they mean "pedantry"; they don't need a lecture from me on making up a word because they didn't know the correct one. While a nightmare to foreigners learning English, I love having a language so illogical that there are nine ways to pronounce "ough". "A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling in a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed." Even in Britain the English we speak today would sound strange to the ear of that literary legend, William Shakespeare. Like it or not, the language will continue to grow and diversify. Bear in mind that amongst the millions of non-native english speakers grappling with the language, many speak it better than you or I speak their native tongue. Any communication really should only stand or fall on whether or not it is understandable.
Wow, that was... without point in this thread. We're not talking about accepted variations on the English language. We're talking about unaccepted use of the language.
Also, I'd like to point out that, as the author of this article, I'm Canadian, not American.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
All I can say is I agree fully. Well put.
I honestly am not sure anyone can produce a game that is innovative or ground breaking anymore. Somewhere I am sure someone could find something like it just maybe they have improved on it but it is not new.
Gikku
Wonderful little euphemism there =P.
But yea, over-hyping things is just part of human nature. When you know your product or message isn't good enough to sell, make it seem like it's much better than one that would be.
Next thing you need to look at is these ridiculous prearranged question and answer sessions MMORPG posts.
Some of them stretch absurdity to the limit with the canned responses.
If you are going to post these things, you should at least comment on the replies to the questions. As you post these things now, it seems that MMORPG accepts these answers as fact when it is quite obvious some of the replies should be questioned.
Granted it does not give the company a chance to reply to the comments, but gobbledygook should never be acceptable for any answer.
Wow, that was... without point in this thread. We're not talking about accepted variations on the English language. We're talking about unaccepted use of the language.
Also, I'd like to point out that, as the author of this article, I'm Canadian, not American.
Really? I pointed out that over use of superlatives debases them and reduces them merely to average. I was countering several previous posters complaining about poor english in press releases implying their spelling and syntax was more important than the message being conveyed. I also realised that I had erroniously lumped english speakers on your side of the Atlantic into Webster spelling; alas, I had a typo in [apologies if i've just upset ANY Canadians]. While I agree whole-heartedly with your rant in the main article, like defending standards in English usage generally we are fighting a battle that is already lost. If getting up-tight about something achieves nothing it is a wasted emotion; better to get over it and go placidly on our way.