Game People
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Game People homepage | |
| Web address | www.gamepeople.co.uk |
|---|---|
| Commercial? | Yes |
Type of site | Video game journalism |
| Owner | Andy Robertson |
| Launched | September 2006 |
Alexa rank |
 863,773 (April 2014)[1] |
Game People is a UK based video game review website whose style, which could be categorised as New Games Journalism, is centered on video game coverage that focuses as much on the people playing the games as the games themselves. Each writer has his or her own niche perspective, and Game People states its aim to be "social, mini, and friendly"[2] rather than Mass Media.
The site was largely unreferenced for the first few years of its existence. Paul Govan's family gaming coverage was then picked up by Wired's GeekDad blog[3] in 2008, and later for Game Pro's Family blog[4] in 2009. But it wasn't until "Game People" launched Rebecca Mayes' video game review songs - a departure from the traditional review structure obviously inspired by Ben Croshaw's Zero Punctuation - that the site truly began to garner broader attention.
The popularity of Mayes' musically-slanted reviews led to them being featured in online magazine the Escapist[5] and more notably on Charlie Brooker's BBC TV Gameswipe[6] show.
This attention enabled the site to broaden its reach and range of coverage. Game People's reviewers (artisan as they call them) have since written close to 1000 articles[7] covering a range of perspectives: Considered, Domestic, Dressup, Eclectic, Family, Fitness, Frugal, Intimate, Multiplayer, Perpetual, Race, Returning, Scared, Soulful, Sports, Story, Soundtrack, Teaching Teen, Touch, and Tech. This is most clearly observed in coverage of bigger games such as Fable II, where the site offered some 9 different reviews.
During 2010 the site was referenced more regularly by the mainstream media. Early coverage of left-field games like Deadly Premonition were picked up by The Independent.[8] The more wide ranging opinions on gaming have also features on BBC Radio 4.[9]
As well as writing, the reviewers also use more unusual media. This has involved from the simple use of Rebecca Mayes' songs to origami, photography, animation[10] and even teletext to communicate contributor's impressions concerning games and gaming.
Game People writers have been featured on BBC TV,[11] The Times,[12] Greenbelt Cheltenham Arts Festivals[13] and mainstream print like Official PlayStation Magazine. Some writers also contribute to Wired,[14] IGN[15] and Game Pro.[16] They also provide a weekly Game People Calling column for The Escapist.[17]
References
- ↑ "Gamepeople.co.uk Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
- ↑ "About Game People". Game People. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ↑ Robertson, Andy. "Wired.com Geekdad Blog". Wired.com. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ↑ "Gamepro.com Family Blogfaction". GamePro.com. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ↑ "Rebecca Mayes Song Game Reviews". Game People. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
- ↑ "David Thair's blog about Charlie Brooker's Gameswipe". BBC. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
- ↑ "Nintendo 3DS Review". Game People. Retrieved 5 Jan 2011.
- ↑ "The Independent". London: Quoted by The Independent. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ↑ "BBC Radio 4 Appearance". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ↑ "Animated Game Reviews". Game People. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
- ↑ "Charlie Brooker's Gameswipe". BBC. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
- ↑ "Gaming for Glory at Greenbelt". The Times. Archived from the original on May 6, 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ↑ "Video Games as Dark Stories in Safe Spaces". Greenbelt.org.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ↑ Govan, Paul (3 June 2010). "Geek Dad: Top Trumps aren't enough on their own anymore?". Wired. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
- ↑ Govan, Paul (22 March 2010). "Dress Mii Up". IGN. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
- ↑ Robertson, Andy (4 March 2010). "A night of terror with Alan Wake". Game Pro. Archived from the original on 2010-05-06. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
- ↑ Robertson, Andy (9 June 2010). "Escapist Column: Now You're Just Being Difficult". The Escapist. Retrieved 5 June 2010.