“Passion Under Pressure: 2024 Game Journalist Survey” aimed to understand the impact of AI, SEO, and economic factors on journalists and provide insights for improving relationships between journalists and game studios or PR professionals.
Among the key findings, 63% of respondents expressed concerns about AI’s negative impact on video game journalism, while 64% identified “lack of time” as their biggest challenge. Additionally, economic factors such as insufficient pay were highlighted as significant challenges by 40% of respondents.
Despite these obstacles, 43% of journalists expressed positivity about their future job prospects, while 56% felt somewhat or very pessimistic about the future of games journalism.
Interestingly, while 87% of respondents are unlikely to cover blockchain games in the next six to 12 months, video game news, reviews, and guided content were identified as the primary traffic generators for their sites.
James Kaye, Co-founder and Director at Big Games Machine, acknowledged the growing pressure on journalists to produce content amidst increasing competition in the game industry. He emphasized the impact of SEO and shrinking headcounts at publications on journalists’ workloads and the challenges posed by the high volume of daily pitches.
Furthermore, the survey facilitated a £500 donation to charity SpecialEffect, with a donation for every response received. Kaye thanked the journalists for their participation and valuable feedback on improving communication methods between industry professionals.
The survey underscores the evolving landscape of video game journalism and the need for collaboration between journalists, game studios, and PR professionals to address the challenges and sustain the industry’s growth.
