Kotaku may be on its way to being the next G4TV. While the controversial video game site apparently still gets a decent amount of traffic, ad rates are down and its parent organization is selling off its sister sites. More concerning is that Kotaku is lucky if they break 1,000 views on YouTube video uploads, and there’s very little interaction on social media… despite boasting 2.5 million subscribers on Twitter.
Additional Context:
Kotaku, a once-popular video game website, has faced several controversies that have impacted its reputation among gamers and industry insiders. One significant issue was Kotaku’s blacklisting by Nintendo. This occurred after Kotaku posted leaks about upcoming Nintendo games, including details about “Splatoon 3.” Nintendo’s decision to blacklist Kotaku meant that the website would no longer receive pre-release review copies of games, potentially affecting its ability to provide timely and accurate reviews. The blacklisting was a response to what Nintendo saw as a violation of trust, as publishers generally rely on media to help build anticipation for their games in a controlled manner.
In terms of its credibility and bias, Kotaku has been rated as having a left-center bias and high factual reporting by Media Bias/Fact Check. This rating indicates that while the site is generally trustworthy for information, it may have a liberal bias in its story selection.
Additionally, Kotaku has been involved in other controversies. For example, in 2021, they published an article about “Metroid Dread” running on emulators, which was criticized for promoting piracy, especially of newly released games. The article was revised later to clarify that it referred to game preservation, and Kotaku removed all mentions of piracy after a complaint from Nintendo.
These incidents, among others, have contributed to a perception among some gamers and industry professionals that Kotaku may not always be a reliable source of gaming information. The website’s approach to reporting and the controversies it has been involved in have, at times, strained its relationships with major gaming companies and parts of the gaming community.
The MAGFest 404 incident involving Kotaku occurred during MAGFest, a gaming and music culture event. The controversy started when MAGFest used public signage to mock the gaming website Kotaku, following their report on COVID incidents at the previous year’s show. The sign at MAGFest listed various attractions and ended with a listing for “Kotaku’s Journalistic Integrity” alongside a 404 not found icon, suggesting that the site’s journalistic integrity was missing.
The joke sign drew criticism on social media, with some senior members of the games industry and media condemning it, particularly for its perceived reference to the Gamergate movement.
MAGFest’s Communications Director, Dac Croach, responded to the criticism on Twitter, saying the sign was just a “friendly jab” and they still love Kotaku. However, the explanation didn’t seem to satisfy many, as the criticism continued. MAGFest later issued a formal apology, stating the joke did not land as intended and that it was meant to poke fun at one line in an article about their COVID response from the previous year. They acknowledged that the joke made people feel unsafe and apologized to the community and Kotaku, promising to do better in the future.
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between gaming media and event organizers, and the sensitivity around issues of journalistic integrity and industry relationships.
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