darkSpyro

[Linky Link]

(Looks like they might be referring to Giants specifically?)

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Spyro was already sort of popular, but Toys for Bob used him to launch a franchise that’s eclipsed anything the little purple dragon ever achieved. Skylanders’ anything-goes approach to character design meant players shared their world with TNT-tossing trolls, pugilistic land sharks, and robot dragons. The trademark magic moment when players put a figure on the Portal of Power and saw it come to life in the game not only spawned one of the best selling game franchises of all time, but it also created a toy line that routinely outsells any other action figures.

Just in case you were wondering, Skylanders outranks The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Super Smash Brothers Brawl, and Mario Kart Wii.

I'm curious, do you agree with the ranking? Think it should be higher or lower? I don't think its a far stretch to say that the Skylanders franchise has changed the video game landscape in one way or another. For some of the older members of our site, do you think the video game journalists/whatever should be paying more attention to the franchise? It seems to me that it's often overlooked by journalist and "hardcore gamers" alike, but once they try it out they have a ton of fun with it.

I think the ranking should be higher, but I'm angry it was put before Zelda, Smash Bros., and Mario Kart (which are superior games).

i hate IGN. Have youve ever been subscribed to them on youtube? the things they talk about is so bonkers.

IGN was proven to take bribes by developers and major companies to pad numbers or upscale reviews on games to promote sales. Why anyone takes anything they say seriously when it comes to video games anymore is beyond me.

Quote: GothamLord

IGN was proven to take bribes by developers and major companies to pad numbers or upscale reviews on games to promote sales. Why anyone takes anything they say seriously when it comes to video games anymore is beyond me.

No, that was Gamespot.

I personally read IGN, they have a lot of news and I like their movie coverage. You have to take reviews ANYWHERE with a grain of salt. On top of marketing influence, you have to remember people like a WIDE variety of games. They reviewer might simply not be taken by a game as you would be. When you play games for a living like they do, your perspective is significantly different from someone that only plays a handful a year. They get bashed more often for under scoring games than they do for over scoring them (supposedly for being paid to do so). They get slammed from console fanboys for not giving the latest big title a 10 or for scoring another title for a different console the fanboys hate more than a 2. They can't win with these guys, and the console fanboys suck all the air out of the room with their loud rants. If you want an example, check out Adam Sessler from G4TV's Killzone 2 review and response - it is astonishing.

I was friends in high school with a couple of their editors, and while I haven't spoken to them in a long time, I can tell you they are just giving their personal, honest opinion. I can also tell you that even back then, their opinion of a good game differed from mine at times. I used to work at an arcade back then, and they worked my favorite game store, so we talked about games all the time.

Should Skylanders be at position 85? It's subjective. It's on the list at all, so that is recognition. That list is probably only the top 5% of ALL games in that generation (I estimate around 2,000 games across the three platforms). My personal pick for the top game for the last generation isn't Skylanders despite my personal investment in them. That would be Arkham City, hands down - and many would disagree with me. Am I wrong? No, because it is my opinion. Are you wrong for disagreeing? No, because it is your opinion.

Stop looking at reviews for confirmation of your likes and dislikes, that isn't what they are for. The purpose of them is for people looking to buy to get an impression of the game before spending their hard earned money. The wise will read several reviews before cold buying a game for which they don't know a lot about. The unwise spend their time looking at reviews for a pat on the back for liking a game they already bought.

As far as a ranked list goes, well disregard it if you don't like it. It is for entertainment value. It is meant for you to disagree, for you to compare how you feel against what they said - and they know you have different opinions. It is a conversation starter they use to drive usage of their forums/comment areas. And to maybe find a hidden gem you might have missed. For example, I recently picked up Steamworld Dig for the Vita (also on PS4 and 3DS, but I wanted a new Vita game). I had totally had that game skip over me, but on a whim while bored I looked at the IGN Vita reviews and sorted by score - and noticed it was second highest. So I did a little looking into it (videos and other reviews) and ended up buying it. It is an awesome game I would have missed had it not been for them.

Why is Skylanders on there!? 0_o

They put CoD4 and Wii Sports in its top 20. Mr. defpally, you go on ahead and be a fanboy of them, ill stick to my guns with how i dont like the way IGN thinks. kthxbye

LoL, way to miss the whole point, Chibilove.

IGN is a horrible, horrible conspiracy to convince you to everyone to buy games by inflated game reviews paid for by shush money under the table.

OR

Maybe their reviewers just don't share your exact opinion on every single game.

Wolfenstein was their most recent game related massive advertising spread - borders, banners, everything. How did it do? A 7.8. Wow, how about that paid bias? Splashing the whole website with advertising gets you the equivalent of a C in school. Guess money doesn't get you as far as it used to, eh?

I swear the Internet really makes the conspiracy theory believer come out in people .... I guess it is so much easier for some people to believe in shadow people behind the scenes pulling levers with big bags of money on everything.

Of course, if you actually read my post and didn't skim it and paraphrase "IGN is the bestest evah!" out of it, you would see that I suggest using it as one resource among many, and you know - using the ole grey matter in having your own opinions.

Quote: defpally

The wise will read several reviews before cold buying a game for which they don't know a lot about. The unwise spend their time looking at reviews for a pat on the back for liking a game they already bought.

You have chosen wisely.



He chose....poorly.

anything above a 3 is good for me! LOL.

Quote: Chibilove

They put CoD4 and Wii Sports in its top 20. Mr. defpally, you go on ahead and be a fanboy of them, ill stick to my guns with how i dont like the way IGN thinks. kthxbye

How the hell is he a fanboy lmao

Quote: defpally

Quote: GothamLord

IGN was proven to take bribes by developers and major companies to pad numbers or upscale reviews on games to promote sales. Why anyone takes anything they say seriously when it comes to video games anymore is beyond me.

No, that was Gamespot.

It was Gamespot, IGN, and multiple other review sites.

It involved matters of not just straight up cash returns to improve reviews but also regarding companies implying threats of no more games ahead of time to review, no perks like invites to journalism parties or launch parties. You'll excuse me if I am less than inclined to go off a statement of claiming to be friends with editors while one was a "high schooler". The real world generally doesnt work in such fashion.

Quote: GothamLord

It was Gamespot, IGN, and multiple other review sites.

It involved matters of not just straight up cash returns to improve reviews but also regarding companies implying threats of no more games ahead of time to review, no perks like invites to journalism parties or launch parties. You'll excuse me if I am less than inclined to go off a statement of claiming to be friends with editors while one was a "high schooler". The real world generally doesnt work in such fashion.

Gamespot was the one that was busted doing so. They fired Jeff Gerstman immediately following the review for Kayne & Lynch and weren't too subtle about that being why, nor was he. They did a big site wide advertising deal before the game came out. They had a boss with a marketing background, inexperience in that area and an itchy trigger finger that made a very bad call. The site has reeled from it since.

Real world works exactly in that fashion. It isn't news that publishers imply threats of that sort. They have always done so. They are typically ignored, given the firestorm that would erupt for both publisher and website/magazine should they actually follow through with it (and it has happened that they withhold information from sites that give them an especially bad rap, but it always looks bad on them). The issue for this case was Gerstman is typically hard/sarcastic on games, and he was in especially good form over this one given the game stunk. The publisher complained and the boss cut him loose. Even Ubisoft came out and said "we really didn't mean for THAT to happen". It's kind of like a kid that threatens to hold their breath if they don't get their way. They aren't really going to do it till they pass out. Gamespot tried to soften the blow by saying it was a "history of behavior" and that was just the last straw, but it just made it worse.

This type of thing happens in most industries. I see it all the time. Empty threats made to curry favor. I have one client in particular that gins up a fit over something minor every time they want a cheaper price on some work we are doing. No, they aren't going to spend the millions on a project to drop us over something silly, but we go through the song and dance every so often just because it makes them feel better and in control. Sounds like you are still in the sterile college/early work days when you still believe the business world works in black or white and the client/vendor relationship is always well defined. We do good work and look out for our client's best interests, but we aren't going to make changes for free because we didn't meet an unrealistic resolution deadline above and beyond our agreement.

And lastly, I've talked to them since high school, that's just when I met and saw them regularly. It's been a few years, but they worked for IGN and had for quite a while last time we spoke. Don't take my word for it, what I describe is well documented all over the web. Kotaku in particular did a feature on it a bit after the Gamespot fiasco that pretty much describes exactly how it all works, including being "banned" by some publishers over time and how that always backfires. Websites are selling integrity, even though your average fanboy throws around "paid shill" all the time and even though there are some sites that have made mistakes, they know what happens if they don't protect it. Gamespot still hasn't recovered years later.

They gave Kirby triple deluxe a 6.5 outta 10 because it was too easy. Just no.
KRIBY ISNT MADE FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 20'S YOU TWITS!!!!! They're so stupid I swear. They give all the shooting games the highest praise known to man when they're basically copied and pasted games with a slightly different storyline for each one. I'm surprised skylanders is on the list, more surprised it's giants that is and not Spyro's Adventure. I can't stand IGN, so why do I keep watching their videos for games I like? Because it makes for a good comment rant when they make a stupid move.

Quote: GothamLord

IGN was proven to take bribes by developers and major companies to pad numbers or upscale reviews on games to promote sales. Why anyone takes anything they say seriously when it comes to video games anymore is beyond me.

ign cant be trusted again, that is for sure.... i never go there anymore.