Time Magazine makes a mockery of "journalism" in Halo cover story
Written by Dan Zuccarelli   
Tuesday, 04 September 2007 06:41
I have to admit I was pretty excited when I saw Halo 3 on the cover of Time magazine. Of course after reading the article, I'm damn near livid. It's rare that we see games covered in a fair (or even remotely balanced) way. Well the trend continues.

We'll start with the simple stuff. The stuff that points to the laziness of the reporter in doing even a minor amount of research. Take the following pictures that talk about Halo merchandising. The picture of the Scarab is not a "sculpture" as the caption states, but a Heroclix game piece used in the table-top game. The "Halo 3 branded console" is also completely wrong, and looks nothing like the picture included.

halo3-time.jpg

Lev Grossman does his best to devalue and marginalize video games and, by extension, video game players. I'm not entirely sure what the point of the article is, but with comments like games working their way out the ghetto to one day play with the popular kids, one must assume that Grossman simply and completely disregards video games as anything other than a mere distraction to the serious work he must think he engages in (just so you know that link there points to his story about the godlessness of Harry Potter).

Click the link for mind-numbing quotes.

Here's the choice cuts from the full length article (emphases are mine).

"There is an invisible subculture in America. Those who belong to it love it with a lonely, alienated, unironic passion. Those who don't belong to it walk right by, uncaring, just as people walk right by that unmarked building in downtown Kirkland [Bungie's offices]".

"It's doubtful that many people reading this could say exactly, or even approximately, what the Halo games are about."

"The Bungies bring a grinding, jeweler's meticulousness to what most people consider an unhealthy amusement for children."

"This devotion is fueled by a belief, not shared by the world at large, that video games are an art form with genuine emotional meaning and that Halo 3 will be the premier example of that art."

"There's an opportunity beyond video games, too, for Halo to break out of the ghetto and become a mainstream, mass-market, multimedia entertainment property."

"Not that the Bungies care. They don't need to legitimize Halo by associating it with other, more respectable media. They sell enough units and make enough money. They're happy in their invisible geek ghetto. But that's the logic of the marketplace: it can't leave subcultures alone; it has to turn them into cultures. It may be time for the Master Chief to come in from the cold and join the party, with the popular kids."

His assertion that most readers of Time couldn't possibly describe what the Halo games are about is the most laughable. Though Time magazine's circulation numbers have dropped from 4 million down to 3.4 million in the past year, those numbers are still EASILY dwarfed by Halo 2's sales numbers alone, so far moving 8 million copies. So maybe Grossman shouldn't assume that no one who reads Time magazine plays Halo.

Of course they'll have one less Halo playing reader, since I'll be canceling my subscription to Time magazine today. I think I'll be taking my money to Newsweek, who staffs one of the most respected game journalists in the field, N'gai Croal.


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Comments (82)Add Comment
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written by Brisk317, September 04, 2007
I'm guessing this writer is probably over 40 years-old. I have a theory that only people who were born in the 70's or later truly appreciate the artistic and recreational value of video games. I'm 30 years-old and basically don't remember video games not being a part of life, from the early days of Intellivision to now with the X-Box 360. So it doesn't shock my that some out-of-touch writer from Time Magazine would put his own ignorant slant on Halo 3.
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written by Fruit Brute, September 04, 2007
@Brisk317: With all due respect, I think in your "theory" you are being just as narrow as the writer of the TIME article. I was born in 1967 and am 40 years old. I have been playing games since they came out in the late seventies, have a huge appreciation for games and write for two well respected video game websites. I also happen to know that a good many of the people that work on the games you play are over forty and not born in the seventies. so perhaps you might want to rethink your theory...
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written by Dan Zuccarelli, September 04, 2007
Being that the guy wrote an entire column about the Godlessness of Harry Potter I think we can just chalk it up to him being an idiot

smilies/smiley.gif
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written by Brisk317, September 04, 2007
My theory is intended to be viewed on a very broad scale. It's aimed at the casual gamer and not someone involved in the industry. And '67 would be rounded up to the 70's anyways, so you're cool in my book Fruit Brute...but all I'm trying to say is that they are people who grew up playing video games and there are people who didn't, and "generally" the people who didn't are the first ones who like to discredit the vaule of video games. I don't want you to think that I think people over 40 don't understand games, because I'm looking forward to the day when I'm 70 years old and playing Halo 16 and talking smack to some teenage punk.
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written by jeffk, September 04, 2007
Man, I think you're blowing this WAY out of proportion. Grossman is a gamer - check out his "Nerd World" blog, which I read pretty faithfully. Those quotes you pulled out are mostly taken out of context and/or badly misinterpreted, and if you'd taken the time to familiarize yourself with your target a little better, you'd see how off you are. I'm certainly not "with you."
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written by Dan Zuccarelli, September 04, 2007
In that case I'd like to see what quotes balance out the belief that no one who reads Time would know about Halo... or referring to people enjoying their "invisible geek ghetto."

Like it or not, there's little in that article that speaks well of games or gamers themselves.

You're certainly free to believe what you want, but if you're trying to tell me I'm misrepresenting, you're going to need to cite some specifics.
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written by jeffk, September 04, 2007
Dan, read the "ghetto" quote again and consider the fact that the word has several definitions. It wasn't a slam.

Also:

“It’s doubtful that many people reading this could say exactly, or even approximately, what the Halo games are about.”

- I don't have specific data on Time's demographic, but I would say that's entirely plausible. Now, if it were Wired, that would be a different story.

“The Bungies bring a grinding, jeweler’s meticulousness to what most people consider an unhealthy amusement for children.“

- Again, outside of the gaming niche - and it still very much is one - most news coverage of games, like it or not, is negative. How many next-gen consoles have been sold in America? Compare that to our population.

- “This devotion is fueled by a belief, not shared by the world at large, that video games are an art form with genuine emotional meaning and that Halo 3 will be the premier example of that art.”

What was the percentage you got up there?

And on and on. Look, most mainstream coverage of games is awful, but you're taking shots at the wrong guy here. Have you checked out his blog? Read how much he loves Bioshock? Done a single bit of work, aside from bolding words to make him look bad?

I think you need to understand how games have to be approached from a very, very mainstream perspective. In fact, I think you DO understand that, but you let yourself get carried away and wrote a knee-jerk attack piece on someone who didn't deserve it.

Try this: Write an article about an upcoming game, with a strict word count similar to what Grossman had to work with. Make sure it will fly with hardcore gamers while still being clear to people who have never, ever held a controller in their hands. Then turn it over to a line of editors, who will make sure it has an even broader appeal. See what you end up with.

Just have a little respect, man. And maybe do a little homework before you start hammering away at people.
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written by Xerxes3rd, September 04, 2007
In his defense, he does note on his blog that the article is directed toward non-gamers. I think he was trying to portray gaming as an underground or up-and-coming version of mass media, when in fact, it's not; furthermore, his portrayal of the video game scene comes off to be very demeaning. I don't think his intent was to be harsh towards gamers or the scene, but it sure came off that way.
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written by Dan Zuccarelli, September 04, 2007
Here's the simple truth... It's fine that the Time magazine article was directed as non-gamers. I don't expect a hardcore oriented article. But that doesn't mean you pander to non-gamers and do nothing but reinforce the negative stereotype.

That's the issue here. If he's a gamer... fine, but why paint it in such a negative light? For the record, the original posting was going to be about Halo being on the cover, and how cool that was. But after reading the article, felt compelled to write what I did.

I stand behind it, and whatever definition of "ghetto" you're going by, it's negative. There's certain phrases like "most people" that are used when you're reaching. Grossman's article is filled with this backward way of wording things.

I'll show respect when it's earned, not because it's expected.
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written by jeffk, September 04, 2007
That's a shame - I thought you'd at least be big enough to admit you got it wrong. Maybe if you go back and read his article in a week or two, you'll see it the way a non-gamer would see it. You're just too close to it.

I do find it kind of funny that you clearly didn't research this article at all, but you still feel comfortable re criticizing HIS journalism.

"...one must assume that Grossman simply and completely disregards video games as anything other than a mere distraction to the serious work he must think he engages in...."

Really? MUST one? Well, I guess one must, if one isn't concerned about things like, you know, facts. How much bolded respect should that little line earn you? How seriously can we take anything you write from now on?

See how that works?
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written by Jocelyn, September 04, 2007
Seems like that's Dan speaking for himself about Lev.

Lev on the other hand seems to want to speak for the planet about gamers. That's what I think the statement of "most people" and the "not shared by the world at large" tries to do.
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written by Synapse, September 04, 2007
Someone put this url in the hands of Times and/or Lev, please.
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written by Dan Zuccarelli, September 04, 2007
You're certainly allowed to disagree with me, and if you choose to not believe anything I write. I've shown this article to quite a few people and the reaction is quite the same.

If he's truly a gamer, then he missed a great opportunity to edutcate the non-gaming public a bit. Like it or not, referring to things like invisible geek ghetto is negative.

I implore everyone to read the article and decide for yourselves. If you believe I'm wrong, that's totally fine. That's the great thing about this country, everyone is allowed to have their own opinions.
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written by phowell`, September 04, 2007
I think your missing the point here, Jeff. Dan is expressing his dismay (as well as the dismay of many other gamers) of the mainstream media's negative bias towards video games. Given the objectively negative tone that Grossman chooses to editorialize what is supposed to be a fact based piece, I'd say this was simply a failure in proper journalism regardless if you are a gamer or not.

Numbers and demographics aside, the purpose of this article should have been to inform readers about the Halo phenomenon and what it is doing for the gaming industry in a fact-based manner (something Time Magazine has an established history of doing, if I'm not mistaken.) The problem here is that the piece is an fact bereft, opinion based piece dipped in a unnecessary negative gamer stereo type and is an article that is journalistically unworthy of the Time Magazine name.

I don't think its unreasonable to hold the magazine up to higher standards instead of rationalizing how it sloppily presents an news item to a larger audience.
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written by jeffk, September 05, 2007
"Numbers and demographics aside, the purpose of this article should have been to inform readers about the Halo phenomenon and what it is doing for the gaming industry in a fact-based manner...."

That's just it - you're saying what it SHOULD have been based on a hardcore gamer's perspective. The fact is, the editorial staff of Time gets to choose what they want the story to be about. The other fact is that the author is, in fact, a gamer, and he's a damn good writer and friend to "geek" culture. I'm telling you, go check out his Time blog. Read about his trip to a nerdcore show. Read about his time playing Bioshock. Read about his obsession with sci-fi and fantasy novels. Then come back here and try to defend Dan's poorly researched hatchet job.

You guys make it sound like the article was written by Jack Thompson. So it doesn't completely kiss gamers' asses - if cheerleading is what you want, there are plenty of sites for that. But it's far from the we-hate-gamers smear Dan's trying to make it out to be.
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written by Xav de Matos, September 05, 2007
I understand that the article may have been written with non-gamers in mind, however, by placing an image of the iconic Master Chief character in the corner of their issue; TIME has allowed itself to be criticized by any person (gamer or non-gamer alike) to read their story and react based on their personal experiences and take on the story.

We respect your viewpoints on the subject Jeff, however, they do not coincide with the majority of the staff at THEBBPS.COM.

The great thing about working here and being online to the public for a wide variety of people to comment on is so we can express our views freely.

While as an enthusiast press outlet we cater to a more traditional “hardcore” gamer demographic but we thank everyone for bringing their views to the subject.

Arguing won’t make either party say, “Oh! You’re right!” so let us agree to disagree on the subject.

But thank you to everyone who felt as passionately about the subject enough to comment on it.

Your readership and comments are greatly appreciated and that’s why we do this to begin with!
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written by phowell`, September 05, 2007
I'm not saying the article should have been based on a hardcore gamer's perspective whatsoever. I'm saying that it should have been based on a fact-driven perspective that was not drenched in a distracting tone that fails to FACTUALLY inform hardcore and non-gamers alike. So, your erroneous claim that I want this to be from a hardcore gamer's perspective (something I never suggested and you conjured on your own) is moot. It's a little thing called responsible journalism and it is scarce in Grossman's piece.

And let me ask you this, how many Time Magazine readers are going to go check a list of everything gaming or technology related that Mr. Grossman has written? The problem here is that it is that not everyone who reads this article will have any prior knowledge of Mr. Grossman's previous work. Having read his pieces myself, its clear that Mr. Grossman loves games which is all the more reason to raise concern about this article's misguided approach and his incompetence. Sure would have been a lot more responsible to write a piece steeped in fact rather than misguided opinion would it not?

As for the notion that we "make it sound like the article was written by Jack Thompson", I don't believe any of us have gone to that extreme as there is no mention of banning or lawsuits. I don't believe any of us are looking for "cheerleading" or "asskissing", just something more intelligent than the garbage that Time Magazine sadly wants to pass off as a cover story.
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written by Colin Hansen, September 05, 2007
After reading the article, I'd have to agree with the people who suggest that the article was actually quite reasonable. Even as a Halo fanboy, it seems to me that Mr. Grossman is actually trying to defend the gaming subculture to a more mainstream audience.
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written by Eric Hartman, September 05, 2007
I have to agree with Dan, this article is negative. Fans of Time seem to be attempting to spin this in a good direction, but I don’t care how you look at it its negative and biased. The use of the word "ghetto" is just bad form any way you look at it. I would expect more from time, but I guess there is a reason for the decline in subscriptions. For a cover story...this is a joke.
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written by Sni7ch, September 05, 2007
Just for the record, the Master Chief isn't nameless, his name is John. I just thought that was something important to point out. If Mr. Grossman had any clue to what he was talking about he would of know that. He is a n00b at journalism. Do research! smilies/wink.gif
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written by kr-1426, September 05, 2007
If any of you had bothered to read the full article, you'd realize it was being satirical at several points. The only points, I'd note,that were highlighted. Most of it is pretty positive about Bungie and Halo. Oddly enough, whoever wrote this post read through the positive parts to just post the negative. If anything is sloppy journalism, that is.

The FULL LENGTH ARTICLE posted above has more than the gamer stereotype satire. Reading through it, the author seems relativly knowledgeable about Halo. I doubt most of you read past the summary here, though, much less the first few paragraphs.
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written by kr-1426, September 05, 2007
Thought I'd get some more select quotes from the article that were neglected above:

"His story is rich and complicated in ways that we're not used to in video games."

"The action isn't nonstop; instead it includes dramatic beats and even moments of melancholy solitude, with Romantic weather effects and sublime vistas and soaring Gregorian chants."

"Halo takes itself seriously as, if not art, certainly a spectacle. But art seems more apt."

"THE CLICHÉ ABOUT GAMERS IS THAT THEY'RE antisocial, if not sociopathic, but Bungie is very much a community."

"The Bungies bring a grinding, jeweler's meticulousness to what most people consider an unhealthy amusement for children."
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written by Xav de Matos, September 05, 2007
I don't usually comment negatively but I believe the misrepresentation of the Halo 3 Edition Xbox 360 and mislabeling of the Scarab as a $200+ sculpture and not a limited edition HeroClix figure is sloppy journalism.
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written by Michael A. P., September 05, 2007
Well, reading the actual article, I have to say that it is not entirely anti-gamer. The tone in much of it is generally neutral and informative. HOWEVER, there were several instances where he (or his editors) used weasel words to convey hostility towards the game - distancing the magazine from games, really. No matter how you spin them, words like "ghetto" and "subculture" have negative connotations. Though the article never out-right criticized games, it did use rhetoric to cast them in a bad light.
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written by Dave the Bomb, September 05, 2007
Honestly who here considers video games a form of art?

Yes I have reserved Halo 3 and plan on skipping running practice on the 25th to play it but an art form? I don't think so.

Halo and other video games are a source of ENTERTAINMENT they are viewed for pleasure, if you enjoy something you should not have to justify it to anyone. Its not like its a hidden activity, the millions of XBL users should prove that.

Anyway isn't a video game a better source of entertainment than say, bashing Harry Potter (a childrens book adored by the masses) and pretending to be a journalist?
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written by crimson shade, September 05, 2007
Alright. I'm a fan of halo, but thats not the point.
The point is, Grossman puts quite a few phrases in his piece that essentially shun the entire gaming community, no matter whether they like halo or not. Now not all of the article does this. Overall, it neither defends or attacks gamers, but taken piece by piece, it isn't really a factual piece. Its an opinion column, and should have been put in opinions instead of on the front page. If Time was going to put a video game article of any type on the front page, it should have been an introduction to nongamers about the world of gaming, a comparison paper between what are essentially two subcultures. (yes, grossman is right, gaming is a subculture. But its a huge subculture.) Even if I were a ps3 fanboy and wanted everything to be 'sonyified' I would still not totally respect this article.
And he might just hate halo too. Hes a fan of bioshock...... you just never know....
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written by 360WTF.com - Xbox 360 Gaming N, September 05, 2007
[...] And believe it or not, there’s a lot more. The BBPS had some stuff to say about the “mockery of journalism” from the TIME Magazine journalist. Here are more quotes from the article: [...]
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written by jamer91, September 05, 2007
@Dave the bomb

i think you are wrong because if you ever need proof that video games are an art form just look at

*the attention to detail in gears of war
*the amazing landscape in elder scrolls oblivion
*second level of halo combat evolved...need i say more
*even the early pictures of halo 3 look incredible and i haven't even played the game yet!

as for video games being art...they aren't art, video games have inspired art. video games are greater than art because it is art that you control. if you need any more proof of that look up a game by the name of "okami"

as for the article i read the article and it seemed very negative and stereotypical. i dont care how much of a video game fan this guy is behind time magazine, this article was still worded to imply that gamers are a bunch of geeks who have no life.
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written by Sni7ch, September 05, 2007
But honestly, CHIEF'S NAME IS JOHN!!!!!! That really bugs me that he is taking the time to stab at a game and not really put the effort into researching it deeply. I can see why Time is losing popularity with horrible articles like that.
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written by greshkov, September 05, 2007
anyone else here like hats? i know i do.
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written by Nick, September 05, 2007
He's just like all the other 40-somethings with the press who grew up on things much worse than video games, such as TV. They all believe video games are the problem, and writing sensationalist trash like this Times article is the solution. They have it completely backwards. They, and the sensationalist trash they write, are the problems, not video games. The solution, of course, is this guy's firing, which IMO opinion is well deserved, or his death. But I'm sure if that were to happen, it would simply be blamed on video games, by people just as stupid as Mr. Grossman.
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written by sierra117, September 05, 2007
I definitely agree with jamer91 about video games being art. He gave some GREAT examples.

Now, Dave....... one of the many definitions of art is "the products of human creativity" and another is "Art: the expression of creativity or imagination, or both." and a video game would fall under each of those categories. Now I think we all would agree that video games take a great deal of creativity and imagination and I'm pretty sure they are made by humans. Here’s another way to think about it. Macbeth, the play by William Shakespeare, is considered a great piece of art is it not? and it is also a form of entertainment since it is a play after all. So why would any other piece of creative and imaginative piece of work like a video game be any different when they are made the same way?

Now about the article.. I can see that Grossman is a gamer and all but he definitely could have picked a better choice of words while writing this piece...it just goes to show the state of mind he was in while writing it.
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written by Dan Zuccarelli, September 05, 2007
we understand this is a heated situation but thebbps.com, it's editors and staff do not condone any element of violence toward another human being and any comment posted with threatening levels of physical violence toward any party will be promptly removed from this site.

Keep it on topic and mature, no matter which side of the fence you fall on.
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written by bob grunsdigger, September 05, 2007
this guy has no idea what he is talking about. its not like everyone who plays halo is locked down in a basement not seeing the light of day for 3 weeks strait. there is no real point to the artical anyway. what was the guy trying to get at with this? maybe he should do a little more research next time
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written by Jordan Chambers, September 05, 2007
Like Mr. Zuccarelli I was very excited when I saw an artical in Time about Halo 3. I thought to myself, "Finally games are going to get some unbiased mainstreem coverage, in an esteemed non-gaming publication." Wow was I wrong. I don't really care if the author is a hardcore gamer or not, he wrote a slam piece. Mr. Zuccarelli posted the most offensive parts of the artical, but there really were no redeeming statments made. It was an artical that helps perpetuate the sterotypeing of games and the people who play them, and to me it would be better not to see an artical about Halo, or any game in Time, than to have a piece that just covers it the same old way.
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written by Gian Carlo, September 05, 2007
I think it's not even that the writer obviously does not like games that bothers me (because everyone can have their own opinions) so much as the fact that he displays NO KNOWLEDGE about the gaming world and more relevant to this piece of work, about the Halo series. It is annoying to see this kind of "journalism".
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written by SlaughterMeister, September 05, 2007
Oh my GOD!

I read the article, YOU are the one who doesn't know what he's talking about.

I don't know what kind of bad day you're having or what you have up your ass to take that article negatively.

It was, in fact, kind of a salute to gamers, and it went on about the poeticism of the Halo storyline, and how videogames have evolved from once being very simple games like "Donkey Kong" to being very a involving and entertaining medium.

The writer of this article was making the point that most people ("non-gamers") don't understand Halo for what it really is. He showed respect and admiration for the amount of time and effort put into the Halo franchise, and how engrossing and amazing the storyline and gameplay are.

"The Ghetto" he refers to is metaphorical. He is referring to the fact that most people don't know Halo (or any video games for that matter.) It exists in an area of our culture that most people simply walk past and ignore. Happy to live their lives, and pretend like these 'childish and immature' pasttimes don't exist. Much like people ignore the real ghettos of the world, and simply live their happy little ignorant lives oblivious to what the world truly is outside their little bubble.

This article was a nod to the videogame industry, subculture, and all of 'geekdom' in general.

You took something that was meant to be flattery and twisted it around in your mind to mean something totally and completely different, and very opposite.

He simply took note of the popularity of Halo and how it (most likely) will be the franchise which will turn videogames from something that most people consider to be fringe, to being something that is widely accepted.

The same thing happened with books a long time ago, and more recently it happened with movies, then with rock and roll, then even more recently with television.
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written by Storpa, September 05, 2007
I bet he went to E3. He's a hypocritical writer who really probably does not understand that games are more than just entertainment, they are a creation that go far beyond anything that we can reach in the real "Popular" world.
Games show what creative, smart, and how intuitive that people who make games can be and what makes them smart, and creative is their drive to make a game that is more than a moneymaker, the game they make is for showing everyone around him/her that a video game does not actually make you retarded, a person with no life, or stupid, but can have the people actually getting a job which leads to a BETTER life.
i tink I have made my point
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written by Brian, September 05, 2007
If there were someway to contact the writer of this article and tell him that he needs to relearn good journalism, and to ask him if he thinks of him self a good journalist, i would be so much more satisfied right now. I wonder...
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written by Jollyfrog, September 05, 2007
“There’s an opportunity beyond video games, too, for Halo to break out of the ghetto and become a mainstream, mass-market, multimedia entertainment property.”

Yeah and 6 million people don't play WoW
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written by Dexie Oblivion, September 05, 2007
Y'know, considering Microsoft's media blitzkreg for Halo 3, I'd be surprised at anyone who hadn't at least heard of the series. Y'know, between the 7/11 stuff, the gamerfuel Mountain Dew, the fact that the H3 trailer is being shown IN MOVIE THEATRES.

But more on topic...I'm just going to say this. Metaphorical or not, referring to anything as 'ghetto' is, quite frankly, insulting.

@Jollyfrog: And the Wii hasn't sold almost 11 million units in less than a year, right? smilies/wink.gif
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written by RoundeyeSamurai, September 05, 2007
I read this article a few days ago (Time Online) and my initial reaction was 'indifference'. I understand that the targeted demographic for Time Magazine does not include what most would describe as the Hard-core gamer, but, the average age of a gamer is currently 27-30 years old, which falls in the lower spectrum of their targeted demographic. Had they done a little more research on the gaming community (not subculture nor game specific) in general, they would have realized that there is a good chance that gamers would be reading the article. They would also have realized that gamers are sensitive to the media coverage regarding the gaming community. While I don't believe that the 'intent' of the article was to berate gamers or the industry, the wording did do little more than propogate the stereotypes associated with gaming and gamers.

I find it disheartening that a 'Gamer' (as the author has been referred to by the comments) would not objectively proofread his own work before submitting it to his editor. The article in 'general' (not citing specifics) gives mediochre representation of the gaming community from every standpoint. It is the fastest growing industry in the world, has been recognized by mainstream media as art (by any definition) and has effectively bridged the gap of almost 3 generations with a common pasttime.

As a gamer, the author could have used much more positive examples to define what is one of the largest global communities, a community that he belongs to. I did enjoy the read, but by no means was I 'informed' of anything except that "Kirkland is the home of the 2007 Junior Softball World Series". Any of the positive impressions portrayed were subsequently negated by references to the negative impressions (cliches) and in the end... nothing. I am a fan of the Halo series, I am a videogamer, and the parent of a budding young gamer and overal am dissappointed in the quality, moreso than the content, of the Time article. My question is though, should we call for a retraction of the article? Should the author be berated in public forums? Should we rant and rave and argue with each other? The answer is simple, No! Should we objectively voice our opinion and state our reaction to the article? Yes, we have the right to criticize and state our opinions. While this article may not be a budding example of fine journalism, the previous work by the author exhibit talent and journalistic integrity. Everyone makes mistakes and I believe that it is truly the thought that counts, and not necessarily the action, no matter how much it may hurt.

This is all my thoughts and opinions, feel free to feel differentaly, but by no means be narrowminded in this matter....by doing so, you only propogate the stereotype yourself.
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written by Xerxes3rd, September 05, 2007
@jollyfrog: Last count of WoW subscribers was 9 million.
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written by Ling Ling, September 05, 2007
This article only shows the total lack of understanding and complete ignorance of an "OLD SCHOOL" media company like TIME (who by they friggin way is owned by TIME WARNER AOL which owns GAMEDAILY.... DUH!!!)

They could have easily contracted someone else more knowledgable of the industry and the culture to write this piece. GET A CLUE TIME!
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written by Gryphonosiris, September 05, 2007
Lovely, we have a new Jack Thompson... just not as bipolar.
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written by bob grunsdigger, September 05, 2007
of all these people defending this guy, no one has yet said what the point of the artical is. this guy was just trying to make a stab at the game. maybe if there was a reason to write the artical it wouldnt have been so bad. like gian carlo said people can have their own opinions.
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written by htown, September 05, 2007
man can someone get the gut who wrote the article to lose his job
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written by Venom82x, September 05, 2007
Everyone trashing the TIME article really needs to take the time to go and read it. When I first opened this page and started reading all the negative halo stuff I was livid. Then I read the actual article....... It was very well written and it pays homage to the halo universe. It actually informs the rest of the non-gaming public that this game called halo is huge. The quotes on this page were taken completely out of context. I think it was a wonderful article. It shows just how BIG HALO is and how much it has done to the gaming community.
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written by yomomma420, September 06, 2007
HALO SUX, DONT WORRY ABOUT IT
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written by Kevin Alexander, September 06, 2007
@yomomma420

Hey! Thanks for stopping by and imparting your wisdom. I don't know how we've come this far without you being a part of our community.

We won't worry about it, your opinion is of no concern to us when that's all you have to contribute.
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written by ReyBrujo, September 06, 2007
Are you comparing the number of units Time sold last year with the total number of units Halo sold in the last 3 ones?

Let's say the truth: Halo is an awesome game, but its cultural impact is narrowed to, for now, the gaming community. Just like Half-Life, these games are for the core of the gaming audience, not casual players. Why Nintendogs and the Brain Training series sold more units and reached higher media profile than the Halo series? Because they are oriented to the mainstream and, more importantly, the mainstream understands them.

Series like Halo, Half-Life, Warcraft and Smash Bros, are for core gamers. Series like The Sims are for the mainstream. When you read the 1Up review of Boogie, you realize it is a hardcore site which basically mocks casual gaming attempts. When you read an article in Time, you realize it is mainstream media that does not understand core gaming. Instead of mocking, maybe we should try to learn why the mainstream media does not understand it.

That is why Halo, Half-Life, Smash Bros and so many other series will never have the success level of Mario, Pokemon or The Sims.
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written by Xav de Matos, September 06, 2007
While I agree that the experience of playing Halo is relegated to core gamers, the brand itself is not. Look at what we're all discussing, Halo (a gaming brand) has made its way into a respected non-gaming mainstream publication. The faults we find within this particular TIME article are not solely based on the misrepresentation of the Halo brand (and its merchandise) but the way "gamers" are portrayed.

@everyone else:
The mainstream doesn't get our "childish" obsession with gaming and when a mainstream publication has the opportunity to expose the truth, and not the fabricated political tagline of "gaming can kill," we get excited.

In this article Mr. Grossman had an opportunity to show the mainstream reader (and majority non-gamer) why this "obsession" is so popular among 18-35 year-old (males mostly); instead the article perpetuated the stereotype that gamers are children having violent experiences. Now some of the questionable comments he makes can go either way, but, throughout the article he pokes holes into all the positive things he writes.

Mr. Grossman says he's a gamer, and that's wonderful but the article may not have struck such a cord if it was a report on the Halo 3 and not the pros and cons of the Halo brand and its fanbase.

Any way you slice it, the word ghetto is an inappropriate term to use when speaking about a group of people who are already feared as time-bombs in the mainstream media. Use of the word ghetto invokes the term isolation which many associate with people who are poorly adjusted to their environment and as a leading cause of violent outbursts.

If that isn't enough; the errors with the Scarab, Halo 3 Console and referring to Bungie as Bungies (or The Bungies) are three things I would expect to be well researched by a reporter for a publication such as TIME Magazine.
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written by jeffk, September 06, 2007
Xav, it's cool that you're sticking up for your boy here - I would want my bosses to do the same for me. But you can't honestly tell me that Dan's original post up there really reflects the truth of the matter. It was a knee-jerk flame post, not a measured response.

Grossman's article recognizes the stereotypes we deal with as gamers, but that's a long damn way from perpetuating them. And the "ghetto" uproar is ridiculous if you actually understand the meaning of the word.

You guys are too deep into this to go back now, so I guess your only option is to stick to your story. It's just a shame that that story is a reactionary hissy fit.
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written by Dan Zuccarelli, September 06, 2007
Xav,

you're my boss? you must've been promoted! Nice work! Couldn't happen to a better guy smilies/smiley.gif
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written by Xav de Matos, September 06, 2007
Hostile takeover sir.

'Nuff said.

But in all honesty Jeff, while I think you make valid points from your side of the fence, we as a collection of editors and writers agree with our original story. I apologize if you take issue that we aren't of like-minds (you and I) but we'll have to agree to disagree.
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written by cT, September 06, 2007
I own every book, know every spawn point and literally know everything you could possibly want to know and more about halo. Ive been on HBO since 03, I moderate the MLG forum for competitive play. Not only have I been playing since early 2003 and competed with top level tournament players in both halo 1 and 2, but Ive judged a national halo tournament. Now, coming from THAT perspective, DAN, I think you're completely offbase, illogical and nearly embarrassing the halo community with this blog. The article was not offensive at all. You need to chill the hell out and be happy that its getting the exposure that it is. I would pick your criticisms apart one by one, but its simply not worth the time Ive already put in here. If you aspire to be a writer, you need to set aside some biases for one and two, work on your reading comprehension and logic. Good day.

cT
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written by Ryan W. Mead, September 06, 2007
Most of what the article says is true, believe it or not- gaming IS still considered to be a subculture and a child's plaything, and Master Chief ISN'T an Italian plumber fighting a gorilla.
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written by GGL Wire » ‘TIME&#, September 06, 2007
[...] Bits Bytes Pixels Sprites has a nice breakdown of why TIME magazine’s cover story (it’s in the tiny box in the upper right) about the upcoming Halo 3 = teh suxx0r. [...]
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written by Red Nightmare, September 07, 2007
Well first i saw the quotes and though "man this guy is a halo hater" but after reading some of the comments I decide to read the full article and I have to disagree with you Dan. Yes he is portraying gaming as something for a small group of people and make mocking comments but thats what the masses do to. yes he could have written a full fledged, grand tribute to Halo but that would have missed the point of this article. he genuinely wants to tell the masses what Halo is about and he cant go al out or they'll just say: "o, look just another Halo geek" he tries to stay in the middle ground letting the two sides look at each other. for that purpose this article was very well written.

Though it has to be said he made the Bungie employees look a bit weird with that caffeinne part. he could have at least said "Well at least they have passion for there product" and bungie wouldn't mind Halo appealing to the masses but it could very well be the editors had something to do with it.

All in all a well written article that gives a nice insite into the Halo world.
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written by PATw, September 09, 2007
I took a quick opportunity to review the article and too had mixed feelings about its goal and source for its opinion. I found as I read the article my knee jerk reaction as a HUGE halo fan, is to recoil and fight back. However, after a closer look, it seems that his wording lends itself to these kinds of reactions, but I don't think it is the writers intentions. I remember a day when underground was the cool thing, but words ghetto and underground, do not illustrate the true picture. It also seems irrelevant to argue these points, seeing most mainstream readers probably won't care about the article. So, in the end, I think the article was okay but could be better from a gamers perspective. I think both sides have an argument to be made, but there is no definitive answer or solution.
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written by Soualiga, September 10, 2007
Ok, after reading these posts, and the back and forth bickering, i decided to check out the Times article to get an idea before i put in my two cents. And i'm glad i did. I think the ariticle was not only well written, but hit the nail on the head. He's writing as a gamer, to the common (non gamer). and yes...as weird as it may seem to the gamer, we are still the minority. No matter how much "art" we see in the games, the vast majority of people in the world see it as a waste. They don't see you out playing sports, they see you staying indoors glued to a tv screen and drinking red bull . Does that mean that the group of people that DO play does not include, doctors, lawyers, high school athletes, olympic stars, professional basketball players etc? of course not, but let's face it. when you're playing Lost Planet online, or playing world of warcraft, and you envision the persons playing on the other side, you do draw up those stereotypes in your head. I think this article did a wonderful job showing that there are those out there that do use this media as an artform, and a lucrative one at that. I don't think this article discredits videogames, and in particular i don't think it discredits Bungie. In fact, it was my impression that there was almost an air of admiration at the level of commitment and insanity on their part. I am a HUGE halo fan, and will be certain to get my copy over in these neck of the woods as soon as it comes out, but i don't see the knee-jerk type reaction that everyone is talking about having read the article. anyways...just my two cents. C u all online....
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written by B, September 10, 2007
Dan Zuccarelli
"I’ll show respect when it’s earned, not because it’s expected."

Sir, I'd like to shake your hand after that comment.
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written by yomomma420, September 11, 2007
losers
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written by Jack, September 11, 2007
You are such a moron who ever wrote the original article (not the Time one, that was intelligently written). It portrays video game subculture as a bubbling undercurrent with incredible potential and latent popularity. He himself praises Bungie for the game, i quote
"The action isn't nonstop; instead it includes dramatic beats and even moments of melancholy solitude, with Romantic weather effects and sublime vistas and soaring Gregorian chants. The game has a moody, Wagnerian quality--the Master Chief is dwarfed by towering alien architecture that recalls Piranesi. Halo takes itself seriously as, if not art, certainly a spectacle. But art seems more apt."
I doubt if you even read the article or if you did you have no capacity to read and process anything more intelligent than the back of a video game box. I love Halo and its people like you that are the ones keeping video games from being recognised as true art, by your inability to appreciate an eloquent and praising piece of journalism by the mainstream media.
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written by Dan Zuccarelli, September 11, 2007
My problems with the piece involve his description of gaming and gamers...

hence the quotes I discuss in the article.
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written by Chris is McLovin(not really), September 11, 2007
I guess those phrases are kind of demeaning, but they are more describing how it used to be, and he's right in that way, Halo used to be for losers. It's not that bad and actually got me a little hyped up for Halo 3. I would only change the last paragraph which is a little too harsh, which is probably why your all in a bad mood. It's not that bad, why is everyone taking it so personaly? I'm wonering if some growing up is in order?
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written by Chris is McLovin(not really), September 11, 2007
I should have used spell checker, oh darn...
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written by Marissa K, September 11, 2007
Subscription canceled. Good job, Time! Maybe you should employ writers who know how to do basic research and not insult their audience.
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written by Smashman, September 11, 2007
That guy is an actual idiot.

Halo is probably more well known than that magazine will ever be.
They think that the gamers are part of an "invisible geek ghetto"

Well you are WRONG.
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written by BlitzFox, September 11, 2007
To me, the whole point of this article (proven by the fact that Time even covered Halo 3) is that gaming, which was once a mere sub-culture, has rapidly grown to the point where it's moved far beyond it's sub-culture origin and into the mainstream, much to the surprise of the rest of the (non-game oriented) international media community.

Gaming is no longer a passing fad or simple sub-culture, but it has evolved into a full blown mainstream event, whether non-gaming individuals realize it or not: it's happening right now, and the popularity of Halo 3 (and the millions of dollars the gaming industry generates each year) is hard proof of its ascent. Therefore, Time decided to write an article about it to keep their non-gaming readers informed of this upcoming event that will be marked by the much anticipated release of Halo3.

The author employs the use of some stereotypes in his descriptions of gamers only to illustrate the change that has taken place. If he did nothing but rave about gaming and video games, then non-gamers would dismiss his article as clearly biased towards the gaming industry. People have to take into account that Time’s target audience is not just gamers but a much broader spectrum, many of whom have never even touched a controller.

By contrast, the writer’s description of Halo is quite poetic and complimentary, in order to show the non-gaming readers that there’s much more to video games then they assume. Even the author referring to the Scarab as a "sculpture" is a compliment, as a sculpture implies a higher level work of art. He could have dismissed it as a "gaming toy" or such, but didn't.

It’s regrettably clear that many individuals are over-reacting to Time’s article, probably without even reading the actual article through. If any article here in question is an example of slanted journalism, sad to say it’s clearly the one attacking it.

I can only hope that readers will actually take the time to read both articles all the way through for themselves and draw their own conclusions instead of immediately reacting to how the author of the attacking article tells them they should feel.
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written by Terrence Stasse, September 11, 2007
To me it seems as though his article was being written with the intent of informing the "mainstream" about Halo 3, from a perspective that they understood and were comfortable with.

That said, their perspective (and consequently, the article's,) is simply ill-conceived, outdated, slightly patronizing, and poorly-researched.

Its as though he was placating his demographic instead of educating them, a choice that he should be called out for, regardless of what the publication or audience is.

Basically, the article did nothing to aid in the mainstream's perception of gaming as the next big platform of entertainment, or even it's legitimacy to the mainstream in any way. Which is why people have brought up up sales numbers, gaming is already "mainstream".

And if sales numbers are not enough to indicate "mainstream," how do you? Public awareness? Do we need all the "35+" citizens to know the Master Chief before Halo is mainstream?

If so, well, no problem then. Just give it 15-20 years smilies/wink.gif
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written by Maneo, September 12, 2007
The TIME article confuses me. The "ghetto" kids at my school play halo when their chillin at home. The nerdy ones are playing Pokemon and are usually anti-shooter. Sounds like TIME has it backwars, or our high school is effed up.
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written by Rod DeVera, October 19, 2007
Having worked with Lev Grossman at TIME for at least 4 years, don't take offense at what seems to be poor choice words by him. For Lev, he's a writer first, gamer second.

However, he is a gamer, maybe not hardcore (having invited him to some ih-house multiplayer Halo and Halo 2 games at Time Inc.), and maybe not that great, but he is one nonetheless. Also, way back in 2004, right before Halo 2 was release, he wrote a piece on how certain video games (GTA: San Andreas, Half-Life 2, and Halo 2) are transcending past *cult*, and moving into mainstream and art (http://www.time.com/time/magaz...82,00.html). He even admits to "cry" from the "single most perfect video game of ever made," namely Halo.

As a writer, Lev has to take a perspective, present it in a manner that either provokes or intrigues, and follow through with details to the reader. Granted, I felt maybe he's being too liberal in trying to be hip with his phrases ("break out of the ghetto and become a mainstream, mass-market, multimedia entertainment property," "happy in their invisible geek ghetto"), but as someone else has commented, it's stereotyping (poor ones, admittedly) for the sake pointing out that game brands like Halo are no longer just for gamers, but for all people to enjoy. The problem is that the main demographic of TIME's readers do *not* view the Halo series as mainstream. We, as gamers, and anyone who knows a gamer, already accept it as such...this much we know. In my view, maybe he should have chosen his original word from his 2004 piece (cult) to solidify his point, and remain consistent to himself, and to better reach the TIME audience.

I have to admit, I, too, was disappointed with some of the poor research done by the staff, detailing the mass marketing products related to Halo 3's release, but I can say that's what happens when cutbacks take out a research department and forces writers to have to do all the nitty-gritty detail searching for themselves, all the while trying to meet deadlines. Those who write on blogs or personal sites have it easy, having arbitrary or casual times when writing a piece. TIME writers have to grind it out, and make the cut into a printed mag, or onto the online site, week to week. It's no excuse for poor journalism, but you have to go through it to know the perspective.

In the end, the best analogy to what this story evokes (especially in the last paragraph) is like calling a male pro athlete a jock, and the sports they play their jockdom. Would some athletes take offense to that? Possibly. But should they care if what they do makes them happy or money? Not at all.
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written by Dan Zuccarelli, October 19, 2007
Rod:

That's a fantastic perspective on the entire thing, from both sides. I honestly and truly appreciate you commenting on the story in such a well-thought out way.

You final paragraph sums it all up quite nicely. Thanks for taking the time to contribute!
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written by Orethrius, November 09, 2007
Bear in mind, this is the same twit who figured he'd compare FairPlay "works on iPods" to Plays-for-Sure "up to three playbacks". Suffice it to say that he's not exactly the pinnacle of responsible journalism.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1625209,00.html
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written by Werewere, December 03, 2007
I think that hes 60 years old because he has a fear of new and different things.
This is as bad as Jack Thompson, crazy-ass lawyer extraordinare, who thinks things like this lead to violence
he must read time
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written by Jim, December 05, 2007
Wow, that guy really failed at sensationalism. I read his Wikipedia page. It said he reviewed Halo 2... but I guess he forgot the story. Well, I edited his Wikipedia page. Assuming it doesn't change, we won't forget his Halo 3 article. smilies/smiley.gif

The guy is 38, by the way.
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written by ur dad, December 20, 2007
u guys all suk nutz
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written by Michael andersson, February 06, 2008
I need it.
I love HALO 3!!!
How to get it?
I am from sweden.
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written by Devious Primate, August 23, 2008
Holy. Dude, just from those quotes I could thrash that guy for being such and ignorant dumb f***. “Not that the Bungies care. They don’t need to legitimize Halo by associating it with other, more respectable media. They sell enough units and make enough money. They’re happy in their invisible geek ghetto. But that’s the logic of the marketplace: it can’t leave subcultures alone; it has to turn them into cultures. It may be time for the Master Chief to come in from the cold and join the party, with the popular kids.” !!! Dude! "More respectable media?" Like what? Time magazine?
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written by Casey, October 27, 2008
@Brisk317:
My dad is 58 years old, and he loves video games. I would not say he is a "hardcore gamer", but he plays several role playing games, and he is looking forward to Diablo 3.

My grandfather is 72 years old, and he IS a hardcore gamer lol smilies/smiley.gif
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written by ben, October 28, 2008
wtf is the deal with "The Bungies" ??? it sounds like a disease!

example:

Doctor: Ma'am... I'm afraid I have some bad news about your son...
Mother: *scared look on her face* W...What is it?
Doctor: ... Well... Your son has... the bungies.
Mother: *BAWLS*

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