Wed, Jun 11, 2008 | 19:48 BST

The 10 most influential games journalists in Britain today

tombramwell.jpg

Lists are brilliant. Channel 4 built a business out of them, so we’re not ashamed. Here are the ten most respected, influential games journalists working the UK trade today. These are the people PR want to kiss, the people you don’t leave alone in a room with your CEO, the people who’ll make you money if you give them power. Your opinion and that of other journalists, both in the UK and abroad, is formed by the names you’ll see below. These are the people that choose what you see.

Didn’t make it? Try harder.

  1. Tom Bramwell (Editor, Eurogamer.net)

    It’s hard to argue against this. Eurogamer.net is by far the most read independent videogames publication in Britain, and is growing fast. Tom took over as editor from long-term boss Kristan Reed at the end of last year after eight years as deputy and is seen in British editorial as the “journalists’ journalist”. Bramwell was picked by the UK games trade as the best writer in the business at last year’s Game Media Awards for good reason: no one else in the post-NGJ generation is moulding videogames coverage in the United Kingdom in a more violent or high-profile manner. His scores and opinions matter financially, making his words and top placement on his website a must for any “serious” publisher-side campaign on any format. End of. Number one.

  2. Tim Clark (Editor, Official PlayStation Magazine)

    It’s not so much for his writing skills as for his management of the UK’s Official PS Magazine that Clark takes second place in this list. British PR is forced to go cap in hand to OPS with cover requests and Clark’s the man they have to woo. Any PlayStation game launching in the UK vies for place here, and front-page placement is gold. Clark is the door to without doubt the most sought after paper space in the UK, and has worked his way up to boss from online editor over many years. His decisions affect sales uniquely in games journalism, but it would be tough to say he’s driving aesthetic coverage of games in Britain in any meaningful way. Hence, number two.

  3. Stuart Dinsey (Managing director, Intent Media)

    Is he a journalist? Not in his day job, but Dinsey’s fast to come out of “retirement” with his hair-dryer editorial when need be. While insiders readily admit the MCV-owner has passed over to the “dark side” of business development, Dinsey still regularly writes for the omnipresent British business journal, and it would be fair to say that very few share either his contact-base or iron influence on the UK trade. Dinsey enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a ferocious back-room operator and is nigh on impossible to compete against in “his space”. A list of “influential British games journalists” would be ridiculous without him highly placed.

  4. Johnny Minkley (Editor, Eurogamer TV)

    Minkley’s long-time position as games commentator on Radio 1′s Jo Whiley Show and a lengthy career in British games journalism make him an enviable target for any website or paper publisher. As full-time editor of Eurogamer TV, Minkley has managed to procure major exclusives combining the mainstream coverage of Radio and the core demographic reach of Eurogamer, most recently securing a global first with Guitar Hero: World Tour. Further, Minkley’s time as editor of MCV under Stuart Dinsey and Lisa Foster make him a formidable trade journalist, a skill well utilized on Eurogamer Network’s B2B pub, GamesIndustry.biz. We can’t think of any other journalist in the UK able to hit such a wide audience with quality coverage. And his dress sense is amazing.

  5. Kieron Gillen (Freelancer, RockPaperShotgun co-owner)

    Gillen’s name will be carved forever in the term “new games journalism” and his influence on British games writers – floor to ceiling – should not be underestimated. Everyone – and we mean everyone – in games journalism has heard of Kieron. He changed the way people write about games forever, formalizing a personal approach to play experience in games editorial, and the affect of journalists suddenly realizing it was OK to say “I” was profound. Kieron is the only person we know to ever get his name in the New York Times, put it that way.

  6. Dan Dawkins (Editor, PSM3)

    Dan is highly-liked and manages to keep PSM3 relevant in an increasingly nightmarish environment for print. His dogma of creating endlessly exclusive content for his magazine makes PSM3 one of the best paper products in Britain, PS-based or otherwise. Widely quoted – and scanned – on the web, Dan’s work has heavily influenced the formation of the current games publication landscape in the UK with a ceaseless commitment to quality, flourish and uniqueness. He was a dogged competitor to Computec and PSW earlier this decade, and has more than proved his worth as a fighter. He easily makes this list.

  7. Tony Mott (Editor, Edge)

    Say what you want about print, Mott continues to prove it has a place in games journalism. Edge is known the world over, and for good reason. Tony edited the magazine many moons ago, left for a career in development then returned after the previous team had an “altercation” with management and walked. Edge’s readership fluctuates only marginally every ABC and has a loyal, cultish fan-base. Edge may lack some of the lustre it had back in the day, but Mott is the perfect caretaker for the most famous games magazine in the world, and has a trade reputation to match.

  8. Ellie Gibson (Deputy editor, Eurogamer.net)

    Gibson has demonstrated heavy editorial management skills on both the consumer and trade sides of games journalism, and has a reputation among UK PR as being one of the toughest UK journalists in terms of both interviewing and content deal brokerage. Ellie is able to walk the line between editorial reach and “independence”, and never pulls punches in one-on-ones. Gibson’s seen as a lynchpin staffer at Eurogamer Network and carries off a full-time role as back-up to Tom Bramwell’s Eurogamer.net with ease. A heavyweight, and a must for this list.

  9. Gavin Ogden (Editor, ComputerAndVideogames.com)

    Ogden is the games journalistic equivalent of the A-Team, and a Future staple. He has a solid reputation for taking on tough jobs, managing big teams and getting things done. CVG is fast and popular, the jewel in Future London’s crown and has achieved great financial success under his editorship. Backed up by the entire Future machine, Ogden is experienced enough to navigate what can be a “testing” commercial environment at the publisher and has never failed to produce long-term results when high-ups find themselves in tough spots. One of the best trouble-shooters in the business, and a name near the top of any self-respecting PRs contact list.

  10. Colin Campbell (Freelancer)

    “The Campbell” taught Gavin Ogden everything he knows. Colin has an eye-watering CV and a track-record for launching some of the biggest names in games journalism. He was the launch publisher for the Official Xbox Magazine in the UK, a group-publisher at Future in the 90s and most recently took Next-Gen.biz from zero to hero. His unmatchable contacts at Future US enable him to bridge the divide between Europe and America, making him a soft target for UK PR trying to get noticed Stateside. He appears to have now taken a backseat on Next-Gen, but he’ll be back. He always is. One of the best known names in British games editorial.

73 comment-trail-alt Posted in: Journalism, Trade, UK
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73 comments

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#51

OrphanageExplosion
11/06/08, 5:11 pm

Ironic that the top ten most influential games journos actually write for what is basically a niche audience. Where is the Jeremy Clarkson of the gaming world – the popular face of gaming?

Back in the 90s – when gaming was only just breaking out and was hardly a mainstream pastime – there was Rignall and Perry. On prime time TV.

It seems to me that as gaming has become more mainstream, the journos seem to be worlds apart from the vast majority of the audience.

Also, who is this top ten supposed to be actually influencing? Surely the sheer reach of IGN UK must be influencing more people than Campbell and all the print people on the list? What’s the Official PlayStation Mag’s ABC again?

#52

RAM Raider
11/06/08, 5:27 pm

You mistyped “My Top 10 Journalist Friends” as “10 Most Influential Games Journalists”.

I know a thing or two about throwing together arbitrary lists that have no basis in reality, but this one is in danger of feeding my delusion that I do quite a good job.

The editors of two PS mags? The ed of CVG? Come on…

#53

patlike
11/06/08, 6:03 pm

Ram: Well, I’m sure you know me to some degree – or maybe not: I have no idea who you are – and you should know that there are few “friends” of mine on that list. Also, I think it’s right to say the people in charge of the big Future PS mags’ editorial are influential. They literally are. Gavin, also, is certainly “influential”. CVG’s one of the biggest commercial games sites in Britain, a lot of which is down to the fact he edits it. How can he not be classed as an influential journalist?

OE: The term “influential” here could have meant a lot of things, and I think I’ve been clear enough in my reasoning. I meant more in terms of trade influence, or “power”, as it were. I genuinely don’t believe that individuals within the IGN UK or Gamespot UK teams are as powerful as the people on this list.

#54

RAM Raider
11/06/08, 7:11 pm

I probably could have worded that better. What I’m really getting at is some of the choices seem totally random. The PS3 is the least influential console out there, so that by proxy makes the eds of PS3 mags less relevant.

Nobody would argue with the likes of Bramwell, Minkley and Gillen being praised, but they’re influential to other games journos because they’re great journos themselves.

To cut a long story short, everyone I know could name at least twenty other journos who should be on that list above practically everyone but the three I’ve mentioned.

Still, I was only saying to an editor colleague of mine – only yesterday, in fact – how good this website is. I guess I’m just a bit disappointed that a silly list like this has appeared when I know you can do so much better. And like I said, I know what I’m talking about when it comes to silly lists…

#55

patlike
11/06/08, 7:25 pm

Opinion’s always arbitrary, innit. I’m just going on what I know. Obviously, there are others that are very deserving, but 10 is as 10 does.

And I’ll take that as a compliment. Thanks. I’ll try to be better :)

#56

botherer
11/06/08, 8:30 pm

Someone told me once that a review I wrote influenced them to buy a game. I’m sure this should qualify me for at least 9th.

#57

patlike
11/06/08, 8:43 pm

Top 20, definitely.

#58

morriss
11/06/08, 9:09 pm

RAM Raider, you’re right. This site is very good, yeah.

#59

wz
11/06/08, 10:08 pm

The only thing I always wonder is: Who are you people?
I’m not in your business and probably should care more about girls, football or beer, but still: Can’t you have profile pages or at least some team page? :D

#60

frazmacaz
12/06/08, 8:23 am

Only about three of the people on this list qualify in my book (Gillen, Mott and Campbell) but the rest leave me baffled.

With all due respect, Ellie Gibson, Eurogamer deputy editor? Come on! I am sure she is very good at her job and a great writer but one of the UK’s most influential? I think not.

Also saying something to the effect of ‘this list is correct because I know what I am fucking talking about frankly’ in the comments is pretty much the kiss of death. How can anyone take an article like this seriously if the author takes that tone? And please don’t bother pretending that was sarcasm, it’s clear that wasn’t the intention of the comment.

As for who I would include, what about people like Margret Robertson, first female editor of Edge and currently a consultant who has the ear of the BBC and the Guardian, both of which are read by far more people in one day than a months total for Eurogamer, or any PS3 magazine you could care to mention.

There are countless others. What about Owain Bennallack or even just anyone from Develop or Gamasutra for that matter. Those sites may not be consumer facing, but they have a pretty profound influence on the industry at large I would say.

#61

patlike
12/06/08, 8:41 am

fraz: I do know what I’m talking about. I’ve worked in British games editorial for 10 years. It was half-jokey remark, but I have certainly been “through the mill”, as it were. I’ve worked for INC, EMAP, Dennis, Computec, Future and Eurogamer, as a journalist, editor and publisher on both websites and magazines. It’d be pretty ridiculous if I didn’t know about this stuff, don’t you think?

I did consider Margaret, but I wouldn’t really describe her as a “journalist” any more. There’s no doubt that she’s very well respected, but she appears to have moved off into the “media circuit” as opposed to reporting on games as such. So she wasn’t included.

Gama’s American: it’s based in San Francisco. Develop? Well I don’t agree with you, clearly. Owain left PocketGamer recently and I’m not entirely sure what he’s up to at the moment, so as to whether or not he currently has “influence” is debatable. Don’t get me wrong: I love the guy. But I’m not sure he belongs on this list.

As for Ellie. She certainly does have influence, and that’s why she was included. I have no idea if you work in the trade or not, but I worked with her for about three years and she’s both currently active as a UK journalist and very “involved” as to what happens on Eurogamer.

As I said to Mr Raider, opinion’s always arbitrary. you can argue the toss indefinitely. I do, however, stand by this list.

#62

morriss
12/06/08, 8:46 am

I met Ellie and was immediately humbled by her influence and elegance, and I bow to no one.

#63

morriss
12/06/08, 8:55 am

Seriously though, I was at an event a while back with Ellie and around 300 journalists from around the world. Now I couldn’t have been better placed than I was standing and talking to Ellie Gibson: everyone knew her, everyone wanted to know her. Through her I met just about everyone who’s important in the British and European Games Industry.

Now I know anecdotal evidence is pithy at best, but Ellie really was ‘the’ person to know and I’m glad she let me tag along for most of the 2 day event as I met a lot of people whom I would otherwise had missed.

To top it off, she’s down to earth, funny and … wait … I’m in love!
:)

#64

Blerk
12/06/08, 8:56 am

morriss loves Ellie! morriss loves Ellie!

#65

patlike
12/06/08, 8:59 am

haha :D

#66

morriss
12/06/08, 9:02 am

*blushes*

#67

pjmaybe
12/06/08, 9:10 am

“I met Ellie and was immediately humbled by her influence and elegance, and I bow to no one.”

That’s not what Kristan told us.

Slightly less embarrasing fawning over Ellie than running up to Tom at the Wii Launch event, completely hyper on sugar and saying “Wow, you’ve grown! I remember you when you were this high!” like an embarrasing uncle.

#68

frazmacaz
12/06/08, 9:58 am

I am sure you have been through the mill Patlike and fair enough, you probably do have a pretty well informed perspective on this topic. The comment I referred to just put my back up – it just doesn’t sit well when someone makes a comment like that and then goes on to say something like ‘opinions are always arbitrary’ (which I wouldn’t debate) in the next breath. But hey, bygones and all that.

I do work in the trade (check my profile for my bias;)), though I don’t have nearly the same amount of experience you do. I’m a baby in this industry with less than two years full time under my belt.

Did you omit writers that are UK based but work chiefly on publications abroad (US etc)? I suppose, as mentioned elsewhere on this thread, Croshaw is another I would like to have seen. He may not be very up on formal journalistic statutes but he sure as hell has influence.

Point taken about Owain and Margaret – this conversation is wetting my appetite for a retrospective list…

#69

patlike
12/06/08, 10:06 am

Didn’t mean to rile anyone with the remark :)

It was for people working in the UK, really. Colin’s a good example. He spends a lot of time in the US and Next-Gen’s an American site, really, but he’s still a UK journo as far as I’m concerned.

A good case in point is someone like Simon Carless, who heads up Gama and Game Developer in the US. He’s British, but I’d put him in an American list, as he’s based out there.

This list was for people working in the UK industry.

#70

that_happy_cat
12/06/08, 10:06 am

Dear Pat

Next time just stick to “my top 10 favourite pie fillings”

It’ll save you a lot of bother

#71

patlike
12/06/08, 10:09 am

Heh. I’ve got a good one for next week.

#72

mart
12/06/08, 10:20 am

I for one am very interested in pie fillings.

#73

frazmacaz
12/06/08, 10:21 am

Mmmmmm, lemon merangue…

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