AaronRuby
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ESRB needs exposure, change
Next-Gen's Aaron Ruby editorializes that the ESRB needs major change, saying that the rating system has too many confusing options that are best suited to movies instead of games. (Is there a clear difference between "mild violence," "intense violence," and "violence?" Is it measured in volume?) The site follows up with Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley's response, saying that Next-Gen got part of it right -- the game industry needs to be proactive and speak for itself.Ruby and Smedley agree that the ESRB doesn't do enough to educate parents and non-gamers about games. We've seen the Penny Arcade ESRB campaign in PC Gamer and other enthusiast magazines, but we want to find ESRB ads in mainstream publications and on prime-time TV. As Smedley notes, the game industry needs to speak for itself if it doesn't want the Jack Thompsons to speak for it.Read - Opinion: Is the ESRB Broken?Read - COUNTERPOINT: ESRB Not the Problem
Joystiq Interview: SMARTBOMB authors Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby
Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby are the husband and wife coauthors of Smartbomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution. Following five years of extensive research, they have examined the videogame industry through intimate portraits of the people behind the revolution; making their way from the hackers at MIT in the 1960s to the billions Microsoft gambled to get in the door. We got a chance to talk with them about the cultural acceptance and future of videogames.Check out our review of the book as well.
Joystiq Review: SMARTBOMB: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution
SMARTBOMB: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution is the product of five years of insider research by Heather Chaplin, a career journalist who has written for publications like the New York Times and Salon, and her husband Aaron Ruby, a gamer who has written about video games extensively, including reviews for Entertainment Weekly. Although some of the stories in the book will be old news for hardcore gamers, by using intimate and individual portraits of many of the biggest names in video games, they've managed to tell a story that not only doesn't feel old, but is genuinely insightful. Check out our interview with Heather and Aaron as well.
