As much good work as there is being done in games journalism, it cannot be denied that the industry can, and often does, act as an extension of video game marketing. Whether it’s the intention or not, regular coverage of the biggest games around offers a form of free advertisement. This means that journalists need to think about the role we play in upholding or boosting sales for companies complicit in genocide, like Xbox.
With Xbox being such a major part of the industry, we need to put more thought into how we cover Xbox games, and even if we should be reporting on them at all. Ceasing coverage of Xbox games, or even invoking the boycott every time Xbox is mentioned, sends a strong message to Microsoft that journalists will not uphold their complicity in the genocide in Gaza.
If you run a video game outlet or are an editor
- Halt all coverage of Xbox published games. If you are a site that writes about them, we urge you to move away from as much coverage of Xbox published games as possible, ideally moving towards ending all coverage. This is clearly not a simple task, and not one we expect to be done overnight. Still, if we continue to cover Xbox published games uncritically, it signals to Microsoft that it can aid and abet genocide unchallenged. It should be noted that coverage of any unions formed at a Microsoft-owned company, reports of layoffs, or other worker-related stories should continue, as it’s important that we continue to express solidarity with the workers at these studios.
If you are a full time journalist
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Refuse to cover any Xbox published games. The games industry is large and varied, and there is always something else that can be covered. Explain to your managing editors that going forwards you will not cover Xbox published games, whether that be through news pieces, or interviews and features.
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If you have to cover Xbox published games, always do so with context about Microsoft’s activities and the ongoing boycott. Just because you may be in a position where you have to cover these games, it doesn’t mean you can’t make people aware of the boycott against Microsoft called for by BDS. Be constructive and thoughtful in your criticism, and help people understand that by purchasing an Xbox published game, or by subscribing to Game Pass, they are supporting a company that is complicit in the genocide against the Palestinian people.
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Outlets that are unionised or plans to unionise should ensure that you have the right to refuse to cover certain topics as part of the collective bargaining process. As workers, journalists may not always have all of the editorial control they might like. This is why it is important to take the steps to unionise, and make guarantees that you do not have to provide coverage for aspects of the industry you are opposed to.
If you are a freelance journalist
- Do not cover Microsoft’s games, cover other games instead. As a freelancer, you’ll likely be trying to cover any of the biggest games at any given moment. At a time where budgets are incredibly low, you’ll also likely be trying to just get any coverage at all. Even so, wherever possible, you should try to only cover non-Xbox published games.
If you’d like support or advice on how to run campaigns like these, pop us an email at hello@nogamesforgenocide.com and we’d be happy to help.