Link Bait Has No Strings. . .On Us

Yesterday, we published an article that sparked a lot of attention (and quite possibly for all the wrong reasons) that most of our general audience couldn’t have anticipated.) The latest article in a developing series called “The Sodium Podium” touched upon several timeless classics that were considered by our author to have. . .well, lost their charm.

Needless to say, it didn’t take long before my social network feed started buzzing with activity, and much of the consensus expressed the same concern: “WTF is this?!?” “Was this an article to be taken serious?” “Was this actually link bait?”

I needed some time to actually sit down and properly reflect on the best way to answer those questions, because after all, if you’re offering your patronage to this humble destination on the web, you’d feel obligated for answers if our direction seems to be running off-course.

We’re all familiar with what the term link bait is. This type of content, at least by today’s standards is often considered to offer very little value and the copy is conveniently presented in such a manner that often readers end up feeling duped (or annoyed, depending on whatever emotion triggers first). Although we know there can be useful instances of content being presented in a useful, impactful matter, the term has shifted to the point where it holds a much negative meaning than intended.

The intent behind the article was clearly engineered to spark attention, and while the article was not removed from public access, I can understand why many would be quick to dismiss its relevance since (according to the feedback I reviewed), it lacked a solid foundation to support the claims. Chrono Trigger to me isn’t “overrated”. In fact, I made a public statement confirming that the context could have been presented differently; only to be honest, I have a hard time saying games like that aren’t enjoyable even today. It’s the type of topic where clearly many will agree to disagree.

I would also concede that even an article would have been debated less if it were supported by fact. However, many wonder what claims supported the selections, or if they were just randomly tossed into a hat to stir things up. (Well, we know the end result clearly did just that.)

So was the article composed as a joke? Actually, no. It wasn’t. The article wasn’t engineering to “troll” anyone, but I expected early on that it wasn’t going to be cast in a popular light.

Needless to say, it didn’t take long before my social network feed started buzzing with activity, and much of the consensus expressed the same concern: “WTF is this?!?” “Was this an article to be taken serious?” “Was this actually link bait?”

It’s for this reason that I saw it was necessary to apologize to our friends, associates, and newcomers to the site. It should be made perfectly clear to everyone that the objective to the site moving into 2015 is to establish a format where you’ll come across articles published here that aren’t only relevant, but also timely, and perhaps even supportive for a general topic our editorial staff specializes in. Featured “lists” articles is still a experimental phase (one that for years, I’ve been strongly against for various reasons).

Despite personal experience, molding the direction, tone and overall criteria has just recently gained some foundation; hopefully none of you will think differently of us as moving two steps backwards. Will is still a valuable member of the team, and even if this particular article has caused a select few to think he should reconsider turning in his gaming badge, my hope is that he’ll delight you in the future with something rewarding and beneficial.

Quality is key to me and we’ve still got some polishing to do.

With so many destinations on the web, the following year will strive to expand the editorial format to feature more industry-based content; specifically the indie studios which are thriving throughout the console, PC and mobile markets. We’ve given this a lot of thought and are confident this is a path we should explore further. That’s not to say that we won’t continue to present stories taking place with the top-level, mainstream studios, but it’s not essential to make that the sole focal point.

As a result, expect to see future episodes of Meter Burn featuring select members of the industry discussing their game, and further down the line, we’ll be launching a podcast format as well (yea, finally). There’s still some talk about potentially expanding our virtual home to be more hospitable for user-generated content in the form of blogs/reviews and the potential could become a reality if there’s a significant demand for it. You’ll have to let us know via email, comments below or our social networking site.

PTB isn’t the first online destination I’ve taken under my wing, but it’s definitely been one of the most challenging as so much has changed over the past 15+ years of my editorial career. The site is very much an enthusiast destination, and my goal is to come into contact with other like-minded individuals who want to share in the journey and create a culture that combines engaging thought and purpose.

If anyone felt we missed a step on that particular article (or any other recent articles), your feedback is definitely appreciated. Keep it coming, I’ll leave the browser window open and address the matter in one or another. Moreover, if you definitely feel you have the writing chops, and a bit of time to craft some solid content and have enough motivation to share it beyond your personal social circles, drop me a line. We’re still searching for the right candidates who have a creative soul who’s imagination (and opinions) have no boundaries. I know they’re out there – it’s just going to take some time to bring them to the surface.

Quality is key to me and we’ve still got some polishing to do.

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