What exactly is a ‘gaming expert’?  You see these so-called mythical creatures at every turn from ESPN’s Cold Pizza to local newspaper outlets to perhaps being on your favorite message boards touting their unique expertise in gaming.  But what exactly is a ‘gaming expert’?  Are they defined by the amount of time they’ve spent ‘gaming?  Are they defined by the number of hits they get on their websites…the number of sponsors…the number of TV appearances?

I watched a recent episode of ESPN’s Cold Pizza that led me to ponder this very question.  I’m here to unmask the mystery that is the ‘gaming expert’ or at least attempt to understand how someone claims to be one.

What is a Gaming Expert?

As defined by our beloved industry, a ‘gaming expert’ is someone who possesses an extraordinary understanding of games and the gaming industry.  This person knows the field inside and out.  They haven’t necessarily played every console known to man but they’ve put in some serious hours and have developed a knowledge of the industry that’s several levels above your average consumer.

These creatures are often paid for what they know.  They are paid to inform you about the games and media that quite frankly, you probably already know about.  The gaming industry is a billion dollar one and whatever a network or company has to do in order to seem more ‘in the know’ they’ll do.  Take ESPN’s coverage of Madden year after year in which they pay IGN to come on the show and inform the average Joe (you) about the latest offering of Madden NFL along with other titles. 

Ok.  I agree.  Now tell me where you’re going with this.

You’d be safe to call the guys at Gamespot, IGN, 1UP and various other ‘high media’ websites as such.  Or would you be?  How much do they really know?  And how much of it is beyond what you know?

I mentioned a broadcast of ESPN’s Cold Pizza above that led me to this and I’ll tell you why.  In the show, the Nintendo Wii was being discussed by the host and ofcourse one of these ‘gaming experts’.  He was on giving his expert opinion about the Wii.  The subject of high definition came up and the host asked this question, “Does the Nintendo Wii do high defintion?”.  I sat only paying attention slightly when our resident ‘gaming expert’ responded with “Yeah”. 

Perhaps this was the new Nintendo Wii HD that has escaped the media.  Perhaps this was the undisclosed bomb that Nintendo is preparing to drop less than a month before its release.  No.  I doubt it.  There is no Nintendo Wii HD.  But someone just got a pretty good check to say that there is.

Wow.  I knew that.  Why didn’t he?

There’s the problem.  If he’s an expert being called upon by networks for his expert advice, then as an expert you’d think he knew it all wouldn’t you?  Remember the more recent episode of G4TV and another of these creatures, the ‘gaming expert’, was on deck to talk about micro-transactions.  Did he really say anything that the general gamer didn’t know?  No.  Well all know that Lumines is 1200 points.  We all know that next-generation games are topping out at $59.99.  We all know that we’re being forced to buy the premium content on the Xbox Live Marketplace as he said.

Wait.  We’re not being forced.  You’re no expert either.

I was joking.  You’re right.  You, me and they are not being forced to buy these micro-transactions that publishers are springing on us.  I still haven’t purchased the 1200 point GRAW map pack.  I know you’re up in arms about it and so am I but the bottom line is that we do have a choice and the best thing we can do to combat that is use that choice.  There is no argument to be made about the cost in my opinion when the choice is not made to not buy whatever it is.  If the argument is that developers are set on taking content out of the games to make you pay for it, then use your choice to not buy and make them put it back in the games.

But this isn’t a micro-transaction argument…instead it is a look to see exactly what these creatures we call ‘gaming experts’ know.  I’ve seen them at events call Gears of War a first person shooter.  I’ve seen them hype articles to no end only to retract with an apology to its fans when there needed to be no hype.  I’ve seen them go out of their way to publish rumors as the information you’re relying on to make a decision on what to buy or what to believe.

Goodness. So who do we believe if not ’Gaming Experts’ then?

I’m not saying you can’t depend on these guys because they do offer some good information from time to time.  But ultimately your decision is your decision.  If there’s something you need validation on, make the choice to research it.  Better, informed gamers make for better journalism.  If these creatures know that they can’t pull a fast one on their audience, then they’re more than likely not going to feed you the BS. 

I get in a frenzy really when I see these experts who claim to represent us as gamers, to speak on our behalf etc…only to crash and burn.  What is their motivation really when the checks start rolling in?  What is their motivation when the cameras are rolling?  I suppose we’ll have to ask Nintendo and its Wii HD to truly know the answer to that.

What say you?