Shrapnel to Take on Wargamer.com?

[Beverley]

An interesting press release came through the wires today, and it would appear that Shrapnel is going to take on the giant that is Wargamer.com, although nobody is yet saying it. A battle of the giants? Also, I notice Matrix Games, a competitor to Shrapnel, has a direct relation to Wargamer.com financially. Of course there's nothing on that site at the moment, and so it does look like a bit of a spoof. What have Shrapnel got planned?

News Release For Immediate Release


Coming Soon: TheGamingNews.com!
Independent Media For An Independent Gaming World!


Cary, NC, 07 March 2005

As more and more retail games seem to go the way of the summer blockbuster, with lots
of flash and little substance, gamers everywhere are turning to independent gaming to
bring some originality back into their game playing. Indie games, once seemingly only
focused on puzzle gaming, have become as diverse as mainstream gaming, with plenty of
strategy, RPG, adventure, and arcade games to be found. Then there are the indie titles
that don't quite fit nicely into some pre-determined niche. Often brimming with
creativity and a freshness rarely seen on retail shelf space, these are games that are often
woefully overlooked by the mainstream gaming media.

Shrapnel Games, long time independent publisher of high quality strategy games in both
digital and paper form, would like to rectify the situation faced by many independent
developers in trying to get word of their games out to the game public at large. To help
provide another voice to indie developers Shrapnel Games is pleased to announce the
brand new website, TheGamingNews (www.thegamingnews.com/). Currently under
construction and slated to go live this summer, TheGamingNews will provide complete
coverage of the independent gaming scene.

"There is a tremendous amount of ingenuity, creativity, and just plain fun that finds its
way into independent gaming," Tim Brooks, CEO and founder of Shrapnel Games had to
say on the subject. "For every plain-jane, vanilla shooter or RTS you find on the shelf at
your local Best Buy there are probably a dozen original games in the independent world
that would provide you with more hours of enjoyment than the latest clone game.
Unfortunately most people aren't even aware of these gems. Hopefully with
TheGamingNews more people will discover these wonderful games, and it will help
rekindle the love of gaming that retail gaming often extinguishes."

While Shrapnel Games is best known for conflict simulations and their fantasy/sci-fi 4X
titles, TheGamingNews aims to provide coverage of all forms of independent gaming.
And while it will be begun and owned by Shrapnel Games it is important to note that our
relationship will be quite open, with the primary mission purpose to give indie gaming
the press it deserves but rarely gets. We would like to stress that we want to keep the
relationship between Shrapnel Games and TheGamingNews transparent as opposed to
other media sites that review products from their parent company and never reveal the
relationship between the two entities. We will require that all games be treated fairly, in
an unbiased manner, and strictly judged on its merits.

Though there is little (okay, basically nothing) to see as of yet we do invite you to stop by
the site and drop us a line if you're interested in writing content for us (previews,
interviews, reviews, columns and the like) or if you're an independent developer we'd
love to add you to our contact list.

[Phoenix-D]

Sorry, but the idea of a publisher or developer sponsored web site ever being independant, complete, or unbiased seems extremely unlikely to me.

[Gandalf Parker]

Actually alot of the ones out there are already tied into one. Such as Wargamer tied to Matrix. I mean I see your point but unless you want to do one yourself its hard to see where one will happen that ISNT tied into someone. Gaining that much interest in gaming develops ties. And the "big ones" are considered to be biased by advertising money and shelfware.

Have you read the Shrapnel "About Us" link?
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/about.htm
If not then I highly recommend it in light of this discussion. I liked where it was coming from as far as tackling the publishers, and I think I like it for tackling the game sites.

[Richard]

Actually it's more than a financial relationship, Matrix Games bought Wargamer.com awhile ago. We aren't specifically going after Wargamer.com, but we're being fairly transparent that the site is owned by us from the beginning. That way people can use their own judgement to decide if they think our coverage is biased.

That isn't the main reason for the site. What is frustrating is to see a lot of quality independent games get reviewed by someone who knows nothing of the genre and it reviewing it just to get a free game. Did I tell you the story of the reviewer that I had to explain the concept of turns to (because he had only played RTS's).

We want to start a relationship with the other independent developers and publishers to put an outlet for our products out there with writers who will appreciate the offering. We also will not comment or review games in retail, this is only for those folks who either aren't in retail by chance or by choice.

[Annette]

And we promise not to vote ourselves "publisher of the year."

(Moderators: Feel free to move my post if you see fit!)

[War_Oberst]

Annette said:
And we promise not to vote ourselves "publisher of the year."

(Moderators: Feel free to move my post if you see fit!)

Sorry, I am a newcomer here and do not whish to be rude, so please do not take this in this manner. I am thiking that this comment leaves something to be desired. Was Wargamer's article not called "Reader's Choice?" Did the reader's not choose who publisher of the year was? How can they readers choose the way any one wants them to - do Matrix pay them for their votes? Seems ridiculous to me.

I have played Shrapnel titles and have come here looking for more info on games of yours comming out soon, and am open minded enough to know wargamer's coverage is not seeming biased to me. If you make comment like this on your own site about your upcoming news site, how biased are you going to be in this regard with your coverage?

If your readers vote you publisher of the year, so be it. I do not think wargamer's Forums are going to have people saying that TheGamingnews.com is a mouthpece for shrapnel's games. Of course it is not. You do not whant this perception of your site. I have gone to wargamer's site for one year now and know it seemes to be balance and fair.

I hope you are not referring to this because whatever ill feeling you two have for each other is going to do nothing for gaming or the gaming worlds. I hope your coverage is not biased, thorought and thoughtfull like wargamer's is. otherwise you are just going to seem like your sour.

again please do not take this wrong way, I am not meaning to be nasty, but really comments like that do nothing for your site in my eye as a customer and potential byyer.

War_Oberst

[Beverley]

Richard said:
Actually it's more than a financial relationship, Matrix Games bought Wargamer.com awhile ago. We aren't specifically going after Wargamer.com, but we're being fairly transparent that the site is owned by us from the beginning. That way people can use their own judgement to decide if they think our coverage is biased.

Would you think it fair to say then that Wargamer.com is the "mouthpiece" of Matrix games?

[Richard]

Beverley said:

Would you think it fair to say then that Wargamer.com is the "mouthpiece" of Matrix games?

I wouldn't say that at all. I know many of the folks who are on staff at Wargamer.com (as a former staff member myself) and I think they try to be fair. However we wanted to be pretty up front with our relationship from the beginning.

The main reason for the site is to give independent games more of a voice.

[Annette]

Beverley said:

Would you think it fair to say then that Wargamer.com is the "mouthpiece" of Matrix games?

I'd like to reiterate what Richard has already said. We are not launching this project as an effort to "take on" wargamer.com or any other site. In fact, our news site will be geared toward all indie gaming news, not just wargames. Our intentions are to help fill a void which we believe exists in independent game coverage.

But you raise an interesting point, and I feel compelled to redirect the question to you (or to anyone reading this), "Would you think it fair to say then that Wargamer.com is the "mouthpiece" of Matrix games?"

[Atrocities]

Wargamer does a great job at what it does and I doubt the press release is true. Then again I haven't read all the posts so I could be mistaken.