Skill Up launches new ad-free video game website - This Week In Video Games.

Loomy

Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
Skill Up announces new ad free gaming website and introduces editorial team behind it. Part of the site requires a subscription to access. No ads, no funding from publishers, etc.

I'd recommend watching the first 7 minutes of the video.

thisweekinvideogames.com

This Week in Videogames - TWIV

Covering the important things happening in the world of videogames. News, reviews, and insights without ads or filler content.
thisweekinvideogames.com thisweekinvideogames.com

 
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No Thank You Reaction GIF
 
Nankatsu said:
He went full Sony route directly asking for a paid subscription, uh?
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He states that all of the news, reviews, and previews are all free to look at with zero ads.

The site doesn't require readership numbers due to this which means that they don't have to constantly churn out meaningless articles and advertise companies (like the other guys).

The alternative to everything I just stated is what you see when opening IGN dot com.

I like the idea, I just wanted this idea 10 years ago. I hope it can survive and eventually get an app on app stores.
 
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Might check it out depending on how well it aggregates stuff.

As of right now, Twitter is still the best single place to get curated gaming news.
 
They state what's free and paid here: https://thisweekinvideogames.com/sign-up/

Free Tier:

  • The weekly "This Week in Videogames" newsletter digest
  • Access to all news, reviews, and previews
  • A promising indie game recommendation to put on your radar every week
  • Occasional access to interviews, deep-dives, and columns
  • Limited access to the TWIV website tools

Paid Tier:
  • Unrestricted access to the TWIV website
  • A second weekly Supporter-only newsletter
  • Ad-free versions of the weekly TWIV show
  • Semi-regular staff Q&As
 
Loomy said:
Skill Up announces new ad free gaming website and introduces editorial team behind it. Part of the site requires a subscription to access. No ads, no funding from publishers, etc.

I'd recommend watching the first 7 minutes of the video.

thisweekinvideogames.com

This Week in Videogames - TWIV

Covering the important things happening in the world of videogames. News, reviews, and insights without ads or filler content.
thisweekinvideogames.com thisweekinvideogames.com

Click to expand...

I can stomach neogaf ads, and rumble ads, for the very reason i know i do it for good cause- world/internet would be worse place if we didnt have those, anything else- fk no :P

That initiative from skill up just shows u how much of a sellouts are all(almost all) of the reviewers where he has to open his own paid subscription site to claim no more funding from publishers, hell im still subbed to his yt channel just dont feel any desire to click on his vids anymore and always forget to unsubscribe haha xD
 
Skill Up and Inside Games are the only video game related YouTube channels I check out. So, I am curious about this, but it all depends on how everything comes together. This is obviously something subjective. But for me, Skill Up is one of the few sources that tends to fall in line with a lot of my own opinions, which is why I check out his content.

Will I pay for this?? Nah. But I may check the site out, but again, it all depends on how it all comes together.

Personally I'd much rather see gaming related content stuff like this rather than SmashJT nonsense or anything similar/related that basically falls in line with nothing but click and bait "drama" chasing.
 
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MiguelItUp said:
Personally I'd much rather see gaming related content stuff like this rather than SmashJT nonsense or anything similar/related that basically falls in line with nothing but click and bait "drama" chasing.
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I feel the same. It has infected all parts of the internet, even here, with articles and videos leading to nothingburgers and tabloid-style rumor sections.

It makes sense because almost all sites rely on clicks for payment. If that aspect is taken away, there's possibility there.
 
MiguelItUp said:
But for me, Skill Up is one of the few sources that tends to fall in line with a lot of my own opinions, which is why I check out his content.
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Why would you want that? You're only interested in journalism that reflects your beliefs back at you? What's the point?
 
I appreciate anyone trying to actually make a decent video game news outlet, because they were, for a time, pretty great.

Take a look around - "video game journalism" died years ago. All that's left is a soulless husk pimping funko pops while telling you that Xbox has turned yet another corner. Zero criticism, zero integrity, and zero insight. And even of the few who are left, they either loathe gamers, painting them with every slur in the modern dictionary, or have a spine so thin an electron microscope still can't fucking image it.

Best of luck, Shillup.
 
I mean, I can see one. Being able to to do 2-3 a month. They legit do everything without all the ads. It could work. But now. It hard too. Best just hit up x and YouTube.
 
I'm not paying any bitch ass person money, to talk about video games. I have not become that retarded, at this point in my life.
 
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March Climber said:
They state what's free and paid here: https://thisweekinvideogames.com/sign-up/

Free Tier:

  • The weekly "This Week in Videogames" newsletter digest
  • Access to all news, reviews, and previews
  • A promising indie game recommendation to put on your radar every week
  • Occasional access to interviews, deep-dives, and columns
  • Limited access to the TWIV website tools

Paid Tier:
  • Unrestricted access to the TWIV website
  • A second weekly Supporter-only newsletter
  • Ad-free versions of the weekly TWIV show
  • Semi-regular staff Q&As
Click to expand...
😂
 
I don't really get the hate.
The site seems pretty decent, it looks clean and having written reviews I can actually read on my lunch break instead of some 45 minutes video is cool, and the release calendar stuff is actually really nice (better than what I've seen in most other sites).

I personally wouldn't pay for it, but I don't see anything hate worthy on the free tier.
 
Fbh said:
I don't really get the hate.
The site seems pretty decent, it looks clean and having written reviews I can actually read on my lunch break instead of some 45 minutes video is cool, and the release calendar stuff is actually really nice (better than what I've seen in most other sites).

I personally wouldn't pay for it, but I don't see anything hate worthy on the free tier.
Click to expand...

I find Skill Up's content all sizzle and no steak and outside of GAF, I can't remember the last time I visited a gaming website.
 
Fbh said:
I don't really get the hate.
The site seems pretty decent, it looks clean and having written reviews I can actually read on my lunch break instead of some 45 minutes video is cool, and the release calendar stuff is actually really nice (better than what I've seen in most other sites).

I personally wouldn't pay for it, but I don't see anything hate worthy on the free tier.
Click to expand...
It's because you've done something 90% of this thread isn't doing, which is reading beyond the headline.

Welcome to the club.
 
I absolutely love the idea and I think that the free internet, as based as it is, is prone to constant shit content and at the end of the day there isn't a single thing in this life that's truly free. Having said that, I don't find Skill Up's content very appealing, he's a turbo normie and not a particularly skilled up writer. The IDEA is great though so I respect the hustle.
 
Sgt. Pinback said:
Why would you want that? You're only interested in journalism that reflects your beliefs back at you? What's the point?
Click to expand...
I see what you mean, but game reviews are not the same thing as reporting about world events.

Game opinions are very subjective, and so if you find someone whose opinions on most games fall in line with yours, it makes sense you would watch their content, since the way they feel about the game is probably a good indication on how you will feel about the game.
 
I mean, clickbait journalism like Kotaku became what it is because they had to start stirring up insane controversies and ragebait to trick people into clicking. You're still paying for that content -- just with your mental health and not your dollars. I know which currency I'd rather pay.
 
I don't understand why these not ad supported sites don't go for volume at 10 dollars per year instead few handful at 120 dollars a year.
 
TheAnt said:
I see what you mean, but game reviews are not the same thing as reporting about world events.

Game opinions are very subjective, and so if you find someone whose opinions on most games fall in line with yours, it makes sense you would watch their content, since the way they feel about the game is probably a good indication on how you will feel about the game.
Click to expand...
But, again, why would you ever want to only read game reviews from reviewers who you believe will agree with you? What's the point? Why wouldn't you want to be challenged?

Maybe it's a generational thing, but I can think of nothing more boring, uninteresting, and masturbatory than curating a list of game reviewers that I believe will tell me what I want to hear, then sticking my fingers in my ears for the rest. I WANT to read people's opinions on things that I don't agree with. Why would I only want to hear from people who will reflect what I already believe back at me? Doesn't that make reading anything essentially redundant.

It's true of game reviews, of news media, of political journalism - retreating into your bubble, whether a bubble of taste or politics, is a waste of time.
 
In an age where people can only read headlines, look at the number of a review and read summarized tweets - Why?
 
Sgt. Pinback said:
But, again, why would you ever want to only read game reviews from reviewers who you believe will agree with you? What's the point? Why wouldn't you want to be challenged?

Maybe it's a generational thing, but I can think of nothing more boring, uninteresting, and masturbatory than curating a list of game reviewers that I believe will tell me what I want to hear, then sticking my fingers in my ears for the rest. I WANT to read people's opinions on things that I don't agree with. Why would I only want to hear from people who will reflect what I already believe back at me? Doesn't that make reading anything essentially redundant.

It's true of game reviews, of news media, of political journalism - retreating into your bubble, whether a bubble of taste or politics, is a waste of time.
Click to expand...
And both of them are free to waste their time that way 🤷‍♂️ and I think they will be fine as SkillUp usually sticks to just talking about games and less about personal issues and culture war topics, which are two things that can lead very quickly to a bubble issue.

I will say though, your argument reminds me of people here who don't understand the fun in walking simulators, Animal Crossing, and build/craft games, because those gamers aren't sweating to death on Sekiro or some CoD match.

Or maybe it sounds like you would value the site more if they did the multi-score review method of a place like Famitsu or EGM? Which I guess SkillUp kind of does on some videos where they disagree on a game. I think eventually he might have to change his rating system. Recommend, middle of the road, and Not Recommend feels a bit tough for those fun 7s out there.
 
Man, I remember the first weeks of vgc, it was so good to use it, but then, the auto play videos started. Let me Check out.
 
March Climber said:
And both of them are free to waste their time that way 🤷‍♂️ and I think they will be fine as SkillUp usually sticks to just talking about games and less about personal issues and culture war topics, which are two things that can lead very quickly to a bubble issue.
Click to expand...
Never said they weren't. I have no idea what you're referring to here. You want to stay in your bubble? Do it, I don't care.

March Climber said:
I will say though, your argument reminds me of people here who don't understand the fun in walking simulators, Animal Crossing, and build/craft games, because those gamers aren't sweating to death on Sekiro or some CoD match.
Click to expand...
I have no idea what you're talking about here. All I said was that only reading media that serves you up opinions that you believe you will already agree with is a waste of time. It's really not a difficult concept to understand.

March Climber said:
Or maybe it sounds like you would value the site more if they did the multi-score review method of a place like Famitsu or EGM? Which I guess SkillUp kind of does on some videos where they disagree on a game. I think eventually he might have to change his rating system. Recommend, middle of the road, and Not Recommend feels a bit tough for those fun 7s out there.
Click to expand...
I don't give a fuck what he does with his site.
 
Sgt. Pinback said:
But, again, why would you ever want to only read game reviews from reviewers who you believe will agree with you? What's the point? Why wouldn't you want to be challenged?

Maybe it's a generational thing, but I can think of nothing more boring, uninteresting, and masturbatory than curating a list of game reviewers that I believe will tell me what I want to hear, then sticking my fingers in my ears for the rest. I WANT to read people's opinions on things that I don't agree with. Why would I only want to hear from people who will reflect what I already believe back at me? Doesn't that make reading anything essentially redundant.

It's true of game reviews, of news media, of political journalism - retreating into your bubble, whether a bubble of taste or politics, is a waste of time.
Click to expand...
Because I don't think I can be "challenged" by reading a review where I don't agree with the reviewer. I've nothing to "learn", it's just someone presenting their subjective opinions about the game. If they don't fall in line with mine, that's fine, and I'd gladly read the review if I find the content interesting. But if my goal is to get a sense of whether I'll buy a game or not, then reading a review from someone on whose opinions I don't usually agree with, makes no sense to me.

But just to be clear, I'm not saying I'm like the original person you've quoted, I watch a variety of reviews simply because I enjoy watching people talk about a game, and enjoy watching game's footage. I'm just playing the devil's advocate as to why I think people my prefer watching content from a reviewer they tend to agree with.
 
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