There's a debate that rages across the games media about how free writers and editors can afford to be on social media.

The advent of platforms such as Twitter has given games journalists previously locked away behind bylines the freedom to be personalities – to build up a brand around themselves that, regardless of the publication they're writing for that week, can generate page views aplenty of its own accord.

With this apparent freedom, however, comes an additional responsibility.

While being outspoken on social media can build a writer's profile and, as such, benefit any websites or magazines he or she works for, it can also land them in a whole heap of trouble.

Indeed, there's a big difference between offering honest, stark views on platforms such as Twitter – something I've indulged in myself on plenty of occasions – and actively attempting to create a cult of personality around yourself.

'You know what I think?'

When it comes to the latter, Twitter in particular is full of such personalities.

There are bands of writers within this industry whose respective names carry weight not because of any articles they've written, but because of how they're perceived to be online. What box they fit into. What role they fill.

The problem is, when games journalists believe their opinions – fully formed or not - carry clout, it's hard for them to resist putting it to some use.

Last weekend saw the negative side of a games media staffed by folks who believe their own hype rear its ugly head. With talk Microsoft was set to allow indie developers to self-publish hitting the web, many sites turned to indies who had previously enjoyed success on XBLA for comment – a reasonable tactic, in my opinion.

Top of GameTrailers list of targets were were Braid's Jonathan Blow and Phil Fish of Fez fame. Both, it would appear, declined the site's invitation for comment, which resulted in the site's podcast producer and co-host Marcus Beer – better known as @AnnoyedGamer – venting his frustrations on the site.

Speaking on the latest episode of GameTrailers' Invisible Walls podcast, Beer described both Blow and Fish – not-so-lovingly branded as 'BlowFish' – as a "pair of tosspots", "fucking hipsters" and, of Fish in particular, "a fucking asshole".

A load of toss

"You can't have it both ways," offered Beer, claiming developers are all to eager to talk to the press when they're looking to 'shill' their next game.

"You're successful game designers, you're 'indie' game designers. Good for you, you fucking hipsters."

He continued, "Don't get fucking snicky about it, alright? Jesus, you should be grateful that these guys still consider what you say something of use. Me, I think that both of you are a pair of tosspots.

"Having seen these wankers over and over again bitch and moan – Phil Fish in particular...he's a fucking asshole most of the time."

It was a tirade that, as you might expect, resulted in an angry and – dare I say it – impassioned response from Phil Fish who, after the dust had settled, announced the cancellation of Fez 2 and his apparent withdrawal from games development.

Putting aside the dramatics of it for a second – which led the perverse but all-too-frequent situation where games sites were tweeting links to articles written about a story that had actually broken on Twitter – no-one came out of the episode looking good.

Fish's detractors used the debacle as an excuse to stick the knife in – Phil essentially accused of being a drama queen, or orchestrating the whole event for a bit of PR for his game – while Beer also appeared to be subject to a fair bit of personal abuse, blamed for canning the development of a game many were eager to play.

Crossing a line

However well known a writer may be for expressing their opinion, resorting to calling a developer a "fucking asshole" is a step too far in my book.

It would've been easier to understand had Beer chosen to vent his frustrations via his Twitter account, perhaps, but using a GameTrailers podcast – a medium that, in my view, is equivalent to any written piece of editorial – to launch a personal attack against a developer is embarrassing, both for the individuals involved and for games journalism as a profession.

Can you imagine the BBC, or any other reputable news organisation operating outside of the games media bubble, taking to the air to brand a politician who refused its journalists an interview a "fucking asshole"?

Even discounting the argument that such an act isn't professional, if journalists resort to personally attacking the people fueling the very industry they're meant to be covering, then everyone loses.

Games developers are far likely to form working relationships with those journalists and will keep their comments and their views – the lifeblood of many games websites – to themselves.

Yes, Beer may be known by his followers as someone who speaks his mind, but in this case, his 'cult of personality' has prevented him doing his job properly. Games journalists – like any other journalists – are meant to report stories, not be part of them.

Not one and the same

This is by no means the only example of someone working within the games media overstepping the mark and becoming part of the industry they're meant to be reporting on, however.

There's a far wider misconception that mediums such as Twitter have helped escalate – the misconception that games journalists are part of the games industry.

Sure, there are games journalists who have crossed the divide and worked on games. It's also fair to say there plenty of writers and editors have friendly relationships with developers big and small – something I've previously stated I have no issue with, and can actually aid the insight delivered within the games media.

However, while it's true to say social media has broken down many of the walls that previously kept developers and journalists apart, the two different professions are just that – two different professions.

The minute a games journalist sees him or herself as 'part of the industry', then the waters have been muddied. Not only does that give them carte blanche to offer their opinions on the scene in a way a developer might, it's also akin to a documentary maker directly influencing the film's subjects.
"Yeah, I thought that lion was an asshole for killing that buffalo, so I shot him."

The games media as a whole needs to openly frown upon incidents like this. It doesn't matter who the developer is, what they've done or who they've done it to – resorting to personal attacks crosses a line that appears to be getting increasingly blurred.

I don't particularly blame Beer – he operates within a sector of journalism where punters seem to clamour for this kind of 'no holds barred' approach – but what's clear is, the games media needs to stop trying to be part of the story.

Open insight and opinion should be welcomed, but the minute you brand a developer a "fucking asshole", you've lost.