This may be short notice, but once again we are opening reader submissions for the annual This Year In Video Game Blogging feature. If last year is any indication this is an especially liked feature of our little year end look back that we do at Critical Distance. Oh, oh so popular.
Like in previous years, we are crowd sourcing posts in addition to my own culling efforts. The rules and types of things we are looking for in the recommendations are the same vague guidelines mixed with some judicial sense. The only real hard and fast rule we have for this feature is that the post, video or whatever else has a 2013 post date. That’s from January 1st to whenever you end up sending in your suggestion. This isn’t the same as for a weekly round up, this is for the whole year. We are looking for the best of the best. To help, here are our so called criteria to give an idea of what we are looking for.
1. Any piece of writing that just sticks out in your mind. After all this time to the end of the year, you still remember it or keep seeing it brought up. Pieces that get cited to this day. Examples from previous years include:
–The New Games Journalism by Kieron Gillen ‘05
–Ludonarrative Dissonance by Clint Hocking ‘07
–Taxonomy of Gamers by Mitch Krapta ‘08
–Permanent Death by Ben Abraham ‘09
–Video games can never be art by Roger Ebert ‘10
–The Pratfall of Penny Arcade – A Timeline (aka Debacle Timeline) by Unknown ‘11
–Killing is Harmless: A Critical Reading of Spec Ops: The Line by Brendan Keogh ’12
2. Any pieces that are an excellent example of larger trends within the conversation from the critical community surrounding the big games of the year. Last year that would be Spec Ops: The Line, Journey, The Walking Dead and so on. We want examples pieces highlighting the discussion that took place around the games of this year.
3. Any example pieces from the important critics/sites that stood out this year. These are the pieces that highlight or are representative of the critics’ writing and work throughout the year. And of course, you can nominate your own work.
4. Any pieces of excellence pertaining to gaming culture that highlights a conversation from this year. Large compilation pieces are preferred should they exist or pieces that otherwise capture the scope and variety of the conversation.
5. Any pieces that may not pertain to the larger discussion around a title, highlight an important topic nor is a piece of great significance for years to come, but is simply an exceptional piece of beautiful writing.
These are rough guidelines as to what we are looking for. Please email all links to our email. DO NOT use Twitter or message on Facebook. We will not be checking those for the yearly submissions. Take your time, consider carefully and send us in your favorite examples of criticism. If you need more help you can check previous years TYIVGB for the type of thing we are looking for. Also, and this is a personal request, please try and keep the number of links under 50 for my own sanity. The deadline is Midnight December 25th Eastern Standard Time.
You can send in an many emails as you like with links. If you forget one or remember one later, send it in. Please put TYIVGB or some other indicator that it is for the yearly roundup in the subject line. And maybe, a few words on why you think a piece should be included. Please don’t make me regret saying this part again this year. A few words, not essays.
We thank you for your time and hope you have a happy December. I’m already freezing.