Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Encyclopedia
Rock, Paper, Shotgun is a UK-based PC gaming blog written by Alec Meer, Jim Rossignol
, John Walker
, and previously Kieron Gillen
and Quintin Smith. Rock, Paper, Shotgun launched in July 2007. In 2010 the website partnered with Eurogamer
. Rock, Paper, Shotgun reports on upcoming major releases and independent esoterica, and includes reviews, previews, features and interviews related to PC gaming and the PC gaming industry.
Kieron Gillen was a co-founder (with Meer, Rossignol and Walker) and regular contributor to the site from its launch in July 2007 until 30 September 2010, when he announced that he would no longer be involved in posting the day-to-day content of Rock, Paper, Shotgun, focusing more on his work with Marvel Comics
, but would continue to act as a director and occasionally write essay pieces for the site.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun also features less frequent contributions from several other writers, including Tim Stone, Phill Cameron, Lewie Procter, Robert Florence, Richard Cobbett, Brendan Caldwell and Lewis Denby.
Some of the frequent categories of stories posted on RPS include:
came under scrutiny by Fox News
through an article by John Brandon and later on February 20, 2011 through their televised broadcast and another article. The game was targeted because of its profanity, crude behavior (examples of which including the game's skill-shot system, which has a move that rewards players for shooting at an enemy's genitals), and sexual innuendo. Alongside the panel of Fox News anchors was a psychiatrist by the name of Carole Lieberman
, who remarked: "Video games have increasingly, and more brazenly, connected sex and violence in images, actions and words. This has the psychological impact of doubling the excitement, stimulation and incitement to copycat acts. The increase in rapes can be attributed, in large part, to the playing out of such scenes in video games." Other claims included that the game could reach audiences as young as nine years old, and that the gore and profanity could seriously traumatize a child of that age group. These claims were largely ridiculed among gaming websites including Rock Paper Shotgun who ran a series of articles discrediting the reports by Fox News and analysed Lieberman's claims, and found only one of eight sources she provided had anything to do with the subject at hand. Fox News acknowledged that they had been contacted by Rock Paper Shotgun and responded to the claims by Rock Paper Shotgun through its article on February 20, 2011 by stating that the game still remained a threat to children.
Jim Rossignol
Jim Rossignol is a British computer games journalist and critic, as well as an author.-Journalism:Rossignol started his career a reporter on a finance newsletter. He says he was fired from the job due to obsession with a video game...
, John Walker
John Walker (journalist)
John Walker is a British computer games journalist, as well as a cartoonist and TV critic.-Journalism:Walker has contributed to a range of print publications, including PC Gamer , Total Film, Linux Format, Cult TV, Edge, NGamer, Windows XP, PC Plus, Official Xbox Magazine, Gamesmaster and PC...
, and previously Kieron Gillen
Kieron Gillen
Kieron Gillen is a British computer games and music journalist, as well as a comic book author. Gillen has worked for many years as a video game journalist and has, more recently, worked on various comics. He is perhaps best known for his creator-owned comic Phonogram, created with artist Jamie...
and Quintin Smith. Rock, Paper, Shotgun launched in July 2007. In 2010 the website partnered with Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
. Rock, Paper, Shotgun reports on upcoming major releases and independent esoterica, and includes reviews, previews, features and interviews related to PC gaming and the PC gaming industry.
Contributors
The site has four main contributors:- Alec Meer is a video games journalist who has published in The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
. - Jim Rossignol is an author and video games journalist.
- John Walker is a video games journalist.
- Quintin Smith is a video games journalist, at first an occasional contributor to Rock, Paper, Shotgun, he replaced Kieron Gillen as one of the four main writers in October 2010 before resigning in July 2011.
Kieron Gillen was a co-founder (with Meer, Rossignol and Walker) and regular contributor to the site from its launch in July 2007 until 30 September 2010, when he announced that he would no longer be involved in posting the day-to-day content of Rock, Paper, Shotgun, focusing more on his work with Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, but would continue to act as a director and occasionally write essay pieces for the site.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun also features less frequent contributions from several other writers, including Tim Stone, Phill Cameron, Lewie Procter, Robert Florence, Richard Cobbett, Brendan Caldwell and Lewis Denby.
Content
Rock, Paper, Shotgun reports on upcoming major releases and independent esoterica, and includes reviews, previews, features and interviews related to PC gaming and the PC gaming industry.Some of the frequent categories of stories posted on RPS include:
- The Sunday Papers: A weekly round up of gaming related news.
- RPS Bargain Bucket: Information in relation to discounted downloads available from third party gaming websites.
- Wot I Think: Review of a particular game including what the reviewer thought of the game based on his first hand experience.
Bulletstorm Fox News Controversy
On February 8, 2011, the game BulletstormBulletstorm
Bulletstorm is a first-person shooter video game developed by People Can Fly and Epic Games, and is published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows...
came under scrutiny by Fox News
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
through an article by John Brandon and later on February 20, 2011 through their televised broadcast and another article. The game was targeted because of its profanity, crude behavior (examples of which including the game's skill-shot system, which has a move that rewards players for shooting at an enemy's genitals), and sexual innuendo. Alongside the panel of Fox News anchors was a psychiatrist by the name of Carole Lieberman
Carole Lieberman
Carole Lieberman M.D. of Beverly Hills, California was born and raised in New York City. Dr. Lieberman received her Medical Degree from Belgium's Université catholique de Louvain and received her psychiatric residency training at N.Y.U.-Bellevue, where she was Chief Resident...
, who remarked: "Video games have increasingly, and more brazenly, connected sex and violence in images, actions and words. This has the psychological impact of doubling the excitement, stimulation and incitement to copycat acts. The increase in rapes can be attributed, in large part, to the playing out of such scenes in video games." Other claims included that the game could reach audiences as young as nine years old, and that the gore and profanity could seriously traumatize a child of that age group. These claims were largely ridiculed among gaming websites including Rock Paper Shotgun who ran a series of articles discrediting the reports by Fox News and analysed Lieberman's claims, and found only one of eight sources she provided had anything to do with the subject at hand. Fox News acknowledged that they had been contacted by Rock Paper Shotgun and responded to the claims by Rock Paper Shotgun through its article on February 20, 2011 by stating that the game still remained a threat to children.