WoW Insider is a new blog launched by Weblogs, Inc. dedicated to the MMORPG World of Warcraft. I wrote about my take on the blog, which was: nice effort but the site is lacking.
One issue I had with the blog is that the majority of the posts were written by a blogger who was relatively new to the game. Josh has three characters between level 30-35 and three other characters ranging in level from 13-25. Josh says:
“One thing I am NOT - an uber level 60 hardcore raid/guild fanatic. I am here to provide you my perspective of the game, as I play it.”
Why is this a problem? The majority of the posts were written by someone who would not be considered an authority on the game. The readers would have more knowledge than the writer and that is not a good position to be in. Writers need to be authorities on the topic they are writing about. The content needs to be accurate.
This does not mean there isn’t a place for Josh on the site. In my opinion, there is a definite appeal to a non-hardcore gamer writing and sharing their experience for casual players. It is common for hardcore gamers to write in a fashion new players do not understand. However, it should be very clear that Josh is inexperienced and the majority of the content should not be from an inexperienced player.
Comments are mixed on this. Many people enjoyed Josh’s writing. More experienced players realized immediately Josh was somewhat inexperienced and called him on it. From a business stand point this blog has to compete with gaming sites that do have “pros” writing for them. Something has to change.
Weblogs, Inc. is correcting their mistake. Via Blog Network Watch, I found out the hunt is on for experienced WoW players:
“You must submit three writing samples with your application — without them, we simply cannot consider you. You also need to tell us about your experience with the game, how long you’ve been playing, and about your main character(s) and alts if you run them (class/race/rank/professions).”
Nice improvement. There is only one problem…is the person hiring a gamer? If not, the same problem can happen all over again. I can present many people who are level 60, have been in the game since launch and would not be sufficient for blogging. Finding qualified bloggers for business purposes (blog networks, companies, etc) is a topic that I will discuss many times. It is a difficult task, just like finding the right employee.
I commend Weblogs, Inc. for attempting to find a better balance between a casual gamer sharing experiences and an authority on the subject. If you think you are qualified, apply…and good luck!
