Dear game developers, please remember what 'on the record' meansDear game developers, please remember what 'on the record' meansDear game developers, please remember what 'on the record' means

Let's discuss the role of journalists and journalism in the video game industry.

Chris Kerr , Senior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.com

October 6, 2025

6 Min Read

A recording device placed on a table next to multiple press badges from game industry events

Image via Game Developer

I'm going to peel back the curtain here and level with you. This year, I've received a surprising number of requests from developers and PR teams that had me morphing into everybody's favorite blinker-in-chief. Shout out to Drew Scanlon.

Those requests took the form of senior figures or account managers at PR firms asking me to edit published articles and cut remarks they or their clients made during interviews. Some of those chats took place over email. Others were held in-person at major industry events. In each instance, however, they were conversations that both myself and my interviewees had agreed would be on the record.

What does that phrase mean, precisely? According to 'Writing & Reporting for the Media' (via Oxford University Press ): "'On the record' attribution means that everything the source says may be published and quoted directly, and the source may be fully identified by name and title."

It sounds straightforward enough, but the even shorter version is this: If you agree to an on-the-record chinwag with a journalist, every single word you say could be published.

This is something I'm increasingly convinced a lot of developers and PR teams do not truly appreciate, perhaps because out-and-out video game journalists are a dying breed. I'm not taking potshots at content creators or influencers here, but our circles do not overlap.

I'm not going to put anybody on blast for reaching out because I believe most of the requests I received were sent in good faith, but it's vital developers and PR representatives understand the nature of on-the-record interviews and, more broadly, the role of journalists within the video game industry.

Journalists might be friendly—but they are not your friends

The first difficult truth to acknowledge on our collective journey might ruffle feathers, but I strongly believe this is where the problem starts.

Developers: journalists are not your friends.

They aren't even your peers. Journalists are hired to scrutinize and report on the video game industry. In my role as a trade reporter, that means attempting to disseminate information that's relevant to our audience at Game Developer. Sometimes that means publishing investigative pieces or reporting on layoffs to hold corporations to account. On other occasions it might be penning a deep dive into a certain game mechanic or interviewing a founder about the direction of their next lofty business endeavor.

I have no doubt that in the process of speaking with journalists you might build a friendly rapport. I've had many a pleasant conversation with people whose work I've enjoyed, but there is a fundamental divide that must always be acknowledged. I am here to report on the video game industry. You are working within it.

No matter how cordial our correspondence, there might come a time when I have to report on you, your product, or your company in a way you no longer find beneficial or flattering. That is the job. Reporters are not an extension of your marketing department. We are not there to promote you, your product, or tailor headlines to meet your specific needs.

Acknowledge this before you agree to an interview. Let the truth wash over you like a salve. You'll be better off for it.

If you haven't had any media training, get some. Prepare thoroughly for interviews. Understand who you are going to be speaking to. Are they a consumer journalist, whose audience will more likely be the people who play your games? Are they a trade journalist more interested in the business and craft of making video games? Once you have that information, consider how you might discuss a range of topics given the context of your conversation.

Are you chatting shortly after your video game launched to millions of sales and critical acclaim? Perhaps it sunk like a lead balloon and the future of your studio is now uncertain? Or maybe your parent company just signed a deal with one of those controversial conglomerates that seem to be everywhere lately? Take into account all of the above and ensure you're fully equipped to deal with all lines of questioning—including those that might be more critical.

If you'd like support, have a PR representative assist with interviews. They should be able to brief you beforehand, provide additional information and context where necessary, and even step in whenever a question is deemed off limits—although that in itself could raise eyebrows .

If you aren't able or willing to discuss certain topics, a simple "I can't comment on that at this point in time" could save you a lot of hassle in the future. If you'd like to provide context off record or on background, specify that during the interview or beforehand. It will be down to the reporter to decide whether to agree to that request, but you should at the very least pose the question. If you do misspeak, clarify yourself in the moment or reach out as soon as you're able. Preferably before we publish.

If, however, you simply plow ahead during an on-the-record conversation without a care in the world, understand that everything you say could soon appear in lights.

Preparation is the key to preventing a faux pas

I cannot speak for other outlets, but once we have published an article containing on-the-record statements we will not retract them unless they are factually inaccurate or woefully misleading. When we do permit clarifications, those new statements will be published as an 'update' at the beginning of the relevant story. Your original comments will remain on the page for posterity.

In short, you cannot wrestle the cat back into the bag.

Doing so places journalists in an uncomfortable position and (in the opinion of this reporter) is an overstep. I'm not unsympathetic to the requests I have received. I do not revel in the notion of publishing stories that leave people open to criticism or land them in hot water. And yet my job is to ask (sometimes difficult) questions and report what I hear. It is not incumbent on reporters to retroactively soften or amend the words of developers and comms teams to suit their needs, no matter how earnest those requests.

A clear divide between journalist and subject is vital in maintaining a healthy, functioning press. Our readers must be able to trust that we will not grant favors or blur the truth to pacify the very people we are reporting on. Asking us to do so—even in good faith—risks corroding the bedrock of our industry.

In all honesty, it feels awkward to even have to publish an op-ed like this, but it is my sincere hope that doing so will help those developers who court the press understand how to navigate a tricky slalom. Protect yourself from yourself by preparing—and understand that once a journalist has hit record, you aren't just speaking to them, but to the world.

About the Author

Chris Kerr

Senior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton.

See more from Chris Kerr

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