The team at NAG is committed to producing and publishing content that is original, conscientious, and free from external bias or other conflicts of interest.
SOURCES
In South Africa, access to developers, publishers, and other media orgs is limited, so most of our news content is sourced from websites, social media, and local PR. Where relevant, these sources are cited and linked.
ADS
Every ad on NAG is sponsored by a local company (PR and independent distributors), and delivered via our own ad server. Ad sales are managed by the sales department, and not ever involved with the editorial department.
PRESS RELEASES
Since November 2020, we’ve started publishing press releases in a separate “PRESS RELEASES” category.
OBJECTIVITY VERSUS SUBJECTIVITY
Facts aren’t opinions, but we love these things equally. Our news writers are expected to report the facts, but are not prohibited from also having and expressing opinions about them – including controversial opinions. In fact (ha), we want our writers to have and express their opinions. It’s, like, our vibe. Opinions are the writer’s own, though, and not the opinions of NAG as a company.
Much the same, NAG’s reviews are a mega-mix of facts and opinions. It’s a fact, for example, that a game has technical problems, and it’s an opinion that Ashley Williams totally deserved to die Virmire. Sorry, no. That’s also a fact. Ashley was the worst. Also a fact.
This kind of thing isn’t for everybody. That’s okay. You’ve got every other website on the internet to choose instead.
GAME REVIEWS
Our game reviews are scored between 0-100.
0-30: No.
31-40: Bad, but there’s probably (maybe) a subreddit of gamers who would be into it.
41-50: Also bad, but less bad. Kind of bad. Almost meh.
51-60: Meh.
61-70: Not meh, but also not necessarily a forever game unless you’re a super-fan of the genre or franchise.
71-80: NICE.
81-90: Amaze. This is a game you shouldn’t miss – an innovative or unconventional concept, perhaps, or max funs.
91-100: Like amaze, but even more amaze. Omg, even.
Review scores are awarded entirely at the review writer’s discretion, according to whatever criteria they choose. For some writers, sloppy narratives or awkward controls or whatever else are more of a big deal than for others, and consistency between different writers should not be assumed.
Review writers are expected to complete a game before writing a review, although exceptions for some games are made – a game without a campaign, for example, or a game that’s so, so, so bad that finishing it would be a crime.
In most cases, review copies are provided by PR or distributors. Review scores are not discussed with PR or distributors before being published. In the (as yet) unprecedented event that a review score is changed subsequent to publishing, a reason for this will be explained in the text.
HARDWARE REVIEWS
Our hardware reviews are scored between 1-100, with more or less the same number categories as game reviews. In 2019, however, we decided to re-focus hardware reviews from nerd-level ultra-technical to a more consumer-based model. Less bytes-per-cycleflops stats analysis, more BUT CAN IT PLAY FORTNITE WITHOUT EXPLODING.
In most cases, review units are provided by PR or distributors for a temporary evaluation time, and must be returned to the supplier. Review scores are not discussed with PR or distributors before being published. In the (as yet) unprecedented event that a review score is changed subsequent to publishing, a reason for this will be explained in the text.
DISCLOSURES
In the event that a disclosure is required – a review writer, for example, backed the game on Kickstarter – this will be included in the text, but we avoid this sort of contingency if we can.
PUBLIC CONDUCT
Some of NAG’s writers have personal social media accounts. The content of those accounts isn’t monitored, and is not endorsed or otherwise affiliated with NAG.
CORRECTIONS
Mistakes get made.
In the event that an article is updated to include corrections or new info, this text is separate from the original text, and marked as such. Except typos, obviously, which we fix in secret.
In the event that we got something totally wrong, this content will not be deleted. It will stay up, forever, as a monument to our shame and stupidity.