Editor's blog: Not The Top 50

By Tom Bramwell Published 23 December, 2009

Happy New Christmas.

If you've read Eurogamer for more than a few months, you're probably aware that we traditionally end the year with our rundown of the writers' top 50 games of the preceding 12 months. As we always point out, it's a list of games the editorial staff and freelance contributors have played and selected as their favourites, and it's assembled based on their orders of preference. It's meant to illustrate what we've played and liked, and give us a forum to exchange views about them with one another on the site. It's a list of some of the best games of the year, but it's not a definitive order by any measure.

However, this is a subtle distinction, and so every year when we do the list we're encouraged by a vocal majority to climb a wall of poo. Last year, even EA Sports president Peter Moore forgot to read the label and went off on one about FIFA 09 not making the 50. It's one thing when PersonStumblingInFromAnotherForum52 breaks the swearing policy because more of the staff liked platformers than games that were about shooting Nazis in the face, but when the head of a major multinational corporation calls you out because you admitted to what you'd spent the year playing then you tend to question your premise.

Still, we swore we'd give it another go, and the opportunity came around sooner than expected. In September we celebrated our 10-year anniversary as a company, and decided to put together a Lifetime Top 10, voted for in much the same way: a reflection of our choices and experiences over a decade, writ large, rather than a list of the 10 best games of the decade, which would surely be wrong and meaningless. However, even with a careful disclaimer, this resulted in a comments thread that made us all cry.

But a curious thing happened. At the same time as the Lifetime Top 10, we also did a series of blogs where we all paid tribute to games we really liked at greater length. Part retrospective, part personal tribute, they took in a lot of the same games and a few others that meant something to us, and... the response was almost universally positive. If you stop trying to put things in order, it turns out people like reading about games again, even if you have the temerity to admit you like one!

So this year we're going to do things a bit differently. We still have loads of games we want to write about, either because we want to make sure you didn't miss out on them, or because you already love them and we want to bask in the reasons why. But we're not going to put them in a list. Instead we've nominated a healthy number behind closed doors and I've invited most of our lovely contributors to revisit them in a series of posts between now and the end of the year, starting today with FIFA 10 (hi Peter!) and of course Demon's Souls. We'll also have Ellie's traditional festive roundup of the year's news and a few other bits and pieces.

Once we're done with those, we'll name a single title as the Eurogamer Game of the Year, as voted for by the core editorial staff and our regular contributors. This is what would traditionally have held the number one position in our old list. We'll also publish your Top 50 Games of 2009, based on the thousands of votes we've received in the last two weeks and including many of your comments, because with a sample size that hefty you can derive a great deal from the collective judgement. (Plus, we don't mind if you flame yourselves.) Hopefully the result of these efforts in combination will be just as much interesting insight, debate and entertainment as the old format, and less of the confusion and anger that used to spoil an otherwise lovely time of year for gaming.

As always, we'll be paying attention to your responses, and I know that there will be those of you who think it's a shame to say goodbye to the Top 50. So do I. February will be the 10-year anniversary of my joining Eurogamer, and I've presided over a lot of these lists in the past, and have always been the person staying up over Christmas gluing all the words together, so they are close to my heart. But enough's enough. There's got to be a happy alternative. Wait and see how this year pans out, and if you end up hating it let us know and we'll look at it again in another 12 months.

In the meantime, thanks for all your support throughout the year and we hope you enjoy the next two weeks of content while we recharge. See you in 2010.

Tom Bramwell
Editor, Eurogamer.net

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (103) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • AHiFi #1 2 years ago

    Well Tom, I'm one of those people who loves a good old list.. =( How many games will you be covering?

  • Monkey_Chops #2 2 years ago

    As someone who tends to rely on lists to help me choose which games to play next, this is a shame; but I am curious to see how this new approach pans out. Colour me intrigued.

  • peterfll #3 2 years ago

    Give it a go! What's the worst that can happen? I mean really?

  • Eraser #4 2 years ago

    heh, I can see how a top 10 will always turn into a rant fest as whatever games are in there, in whatever order, someone is bound to be hurt.

  • rotmm #5 2 years ago

    @monkey, "As someone who tends to rely on lists to help me choose which games to play next, this is a shame...",

    Well, you'll still have the readers top 50, which should be a better indication of games to play (based on a larger sample size) anyway.

  • Freek #6 2 years ago

    Good idea! The job of putting sports title X ahead of action title Y seems like a road to nowhere anyway. Trying to putt a subjective opinion in some kind of objective list is a difficult task at best. Doing away with the whole thing and just celebrating good games in general sounds like the perfect solution.

  • Vice.Destroyer #7 2 years ago

    I don't know how I managed to miss Peter Moore's blog. That is funny. Eurogamer, you made a man in Liverpool FC pyjamas cry.

    Do it again.

  • Blerk #8 2 years ago

    Leaving the numbers off should make for a much more pleasant experience, I'm sure. Although this is the comments section so you should always expect the worst. :-D

    Merry Christmas, EG staffers! And you lot as well, I suppose. ;-)

  • El-Dev #9 2 years ago

    I have and I don't.

  • Jay-ITFC #10 2 years ago

    People love the forum arguments, it's all part of it! Bring on the list I say!

  • dr_swin #11 2 years ago

    This is utter bollocks Tom. The Eurogamer top 50 is one of the highlights of the year. So what if it generates discussion and some people feel their game has been left out. I like reading the retrospectives but you can't beat a good list! This is so disappointing. (and if feels like you don't really agree with it.)

  • udat #12 2 years ago

    The chicken impersonation/dance, implying EG are scared of all the forumites pissing and moaning.

    Arrested Development ftw.

  • wizlon #13 2 years ago

    Seems like you took the easy way out there.... but whatever, it's all good.

  • Doctor_What #14 2 years ago

    HOW DARE YOU?!?!?!

    Only kidding :p

    Fair enough Tom. It's a shame to see the old style go, but I'm sure it was a lot of work and I know from personal experience that there's no such thing as a happy internet. That can be pretty heart-breaking when you've slaved over making something that you think is fair, balanced, and a bit of good clean fun, especially at this time of year.

    I look forward to the retrospectives, and especially to Ellie's news round-up.

    Thanks for a fun and interesting year of coverage, have a great time off over Christmas, and I look forward to reading more in 2010.

  • JahB #15 2 years ago

    that's a real pity, that list was part of my xmas tradition. and it's not like the forumites aren't gonna go off their nut anyway once you name your GOTY...

  • Widge #16 2 years ago

    Although people, this way you just get features on the great games of the year, without some formal set in stone pecking order that can in turn be used to validate which is the best console or whatnot.

    If somethings gets a mention, its a bloody good game!

  • Retroid #17 2 years ago

    Humbug! HUMBUG, I SAY!

    Would anyone like one? They're rather nice.

    /Offers sweeties bag

  • secombe #18 2 years ago

    A shame, but I can see your point if you put hours and hours into compiling a list - only for hundreds of kids (both in age and maturity) to come along and rip it to pieces for no reason whatsoever.

    I think, however, that a silent majority actually really enjoy the lists and discover some hidden gems amongst them (especially the critics list as it's more likely to throw in a surprise), we just get muted by the rampaging minority that just have to force their opinion upon everyone.

    What do they say in industry? Can't remember the general ratio, but it's something like for every 10 complaints, there are more than likely 100 people silently happy with it.

  • Jonny5Alive7 #19 2 years ago

    Extremely disappointed. I love reading the EG Top 50, I find it really interesting. I don't think you can get rid of it just because some people complain about your choices and Peter Moore gets upset (FIFA 10 will do better this year anyway). Whats great about the EG Top 50 is its usually a bit different to the standard list, theres always a few surprises that get higher than expected - which is great. BRING IT BACK!

  • Shinetop #20 2 years ago

    The correct chicken dance would be either "COO cah COO cah COO cah COO!", "Chee chah, chee chah!", "Adoodledoodledoo! Adoodledoodledoo!" or "Cacoocatcha! Cacoocatcha!"

  • f00b_inc #21 2 years ago

    Can I still vote...? Can't find the page :-(

  • fatboy996 #22 2 years ago

    I'm disappointed, personally I loved the list and banter in the article about why they had picked this game and why the other reviewers/contributors were wrong for not putting it higher. I will also miss checking the website after christmas to see the top 50 list, of course you may just bring in the readers top 50 into this time slot which will be a good substitution.

  • Hinksy #23 2 years ago

    Sad news IMO.

    I always look forward to visiting Eurogamer for the top 50 list after Christmas, sadly, although I'll still pop along, most of the articles I'll just ignore whereas a top 50 would give me something to enjoy along with the quality banter you guys always have.

    You've written reviews of these games already this year, I don't get why you'd rewrite new ones a few months (or weeks even) later for these articles.

  • JetSetWilly #24 2 years ago

    Can we have the Editor's Blog in the main RSS feed for the new year please Tom?

    /off-topic

  • seasidebaz #25 2 years ago

    @Crofto:

    Fable II IS a 10/10. It's charming, fun and very very British.

  • eddiep #26 2 years ago

    Fools. I want my top 50 back.

  • Charlie_Miso #27 2 years ago

    Have any of you people ever seen a chicken?

  • JetSetWilly #28 2 years ago

    Yes. And ugh it was fowl.

    /coat

  • HuggyAtHome #29 2 years ago

    Great idea - having just read the first two articles on Fifa 10 and Demon Souls I think this is going to be much more entertaining and informative than a tabloid style list which are on every other site anyway. Goos that EG is doing something different and should generate a more mature discussion too.

    Happy Xmas.

  • electrolite #30 2 years ago

    Excellent idea.

    Get rid of scores next and then it'll make the morons start reading the reviews instead rather than filling comments threads arguing about numbers at the end of one sources reviews of different games

  • anomagnus #31 2 years ago

    THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!

    I better see road fighter on this list And big rig racing

  • webcider #32 2 years ago

    Great idea i support this stop the list wars and create some more informative well thought out articles instead.

  • dr_faulk #33 2 years ago

    Here here!

  • Windypops #34 2 years ago

    Aw, come on.

    The ranting in the comments is half the fun. It's a little disingenuous to say the comments make you cry when every other week you do an Xbox versus PS3 game-off with the sole intention of giving your readership pretend rabies.

    Show some spunk!

  • OrgasmicMutton #35 2 years ago

    I like retrospectives but I've seen plenty of them all year. Whil I wont miss the numbered list I will, as someone else mentioned, miss the banter between contributors about games they like and disliked; whether it's Gillen constantly mentioning World of Goo throughout the entire top 10 or other such amusing comments. Retrospectives, although great articles, seem a bit less fun.

    Still it's an understandable idea; the constant bickering over lists is all rather tiresome.

  • miiiguel #36 2 years ago

    You could've done a list without the hierarchical number posted in each paragraph/item, then again lists are a bit out.

    Merry xmas.

  • Drpwnage #37 2 years ago

    I always enjoyed reading the ridiculous mr.angry.internet comments over a coffee! However I understand why the EG team would find it rather tiresome.

    I seem to have missed some of the September Games of the Decade blogs so thanks for linking those articles again.

  • Tomo #38 2 years ago

    Sigh. This is extremely disappointing :(

    Fuck the cunts who bitch about the list. It's their fault for being moronic enough not to read the blurb. As for Peter Moore, that should've spurred you on to wind up more of the execs! I somewhat feel you've crumbled to the pressure here :(. I loved the Top 50 for many of the reasons outlined above. Still, I'll look forward to whatever is on offer.

  • Tomo #39 2 years ago

    Crofto sighted too!

    "Yeah, a big gamer with pretty strong but informed views on gaming, which often leads to me looking down on most gaming reviewers since they talk complete nonsense. I know what makes a good game, and what makes a bad game... I've been wasting my free time playing the bloody things long enough to tell the difference (unlike most gamers out there).

    You'll not often find me lavishing unfounded praise upon the likes of Grand Theft Auto or Gears of War, but rather on actual high quality games such as Okami and Super Mario Galaxy, which really are examples of excellent and polished gaming design."

  • luckyse7en #40 2 years ago

    You got to think about that advertisement revenue Tom...

  • orakio #41 2 years ago

    Blasphemy :-( the Top 50 was a moment to look out for every year, and I will sorely miss it...

  • lucky_jim #42 2 years ago

    In all honesty, I'm very disappointed. I always look forward to the EG top 50, and over the years it's become a part of my Xmas! However, I'm just about open-minded enough to give this newfangled approach a chance, at least the readers' top 50 is staying. I'm not sure about just giving us a "Top 1" though; people will naturally want to know which games just missed out, and more importantly, in what order!

  • gelf #43 2 years ago

    Sod the moaners I always preferred the eurogamer top 50 to the readers which is is usually stale and predictable and rarely expose me to games I may otherwise not have heard of. Its a shame people how cant read a blurb and get somehow personally affected by a number placing have won.

  • Mkwone #44 2 years ago

    This was probably covered at the time but why wasn't Fifa 09 in the top 50 games last year?

  • GreatUncleBaal #45 2 years ago

    The new format is definitely worth a try - thinking back, I was never bothered about the order the games came in on the list too much, just enjoyed reading reviewer's thoughts on them. I would think it'll be nice for the writers themselves, too, to be able to write a more leisurely piece about a game without worrying too much about a review structure.

  • RedPanda #46 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • Sonic_D #47 2 years ago

    I may have totally disagreed about Fable II being game of the year last year, but I think I'm mature to be able to deal with a countdown list. Shame that it appears others aren't.

  • FogHeart #48 2 years ago

    Complaining about game X being two places higher than game Y...we can bitch and moan but underneath it's not that serious. You get a small sample space of game fans with extremely varied tastes in a room (ie you lot) and the list is going to be different from any other list generated by a small sample space. If some posters don't appreciate that fact, they should.

    The problem arises when games Dead drop off the Space list entirely when the larger sample space (ie us lot) place it very high...you can call it a statistical aberration or just plain bad judgement, but either way you still aren't going to avoid that possibility. So I'm afraid you'll need to ask Santa for flame-retardant woolly jumpers after all.

  • gamotakon #49 2 years ago

    The Top 50 was great! A pity it's gone...

  • trip919 #50 2 years ago

    No end of year list because they’re sick of getting laughed off the face of the planet?

    Bring it back pretty please!

  • shotgun44 #51 2 years ago

    For someone who seems to hate this site, Crofto, your strong and informed views on gaming seem to crop up with alarming regularity!

    Read the retrospectives first, hoping it was a side course for the main list :(

    I enjoy a good list, tbh. The pissing and moaning is all part of the fun! Demon's Souls FTW!

  • kongzi #52 2 years ago

    hmmm.. I liked Eurogamer exactly because of distinct the lack of 'best of' list and BS fanfare. Truly, I really don't give a shit what you think is the best game at the moment... I would be curious to know why you think that game is the best, though. And let's not confuse a group of people stating their opinions over and over for an actual discussion.

    Lists are excellent for media that don't have nothing to write or talk about in the slow holiday season. People are fundamentally insecure about their likes, so they like having opinion leaders spell it out for them and affirm their preferences. I think the gaming press has more than enough to write about during this season without resorting to lists to fill up the pages.

    Just my 2 cents here. I know a lot of people that read eurogamer think like this, but don't necesarily make an account and mouth off about it on the forums. And i'm not dissing the people that like lists, make them, or the eurogamer staff, by all means go for it. But don't try to become another IGN or gamespot, it won't work.. if I wanted IGN, I wouldn't be here.

  • JeroenZM #53 2 years ago

    There's no easy way out; there's no shortcut home. I'm burning with determination to even up the score.

  • Hunam #54 2 years ago

    I think this sounds like a really good idea. Having two top 50's confuses the issue personally and I've always seen the community one as the proper top 50 just because I have participated in it!

    Anyway, I look forward to it, I love all the retrospectives you've done this year and it'll be nice to see you wax lyrical about a game this year in a more personal sense than objectively.

  • Mark1412 #55 2 years ago

    As weak as it is seeing tactless childish morons ruin an otherwise enjoyable feature, it's nice to read a well written article rekindling why we loved/hated a game (as the FIFA piece does so well) than a long list of cringe-inducing insults as the result of someone's favourite game failing to make, what is essentially, an opinion column.

  • mazk #56 2 years ago

    Dear Eurogamer: This is an amazing idea. I've always thought the games industry in general focus' on the future too much with games rarely been wrote about after release. So far your two articles have been ace.

    NICE ONE!

  • GitSomE_UK #57 2 years ago

    What! I liked the old lists... sod the moaning kiddies.

  • spenner #58 2 years ago

    Your best games of the year list introduced me to to majesty that is peggle...enough said

  • nixxrite #59 2 years ago

    I'd like to see both, to see if there's any parity between the reviewers and readers.

    The top 50 list brought games I may have missed to my attention. Shame to see it go.

  • ccfb #60 2 years ago

    There's a swearing policy?

  • tomcamfield #61 2 years ago

    Sounds like a good idea Mr Bramwell, hope it pans out as planned :)

  • Brenders #62 2 years ago

    I enjoyed reading the old list over the holidays. It put a bit more of a face and personality on the Eurogamer team.

    Being able to have a brief summary of the actual opinions of the team as gamers as opposed to the critical appraisal found in reviews used to be a good way to target hunts in the January sales.
    Edited by 1 at 23/12/09 @ 14:03

  • Artemus #63 2 years ago

    This is a shame. Like others have said the top 50 had become a bit of a tradition over the holidays. I was looking forward to it. Wasn't the whole point of the rep system to filter out some of the more idiotic/trolling comments? I can't help but wonder if there was some outside pressure that led to this.

  • chrisjm #64 2 years ago

    WHY WONT YOU TELL US IF FIFA 10 WAS IN YOUR INVISIBLE TOP 50.

  • superdelphinus #65 2 years ago

    heh, they got pussy whipped

  • Marijn #66 2 years ago

    Whether you like this decision or not, I think we can all agree that the unparallelled transparency with which Eurogamer communicates with its readers is extremely praiseworthy. Tom, you rock!

  • ghostdinosaur #67 2 years ago

    Oh no! I'm new to this site, but after reading last year's Top 50 I went through and read every past Top 50 I could find. Been clicking my Eurogamer bookmark every morning this month hoping today would be the day the Top 50 went up. Thanks for ruining my Christmas!

  • ghostdinosaur #68 2 years ago

    No, but seriously, I like the Top 50 and I like this long-form essay idea, but I actually think the most interesting end-of-the-year type deal would just be a list of each editor/contributor's top ten games with a maybe slightly longer than usual blurb about each of them. I agree with those above who've said the Readers' Top 50 lacks personality compared to the Editors' one. This way each person gets a shot at saying here's the ten games I liked the best and why I liked them and hopefully would include even more sorta odd out of left field picks which are my favorite things about the Top 50 anyway. Personality + lists. It's win-win.

  • DudBug #69 2 years ago

    A sensible solution but dull. I would rather have the list back, for all the trouble that it causes. The revelation of the next ten each day was a great mechanism as well for generating excitement.

  • RobotRocker #70 2 years ago

    Boooo.

    If FIFA 09 was not on the list last year, maybe there is a good reason for that. Publishers are becoming even more childish and the fact that EG had to drop this years top 50 because Peter Moore didn't get his lollipop is frankly alarming.

    EG needs to stick by their editorial stance too. Comments sections are for a bunch of twats (myself included) to argue pedantically over minute details and moan how we dont share the opinions of others before descending into needless ape-like shit-flinging. While its good that EG listens to their readership, its another thing to get rid of a looked forward to article just because someone took a flamebait in the comments section and the whole thing went to hell. I'll give the new articles a chance. But really EG needs to re-consider where they go from here if they are going to let a small majority control what the vast majority want to read.

    /Naaaah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah, Eurogamer Democracy
    Edited by 1 at 23/12/09 @ 16:09

  • dingo75 #71 2 years ago

    Maybe the master plan is to release the Reader's Top 50 and then let the people wear out calling each other shit.
    Once everyone is tired they will release the Top 50 EG list when there is little energy left to get into a shouting match again.

    Merry Christmas and a happy new successful 2010 EG!
    I had a lot of fun reading you daily in the last 12 months.
    Thanks for covering my hobby (games) with the dedication you show every day!
    Special kudos to Ellie that made me laugh every time she covered a press conference!
    Send her to the 2010 editions as well! :)

  • Pig-Dog_Sr. #72 2 years ago

    Umm - there will be voting. Not everyone will pick the same game for the number one slot. What was the 2nd most poular game that was almost number one? Lets even be cheeky and imagine this could also produce the 3rd most voted, that did not become th number one game. Sniff - Sniff Smells like a list to me. I like cheese and I like lists. Eating cheese reading lists over the holidays would complete me

  • brn #73 2 years ago

    Eurogamer really are a bunch of gaming journalism pioneers. KEEP IT UP

  • hughboy #74 2 years ago

    I will miss the list but enjoyed the new articles. I knew nothing of Demon Souls before, it sounds like my sorta thing so will try pick it up next year. I would have got it in time for xmas had I known about it!

  • Chufty #75 2 years ago

    Next for the axe: Face-offs! Please?

  • Trafford #76 2 years ago

    Nice idea.
    Happy Christmas

  • Jonny5Alive7 #77 2 years ago

    The problem I have with the articles is that I'm only going to read the ones for games I am interested in. I don't own a ps3 so am not going to read an article about the games since I will never get to play them. Whilst the top 50 had shorter comments that would have good banter and even the best games would have someone with a different opinion, which is why I loved it. I hope you don't get the hits you want so go back to the top 50 next year.

  • SirClive #78 2 years ago

    Bring back the top 50!

  • retr0gamer #79 2 years ago

    As some one who has ket checking this page for the last few days looking to see when the top 50 goes up I'l really disappointed by this. To be honest I'm not going to bother my hole reading those articles and would much prefer a Top 50 list. Who cares if Peter got his knickers in a twist over the last article. I hope you guys don't fold under publisher pressure as easily over review scores.

  • Skywise #80 2 years ago

    I'm really disappointed with this decision, I feel it's too much bowing down to EA and other large publishers...
    Maybe you should consider to stop writing reviews, since they might upset your advertisers as well!

    Just stick to glowing previews ;-)

    (next time I wish you'd mention disappointments earlier, I was checking all week for that list ^^)
    Edited by 2 at 25/12/09 @ 13:33

  • Sarge #81 2 years ago

    No Xmas games list?? How about a list of something else? Something to appease the list fanatic masses out there!

    Favourite colours? Top 100 invertebrate? 10 greatest pieces of attire for a chimp??

    I NEED LISTS DAMMIT!

    Merry Christmas all.

  • Bloodloss #82 2 years ago

    Stupid decision. There will always be people who complain about anything, there was no reason to let it stop you doing something that a lot of people also enjoyed. The upcoming articles won't be anywhere near as interesting or popular - I looked forward to them but have no intention of reading the articles now and I'm sure a lot of people agree.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #83 2 years ago

    Thanks for all the comments - a lot of them will be worth considering for next year's approach, so I've made a note of them.

    However, my favourite is this one:

    "This was probably covered at the time but why wasn't Fifa 09 in the top 50 games last year?"

    The answer is: I am the only Eurogamer person who cares! :-)

    Overall, it's a difficult balancing act, but as I said in the blog I want people to come together over good games, not fight one another and us about them.

    Also, while I appreciate the comments here thanking us for trying to think in terms of you, I know we don't work with you guys anywhere near as much as we'd like, so I'm trying to do more. You'll hopefully hear more from us in this area very early in 2010, and you'll get at least one cool new thing for definite in January - the new Eurogamer podcast.

    Thanks everyone. Keep feeding back.

  • KingCarrot #84 2 years ago

    Tom, you've got it all wrong! When people argue, protest and scream out - they are actually, despite what it might look like, having pure, utterly fun? What's better than watching the forum-trolls battle out among each other, discussing nonsense and bringing in perspectives that haven't got a clue to do with the subject? You are destroying such a lovely christmas-gimmick by removing the list. Instead of focusing on your own hurt feelings by the superficial "dissing", look beneath the surface at the wonderful verbal fight!

  • Faldrath #85 2 years ago

    I was yet another person that was first lured to EG by the top 50 list a few years ago, so I am sad to see it go. I think what made it special for me was that it really gave me a glimpse of different personalities at play, their preferences, styles, etc. Too many gaming sites feature very anodyne reporting where you don't even bother to look at the author's name - it makes no difference. The list showed me EG was different, and I've been following it ever since.

    The articles so far have been interesting and well written, but they do read a lot like re-reviews, so at least for me they are less attractive than the debate sparked by the list.

  • Omega[FR] #86 2 years ago

    I vote for "you should have kept the list"...
    People will always complain but that what makes these lists fun to me and it was a great buying guides when a couple years down the line you go bargain hunting for 4 for 20£ at Gamestation... Anyway, read the SF4 article and it was great so will try to read the other features as well...

  • Martin #87 2 years ago

    I approve. With this and the RPS hivemind approach to their "top 25" games of the year I got my fill of "Best games from 2009 that I won't have time to play anyhow."

    Just make sure you include the games *I* like. ;)

  • morriss #88 2 years ago

    Well, when the public dictates editorial then you've lost the war. Who cares what fanboys think.
    Edited by 1 at 27/12/09 @ 09:44

  • Bremenacht #89 2 years ago

    The only thing I'm missing from these articles is any sense of surprise or anticipation. Otherwise, they're fine.

    One thing I'd like to know - will the EG GotY be something that hasn't already been re-reviewed?

  • merkdot #90 2 years ago

    Can't see the point of these retrospectives tbh. I could just read the reviews again. The top 50 worked because it was just a paragraph each; two pages about the same old games is really a waste of everyone's time imo.

    Maybe it's a quality problem, but I don't think so. Y'all didn't suddenly become bad writers.

  • fluff_the_tiger #91 2 years ago

    That's a shame, I always looked forward to the EG top 50, it gave a rare glimpse into the games that games journalists *really* play.

    Of course, the staff will probably look at the list of comments here and think they cannot win no matter what they do. Come on EG, don't bow down to pressure from execs just because their game is left out of the list, Eurogamer is meant to be the one games site that gives objective opinions!

  • mkreku #92 2 years ago

    Where is Ellie's editorial? I'm very much looking forward to that!

  • TOOTR #93 2 years ago

    Boo and Hiss! Completely understand where TB (jab) is coming from but I LOVE the EG top 50 because, as others have said, it gives a great insight into what you lot get up to and can unearth some otherwise unknown gems.

    Now the articles are great so keep'em BUT why not list the Top 50 as per every year BUT not in any order/with no numbers attached? Let the comments threads argue about the positioning - I just want to know about the games.

  • makeamazing #94 2 years ago

    Is it me, or has the EG site been pretty boring this christmas. They really should consider getting something more interesting than retrospective articles. Even VGChartz has had some news posts etc.

  • Les #95 2 years ago

    It's always a shame when the immature idiots ruin it for the smart few...

  • Mudo #96 2 years ago

    +1 for enjoying the old list with all the writers getting a comment in on most games (and often amusing comments on fellow writers' choices).
    Only read one of these 'games of 2009' editorials so far (which are fine, just boring) and will probably only read the final game of the year one from now..

  • TheRook21 #97 2 years ago

    its clearly obvious the games mentioned will be in a top fifty order and the very last one is clearly their number one game of the year...

    job done...

  • El-Dev #98 2 years ago

    "Bcawk! Bcawk! Bcawk!

    /scratch scratch scratch

    Bcawk! Bcawk! Bcawk!

    (anyone who's seen Arrested Development will know what I'm getting at ;) ) "

    None of the characters do a chicken dance with that sound. Probably why I didn't get it.

    So this means the last official Eurogamer GOTY is LittleBIGPlanet...interesting indeed.

  • merkdot #99 2 years ago

    "Once we're done with those, we'll name a single title as the Eurogamer Game of the Year, as voted for by the core editorial staff and our regular contributors."

    Good reading style there, #110.

  • trimblepa #100 2 years ago

    Really dumb. I started reading EG after reading your top 50 last year. Nothing I've seen here since has been that good.

  • uk_john #101 2 years ago

    Where lists went wrong, is where everything has gone wrong in the media and industry: multiformat.

    If the media had kept to separate format Top 20's, like they used to pre-2005, if they kept totally separate sites for the various machines, if they gave equal and fair coverage to all the machines, then we wouldn't have the negative comments Give us a list of the best PC games and you'll get a debate, give us a list of the best 360 games and you'll get a debate, but give us a Top 20 list or whatever, with PS3 AND 360 AND PC, and it's obvious all hell is going to break loose!

    So it's not gamers that are the problem, it how the media has changed.

  • peak_performance #102 2 years ago

    I love this way of handling it actually. Collected top lists simply aren't interesting: What is interesting otoh is having games pointed out to you that you might have missed: And these articles can be a good way of doing that.

    Thumbs up from me anyway.

    * a few articles where the contributors each list three games that they loved this year would also be fine. Comments obligatory.

  • Feanor #103 2 years ago

    Pathetic cop-out.