Translator’s notes

First Issue of Game Criticism was published by “Mongolia Culture Press” in September 2000. It was published on irregular basis. The publisher was changed to “People’s Jiaotong (Transport) Press” in 2001. The magazine was shut down in 2003 then re-emerged in 2006, published by “Xueyuan Audiovisual Publisher”.

Editor’s notes on the first issue of Game Criticism

When the now esteemed ‘Electronic Game Software’ was first published in 1994, we encapsulated the broad orientation of our magazine into: ‘Rectify the name^[1] of videogames, Enlighten the path for games industry’. Six years has passed, what has become of the two original directives?

We have already failed in the first task of “rectify the name of videogames”, as it is revealed in many news articles, discussions on television and radio in the past few months. A new term “Electronic Heroine” has emerged in debates despite the controversy. If videogames are “electronic heroine”, videogames fans are then consumers of “heroine”. Playing games is supposed to be fun but when consumed with the fictitious image of “heroine”, fun becomes entangled with guilt. As far as we know, 60% of the time PCs are used to play games and 90% of PCs have been used to play games. That is to say, at least 90% of PC users are “heroine” users. Although a “low dosage” does not constitute a “crime”, this partial image is still blemishing the reputation [of gaming] as a whole^[2]. Readers can refer to internet posts for opposing views. This is no place for this debate so nothing more will be said.

If we were to say that we feel helpless with the first task of “rectify the name of videogames” against societal stereotypes, we are ashamed when speaking of the second task of “enlightening the path for games industry’. There are two reasons:

First, the Chinese game industry does not seem to be in a good shape at the present, nor can we envision a bright future. Six years ago, China only had a few pathetic game companies; right now, it’s still the same few pathetic game companies. Calling them “pathetic” is not alluding to their poverty—Ubisoft at Shanghai Pudong is quite extraordinary. But that’s a French company and all the games made there are for export only. For a Chinese person to play a Ubisoft games, they have to purchase the imported version that is sold domestically. What’s pathetic is the number of game companies, which never reached two digits. If today we hear about an ambitious start-up, tomorrow we will be notified of the undignified “xiecai”^[3] funeral of another company. The rise and fall of these company kept the total number in balance. Meanwhile we have to worry about who is the latest victim in these closures.

Secondly, we feel pathetic about the fact that we were content with our pirated games six years ago and yet we are still content with pirating today. The only difference is that, by the traditional Chinese wisdom of toying with concepts^[4], we invented the term “D ban”^[5]. Although nothing is changed in essence, “D ban”, compared to “daoban”, has definitely relieved us from much of the pain and guilt. The first issue of Game Criticism, we already have an article dealing with piracy or “D Ban”. When we mercilessly exterminate the malaise of “knowledge heroine”^[6] (sorry, a new term that nobody will endorse) that has afflicted China for so long, I feel only pain and no joy.

Shame is only a way out ethically, a spiritual relief for our incompetence and indolence, but nothing can be done. Six years of setbacks has made us ashamed and guilty, tempered our attitude on the state of Chines game industry and future prospects. The path is unclear, obstructed by many problems; the so called task of “enlightening the path” for games industry is perhaps beyond our capacity and knowledge. However, we can perhaps look forward ungrudgingly, erect a road sign on the pavement, and fill the gaps with soil and rocks. This is what we can do and also what we should do. Not that we have become philistines but we have become more rational and grounded in reality.

Game Criticism may lack ambition, but not enduring patience. Although we cannot finish the grand goals of “rectify the name of videogames” and “enlighten the path for games industry”, we manage to fulfil two smaller wishes: first, this magazine must be original contents written by Mainland [China] authors; in other words, it is written for Chinese people by Chinese people. It is purely Chinese in both perspective and style. The other thing is that a line from the “editorial standard”: “a software of videogame is a ‘commodity’ but also a ‘work’. We tend to look at games from the latter perspective”. What this sentence implies: Game Criticism is a magazine deeply immersed in the “scent of culture”^[7].

This sort of magazine is perhaps the first in the Chinese game industry, but hopefully not the last.

Just a reminder, the “games” in Game Criticism refer not only to TV Games, but also PC games. Although there is almost nothing on PC gaming in this first issue, we keep an eye on it and think about it. After all, PC gaming is the mainstream in China.

Also please pay attention, “criticism” is a neutral term, comparable to “commentary”. The term “criticism” is more eye-catchy, reads more smoothly, perhaps sells better. We do not intend other meanings.

Notes

1. Rectification of names (Zhèngmíng), as a Confucius term, originally means people behaving appropriately according to their designated social title and relationships (such as the king and his servant) so as to ensure social harmony (for a detailed explanation, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectification_of_names). In this text, it simply means, to correct the bad reputation of videogames had in the past.
2. Here I have replaced the original text with rewritten English text that convey the similar meaning. The literal translation reads, “it feels like one bamboo stick beats down a whole boat of people”.
3. Xiecai is from northern dialect and it means the object or people have stopped operating, or terminated.
4. Calling this practice a “tradition” is an ironic take on the superficial language games (rather than actual changes) ubiquitous in contemporary Chinese politics.
5. Piracy in Chinese is Daoban. D is the initial of Dao, which means stealing in Chinese; “Ban” means version here.
6. The author(s) possibly coined the term “knowledge heroine” as an implicit critique of the “electronic heroine” mentioned previously. This is because piracy is juxtaposed against “intellectual property” (here both “knowledge and intellectual refer to the same Chinese word zhishi) and the authors consider piracy to be a disease plaguing the games industry thus “heroine”.
7. “Scent of culture” is a literal translation. What the author seek to convey is that the magazine is a cultural magazine rather than a technical one.

Editorial Standard of Game Criticism

The first perquisite of criticism is impartiality,
The second is broad yet unique views. Game Criticism is willing to use an impartial attitude, a historical perspective to comment on games industry and videogame software. We do not discriminate on the basis on location, race, and culture because play is human nature, which belongs to the entire world.

This magazine is not monetized by advertisements. We also keep a distance from developers, so we will not “promote” certain developers or game software without principles.

A game software is a “commodity” but also a piece of “work”. We should comment on the game from the perspective of the “author”.

In Game Criticism, the judgment of a game cannot be solely based on its specific temporality. We should strive to understand the creative intent of the author, the hidden permanent value of the game, and its historical role in game development.

Articles should refrain from malice and insults [hate speech] and build commentaries from constructive perspectives.

Authors should have an [acceptable level of] understanding of the games they are commenting on.

Authors, editorial team are directly responsible for the games they comment on and their developers. If we have wrongly reported, we will apologize to the readers and relevant organizations.