I thought this article was particularly interesting this week, since so many gaming sites (and bloggers) provide reviews. The article describes the very significant effect which these reviews, especially those on large sites such as Metacritic and IGN, have on video game stocks.

According to the article, “one of the reasons why video game reviews carry so much weight with investors is because avid gamers tend to rely on them to help make purchasing decisions.” Of course, reviews are not always an accurate reflection of a game’s quality. But according to the article, stockholders place enough importance on them that some companies will even hire research firms to write ‘mock reviews,’ in order to predict the public reception prior to a game’s release.

As we head into the ‘holiday season,’ there is increasing hype surrounding the long list of new titles due to be released. And as we know, some companies have decidedly more to prove.

That little review you’re planning on writing for on an upcoming release? Who knows? Maybe it will someday be read by potential investors. Or at the very least, by other gamers. Because like shareholders,  we also have the power to determine the success of certain game titles, and even companies.

In other news, I hope that the back-to-school transition has been relatively smooth for everyone. It’s been a busy week, but I hope to make more time for blogging as my schedule becomes more concrete. Most of you out there can probably relate: I have about 5 articles ‘on-the-go’ on my netbook, but I just need the time to finish them!

I did, however, manage to post today on my other blog, The Frosted Spoon. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, check it out! 🙂