Gaming Journalism vs Influencers: The Culture War Explained

In this episode of Red, White, and Rude, William Del Pilar and special guest Hodey Johns dive deep into the battle between gaming journalism and influencers, the politicization of video games, and the fallout of "woke" gaming trends. They explore the decline of traditional gaming media like Kotaku and Polygon, the rise of independent reviewers, and whether political activism is ruining the industry. Plus, they discuss Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Ubisoft’s struggles, and the impact of culture wars on gaming studios. In the Rude Rundown:
- Blake Lively’s Latest Drama: Begging for Protection While Stirring the Pot
- Go Woke, Go Broke: Gutfeld’s Ratings Spank the Late-Night Libs
- Captain America: Brave New Flop
- Same-Sex Romance and Woke Bastards Shoving It Down Kids’ Throats
- Elon Musk’s Gaming Fix: Woke Western Devs Keep Flopping

Don't miss this fiery debate on the future of video game media!

Chapters:
00:00 Intro – Politics & Gaming Journalism
02:30 Guest Intro: Hodey Johns & His Gaming Background
05:22 The Hitman Series & Changing Gaming Tastes
08:46 Politics in Gaming: Activism vs. Entertainment
12:45 The Rise of the "Woke Detector" in Gaming
18:15 Ubisoft, Assassin’s Creed Shadows & Studio Struggles
22:25 Gaming as an Indoctrination Tool?
28:46 The "Ugly-fication" of Video Game Characters
34:40 YouTube Influencers vs. Gaming Magazines
41:20 Kotaku & Polygon’s Decline – Winds of Change?
47:14 Why Conservative Gaming Media Fails?
52:30 Gaming Industry Culture Wars: Who’s Winning?
58:12 Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Sales & Controversies
1:03:04 Final Thoughts & The Future of Gaming Reviews