Credit: DeByte
In episode 128 of DeByte, BRKsEDU drops a phrase that seems simple but carries a lot of weight:
“It’s hard to have authenticity with perfection.”
He is talking about tvPH, of course. About the moment when the criticism of Asha Sharma, the new CEO of Xbox, moved from the realm of analysis into the realm of harsh adjectives. “Limited.” “Stupid.” Words that, in a live stream, come out quickly and then hang in the air.
BRKsEDU, in general, does not try to absolve PH. Davi makes it clear that there is a huge difference between criticizing an executive's stance and calling the person stupid. VanDep says the escalation of the controversy was disproportionate. And Edu himself recognizes that there was a slip-up. All of this is fair.
Credit: DeByte
But the most interesting part of the segment isn't the defense or condemnation of PH. It’s what appears in the middle of the road, almost in passing.
BRKsEDU admits, in no uncertain terms, that there is a bias in the gaming industry and media in favor of PlayStation and Nintendo:
“I think there is indeed a bias in the industry in favor of PlayStation and in favor of Nintendo, which often doesn't translate in favor of Xbox. [...] Xbox doesn't have that extra point that a Nintendo or PlayStation property might have, because you play a new Zelda, a new Final Fantasy, an Uncharted, and that sparks a feeling that is a mix of nostalgia and excitement that doesn't exist with new IPs.”
It’s not deliberate, they say. It just… happens.
Credit: DeByte
Immediately after, he reinforces another point with very clear logic:
“I don’t analyze strategy games because it’s not a genre I play frequently. [...] In the same way that if you’re going to analyze music, you’ll want someone who understands rock and metal analyzing rock and metal albums, not pagode or funk.”
The rule is simple: good analysis needs passion and real predisposition. Those who have no affinity for the genre shouldn't get involved in judging it.
It’s curious how this same logic is rarely applied in the opposite direction. If the analyst grew up with PlayStation and Nintendo, carries that “extra point” of nostalgia, and admits to having less emotional connection with Xbox properties… by that measure, they wouldn't be the most suitable person to analyze the green brand's games either. The “must have passion and experience” criterion seems to work in only one direction.
And then the conversation returns to the CEO. Regarding Asha Sharma, BRKsEDU is direct:
“Asha Sharma isn’t a gamer, right? She joined Xbox as an executive, in an administrative role. How can she judge a game? She herself admitted she was entering this world without knowing much about the gaming side.”
Credit: Xbox
This becomes easy ammunition. But the same criterion is rarely applied with the same force when the executive comes from another platform. The requirement to “be a real gamer” seems to weigh heavier when the badge is green.
Authenticity with perfection is hard, everyone knows that. Especially live. Especially when the subject is the CEO of one of the largest gaming divisions on the planet.
What remains easy, apparently, is bias. The same one they recognized in the middle of the conversation. The same one that makes Xbox start any discussion a few points behind, even when the proposal is the most pro-consumer at the table.
Sometimes the hardest authenticity isn't that of someone who misses a word in a live stream. It’s looking at your own bias and admitting it exists.
And on that point, BRKsEDU was at least sincere.
Written by @XBrassa
