Editorial Policy

Sobat Gaming is a leading gaming news, review, and entertainment website. Our editorial policy outlines our core values, standards, and practices in creating high-quality content for our readers.

This policy will cover:

• Our mission and objectives
• Content creation guidelines
• Review Policies
• Community engagement
• Ethics and transparency
• Advertising and affiliations
• Privacy and data protection
• User-generated content
• Updates and corrections
• Legal compliance

By establishing clear editorial standards, we aim to build trust with our audience and deliver impactful gaming journalism. We will review this policy annually and update it as needed to align with industry best practices.

Mission Statement

The mission of Sobat Gaming is to:

• Provide engaging, useful, and impartial coverage of the gaming industry
• Help gamers make informed decisions through objective reviews and buying advice
• Foster an inclusive, diverse community of gaming enthusiasts
• Support the growth of gaming through insightful coverage and analysis
• Uphold high standards of integrity, ethics, and transparency

We aim to be the top source of gaming news, reviews, tips, and entertainment for gamers in our region.

Content Guidelines

All Sobat Gaming content abides by the following guidelines:

Objectivity and Impartiality

• We present information in an unbiased, objective manner. Opinions are clearly distinguished from facts.
• Content is not influenced by personal interests or relationships. We disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
• Reviews provide a balanced analysis of a game’s strengths and weaknesses. Ratings reflect objective evaluation.
• We do not accept payment in exchange for positive coverage.

Accuracy and Fact-Checking

• We verify facts, quotes, statistics, and other details from reliable sources before publishing.
• Writers research topics thoroughly and take care to avoid misinformation.
• We promptly correct any errors and clarify ambiguities.

Quality Over Quantity

• Our focus is on providing high-quality, in-depth analysis rather than clickbait or quantity.
• Articles adhere to high standards of grammar, structure, and readability.
• Headlines, images, and formatting aim to effectively convey information to readers.

Timeliness and Relevance

• News stories cover current events in the gaming industry in a timely manner.
• Evergreen guide and opinion content are regularly reviewed for relevance. Outdated information is removed.
• We emphasize games and gaming trends that are currently popular and relevant to our audience.

Originality

• Our writers produce unique, original analyses and commentary on gaming.
• Where outside sources are referenced, they are properly attributed. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited.
• Content is tailored to our audience and platform. It is not duplicated from other outlets.

Localization

• Our content reflects the interests, perspectives, and gaming culture of our target readers in Indonesia.
• The language and examples used are tailored to our local audience.
• Local gaming events, esports teams, developers, and other industry coverage are prioritized.

Review Policies

Our game reviews aim to provide an objective, impartial assessment to help readers determine if a game is worth playing.

Review Copy Purchasing

• We will purchase retail copies of games for review to avoid influence from provided review copies. Exceptions may be made for indie games where we disclose that the copy was provided.

Playtime Requirements

• Reviewers are required to play games for enough time to provide authoritative assessment:
  • AAA games: Completed campaign + several hours in major modes
  • Multiplayer focus: At least 10 hours of online play
  • Open-world games: Over 20 hours, including side content
  • Indie/smaller games: Completed full content

Review Criteria

• Ratings are based on systematic assessment across criteria like:
  • Graphics and technical performance
  • Controls and gameplay feel
  • Campaign and story (if applicable)
  • Replay value and depth
  • Audiovisual presentation
  • Innovation and uniqueness
  • Multiplayer component (if applicable)
  • Overall fun factor and experience
• Reviews provide qualitative analysis of these criteria rather than just scores.

Rating Scale

• We use a 10-point rating scale as follows:
  • 10 – Masterpiece
  • 8-9 – Excellent
  • 7-8 – Great
  • 6-7 – Good
  • 5-6 – Average
  • 4-5 – Mediocre
  • 2-4 – Poor
  • 0-2 – Broken/Unplayable
• Ratings account for quality relative to genre expectations and price.

Affiliate Links

To maintain trust:

• We do not include affiliate/sales links in reviews.
• Reviews are never influenced by affiliate programs or revenue.

Updates and Re-reviews

• Significant updates or patches may warrant updates to reviews.
• Poorly-received games at launch may be re-reviewed if they improve over time.
• Updates and re-reviews are clearly indicated as such.

Community Engagement

We strive to build an inclusive gaming community and engage with our audience across platforms:

Comments

• Readers are encouraged to engage in discussion on articles and share perspectives.
• Comments are moderated for relevance, quality, and adherence to our community guidelines.

Social Media

• Our social accounts foster conversation with gaming fans and surface interesting community content.
• We may share user-generated content if permission is granted and it aligns with our guidelines.

Forums

• Our forums enable gaming enthusiasts to connect over shared interests in different games and topics.
• Moderators nurture a friendly, constructive environment and promptly address any issues.

Events and Meetups

• We periodically organize local gaming events and tournaments for the community.
• Our team attends prominent gaming conventions and meetups to engage directly with our audience.

User-Generated Content

We welcome contributed articles, videos, art, and other gaming content from our community, subject to editorial guidelines and approval. Contributors receive credit and exposure on our platform.

Ethics and Transparency

We uphold strict ethical standards in our operations and transparently communicate our practices:

Editorial Independence

• Our content is never influenced by game publishers, developers, public relations, advertisers, or any third party.

Advertising and Affiliate Disclosure

• Advertisements and affiliate links are clearly delineated from editorial content.
• Sponsored posts are labeled as such.
• Affiliate programs do not influence coverage priorities or outcomes.

Anonymous Sourcing

• The use of anonymous sources is restricted. Sources are only granted anonymity if deemed necessary for important stories, subject to editorial approval.

Activism and Objectivity

• As an editorial team, we do not engage in activism or promote specific agendas.
• However, we recognize gaming’s impact on culture, and at times, coverage may have an activist lens. We aim to provide balance.

Gift Policy

• Our reviewers and editorial team do not accept gifts, travel accommodations, special access, or other incentives from game companies.
• Exceptions may be made for press events with disclosure. Swag valued under $50 may be accepted.

Reporting Concerns

• Readers can report concerns over ethics, objectivity, or factual issues via email to info@sobatgaming.tech. We commit to promptly investigating concerns and correcting any lapses.

Publicly Stated Policies

• Key components of this editorial policy are available in our About section.
• Bylines include reporters’ email addresses for transparency.

Advertising and Affiliations

We aim to minimize disruption to users while sustaining our work through advertising and affiliates:

Ad Placement

• Ads only appear on articles and sidebar areas. No pop-ups or notifications.
• Video pre-roll ads are skippable after 5 seconds. Mid-roll ads in long videos can be skipped after 15 seconds.
• Podcast ads are embedded into intros/outros. Limited to 3 ads per 45 min episode.

Ad Quality

• We use minimal bandwidth-friendly text and display ads. No autoplay video ads.
• Malware-free ad networks. Ads comply with Indonesian regulations.

Affiliate Links

• Affiliate links are used sparingly and where relevant (e.g., buying guides, deal coverage).
• Links prefer local Indonesian retailers when available. Global links are secondary.
• Reviews and news do not contain affiliate links.

Sponsorships

• Article sponsorships are limited to relevant brands and indicated as sponsored.
• Video integrations and influencer collaborations follow FTC disclosure guidelines.
• Giveaways only promote products/games we recommend to our audience.

Privacy and Data

We respect user privacy and only utilize data to improve our service:

• We do not sell or share user data with any third parties or advertisers.
• All data collection is anonymous for aggregated analytics.
• We use cookies only for core site functionality and analytics, not targeted advertising. Users can control cookie preferences.
• Email lists are only used for site updates and opt-in newsletters. Users can unsubscribe at any time.
• Passwords are securely hashed and encrypted at rest and in transit.

User Generated Content

User contributions are encouraged but subject to moderation:

Submissions

• Users may submit articles, fan art, videos, podcasts, and other gaming content for publication. We reserve the right to edit or adapt any submissions.

Community Guidelines

All UGC must conform to our community guidelines prohibiting:

• Illegal, dangerous, or abusive content
• Harassment, defamation, or privacy violations
• Self-promotion, spam, or repetitive content
• Bad faith arguments or trolling

Licensing

• By submitting content, users grant Sobat Gaming a perpetual license to publish and promote it. Original rights are retained by creators.
• Subject to moderation, removal, or editing as needed. Attribution provided where possible.

Updates, Corrections, and Comments

We aim to quickly address any issues with our published content:

Updates

• Articles are updated with major new developments related to their topic, marked as “Updated On [date].”

Corrections

• Factual inaccuracies and errors are promptly corrected, with a note added to the article marking “Correction on [date].”

Comments

• Users can comment on articles to provide feedback, ask for clarification, note inconsistencies, or provide additional context.

Notifying Editorial

• Readers can contact our editorial team via email at info@sobatgaming.tech to request updates, corrections, or raise concerns about any of our content.

Compliance and Challenges

As an Indonesian entity, Sobat Gaming complies with Indonesia local laws and regulations, including:

• Obtaining the required business licensing
• Paying all applicable taxes
• Complying with media and telecommunication rules
• Adhering to copyright and intellectual property laws

We review new laws to ensure ongoing compliance. Any illegal content is promptly removed upon notice. We cooperate with valid legal inquiries and notices related to our content.

In the event of service outages, security issues, financial problems, or other events that impair our ability to maintain this site and meet our editorial standards, we will endeavor to promptly notify readers of problems and resume regular publication as soon as possible.

Policy Review and Updates

This editorial policy is reviewed annually and updated to reflect changes in editorial staff, ownership, audience, platform capabilities, revenue streams, and gaming industry practices. We will monitor site metrics and community feedback to identify areas needing improvement. Any major updates will be communicated prominently to our readers.

Conclusion

By providing clear guidance on our practices, standards, and responsibilities to our readers, this editorial policy aims to establish trust and transparency with our audience. We believe this will enable us to accomplish our mission of creating Indonesia a leading source of credible, ethical gaming journalism and community.