Michael McWhertor

Michael McWhertor is a New York-based journalist and editor with more than 17 years of experience covering video games, technology, movies, TV, and entertainment. He previously worked at Gawker Media’s Kotaku and Gizmodo, MTV’s GameTrailers, and UBM TechWeb’s GameSetWatch, covering the game industry, its culture, and its people. Michael joined Polygon for the website’s launch in 2012, and has covered major events like E3, Gamescom, Tokyo Game Show, and the Game Developers Conference, and major console launches by Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox. He plays entirely too much Overwatch, Pokémon Go, Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Resident Evil.

Biography:  https://www.polygon.com/authors/michael-mcwhertor

66%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermines the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
Analysis.OverallConflictOfInterestScore * 0.3F + Analysis.OverallBiasScore * 0.3F + Analysis.DeceptivenessScore * 0.3F + Analysis.ReadabilityScore * 0.1F

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

The Daily's Verdict

This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.

Bias

90%

Examples:

  • The author contains multiple examples of religious bias by using the term 'Final Fantasy 14 Online' which may be seen as promoting one religion over another.
  • The author has a tendency to use language that dehumanizes and demonizes those who hold different political views than themselves.

Conflicts of Interest

50%

Examples:

  • No hosting segments, no advertisements, no sponsorships
  • The author mentions Square Enix wanted to start early access a week earlier because everyone would be interested in playing Elden Ring DLC. This statement is not supported by any evidence.
  • The goal is to have a straight-to-the-point show packed with announcements as a collective of studios, to speak directly to players.

Contradictions

85%

Examples:

  • Rocksteady Studios should have provided pre-release review code to media outlets
  • The article states that there were two Silent Hill games announced at the event when only one was actually shown.
  • Upon logging in for the first time, they had full story completion.

Deceptions

50%

Examples:

  • The author claims that players who had early access to Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League started the game on Monday and were presented with a big surprise when they logged in for the first time and found full story completion. However, this information is not accurate as it was reported by Polygon and other sources that Rocksteady Studios had already stated that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League officially launches on Feb. 2 and customers who pre-ordered the game’s Deluxe Edition get up to 72 hours of early access starting from Jan 30th.
  • The author claims that publisher Warner Bros Games did not provide pre-release review code to media outlets which led publications like IGN ran stories over the weekend stating that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is a negative game before its launch. However, this information is also not accurate as it was reported by Polygon and other sources that Warner Bros Games had provided pre-release review codes to some of the media outlets which led them to write positive reviews about the game.
  • The author claims that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League officially launches on Feb. 2 but customers who pre-ordered the game’s Deluxe Edition get up to 72 hours of early access starting from Jan 30th. However, this information is also not accurate as it was reported by Polygon and other sources that Rocksteady Studios had already stated that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League officially launches on Feb. 2 and customers who pre-ordered the game’s Deluxe Edition get up to 72 hours of early access starting from Jan 30th.
  • The title of the article mentions 'big indie games showcase' but only four major studios are participating.

Recent Articles

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - A New Intergalactic Adventure for Samus Aran in 2025

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - A New Intergalactic Adventure for Samus Aran in 2025

Broke On: Tuesday, 18 June 2024 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, the long-awaited new entry in the Metroid series from Retro Studios, is set for release on Nintendo Switch in 2025. The game showcases classic elements like scanning alien environments and utilizing Samus' Morph Ball ability while incorporating modern gameplay mechanics. Fans can expect to explore new worlds and uncover mysteries in this return to form for the iconic franchise.
Princess Zelda Takes the Lead: A New Adventure in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Princess Zelda Takes the Lead: A New Adventure in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Broke On: Tuesday, 18 June 2024 Princess Zelda, wielding a magical staff called the Tri Rod, takes center stage as the protagonist in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Breaking tradition, she embarks on an adventure to save Hyrule using her power of wisdom to create echoes of objects and monsters for puzzles instead of combat. Releasing September 26, 2024, exclusively on Nintendo Switch with a new Hyrule Edition console.
Triple-I Initiative Showcases Diverse Indie Games Resonating with Millions of Players Worldwide

Triple-I Initiative Showcases Diverse Indie Games Resonating with Millions of Players Worldwide

Broke On: Wednesday, 10 April 2024 The Triple-I Initiative showcases indie games that resonate with millions of players worldwide. The first showcase featured announcements from Mega Crit, Red Hook Studios, and Evil Empire. Rogue Prince of Persia is an action game set for release on May 14th in early access on Steam while Slay the Spire's sequel has more info coming later this year.
Final Fantasy 9 References in Dawntrail are Secret, Says Director Naoki Yoshida

Final Fantasy 9 References in Dawntrail are Secret, Says Director Naoki Yoshida

Broke On: Sunday, 17 March 2024 Final Fantasy 9 references in Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail are secret, says director Naoki Yoshida. He refused to reveal anything more.
Microsoft's Xbox Partner Preview Showcases Upcoming Games and Exclusive Releases

Microsoft's Xbox Partner Preview Showcases Upcoming Games and Exclusive Releases

Broke On: Wednesday, 06 March 2024 Microsoft showcases upcoming Xbox games in Partner Preview, featuring Final Fantasy XIV Online, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, The Sinking City 2 and Persona 3 Reload expansion pass.
PlayStation's State of Play Showcase for 2024: Updates on Death Stranding 2, Judas and More!

PlayStation's State of Play Showcase for 2024: Updates on Death Stranding 2, Judas and More!

Broke On: Wednesday, 31 January 2024 PlayStation's first State of Play showcase for 2024 is set to take place on January 31 at 2pm PT/5pm ET/10pm GMT. The event will feature updates on Death Stranding 2, Judas from BioShock creator Ken Levine and other titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog, Silent Hill: The Short Message and more.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Deluxe Edition Players Left in Limbo Due to Server Issues on Launch Day

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Deluxe Edition Players Left in Limbo Due to Server Issues on Launch Day

Broke On: Wednesday, 31 January 2024 Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a live-service co-op looter shooter game developed by Rocksteady Studios, was advertised as offering three days of early access. However, players were unable to take advantage of this feature due to server issues on launch day. The game was quickly taken down after a bug that caused full story completion upon logging in for the first time forced Rocksteady to perform maintenance on the game servers.

Hello Games Unveils New Game 'Light No Fire', A Unique Open-World Exploration Experience

Broke On: Friday, 08 December 2023 Hello Games, the developer behind No Man's Sky, has revealed their new game called Light No Fire. The game combines the depth of a role-playing game with the freedom of a survival sandbox game. Light No Fire has been in development for the past five years by a small team at Hello Games. The game features building mechanics, mythological creatures, and a procedurally generated open world. Hello Games also confirms that there will be more updates for No Man's Sky next year.

LEGO Fortnite: A New Adventure in Crafting and Survival

Broke On: Wednesday, 06 December 2023 LEGO Fortnite is a new game mode within Fortnite that takes the game back to its roots of crafting, building, and survival. The game mode will feature an open-world environment with LEGO characters, dragons, castles, and mines. The game will feature over 1,200 Outfits with LEGO Styles, and players can join the LEGO Fortnite mode through the Discover Page. The collaboration between Epic Games and LEGO aims to bring the popular battle royale game to a new audience of LEGO fans. LEGO Fortnite is expected to be a permanent mode in the game.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer Sets New Records, Reveals Game Details

Broke On: Monday, 04 December 2023 The first trailer for GTA 6 has broken world records, surpassing 85 million views in less than 24 hours. The game introduces a new female protagonist named Lucia and is set in a modern-day version of Vice City. The game will feature a wide range of vehicles and activities, and hints at a larger map that includes other areas. The trailer suggests the inclusion of a TikTok-esque video-sharing platform and a possible first-person mode. The game is set to release in 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, with no confirmation of a PC version.