Aftermath’s Nathan Grayson recently shared with us what he thinks makes Jason Schreier such a great journalist. Grayson, who used to work with Schreier at Kotaku, breaks down Schreier’s success into three key ingredients: networking, strategic communication, and commitment to getting things right.
Building Bridges and Burning None
One of Schreier’s skills is his ability to build strong relationships with sources. He’s not just a hit-and-run kind of journalist – he’s constantly talking to people in the industry, not just when he needs a hot scoop, but to ‘keep the lines of communication open’. This way, when he does reach out for a story, it’s not like a stranger calling out of the blue.
“Jason is obviously incredibly talented. It’s strange because you don’t expect him to be able to extract information from people so effectively. There are a few reasons he’s good at it. One is that he’s always talking to people. And that was a thing that he instilled in a lot of us back at Kotaku back in the day.
He was like, “if a major news event happens and you think it might be of interest to somebody who you consider a source or just somebody in the industry you keep in touch with, just go hit them up.” Not for a story, just to start a conversation, just to keep the lines of communication open, so that when you hit somebody up for a story, it’s not weird.”
– Nathan Grayson, Co-founder of Aftermath
The Art of Getting Information
Grayson also revealed a tactic Schreier reportedly uses to get info, purposely saying something slightly off the mark. This influences people’s natural urge to correct others, often leading them to reveal more than they bargained for.
“That’s why he breaks so many different stories because even when these things are not happening, he’s still talking to all these people; all the time, every day. Then he’s also really smart about it. Human beings have a natural impulse to want to correct people.
If you state it in a way where it’s kind of incorrect, odds are they’ll be like, “Well, that’s not entirely true. Actually, it’s a little bit different than that.” And they’ll give you a little bit more information than they might otherwise.”
– Nathan Grayson, Co-founder of Aftermath
Accuracy is King
To aspiring journalists who look up to Jason Schreier, his accuracy makes him such a trusted source. Even when companies try to shoot down his reporting, his journalistic track record speaks volumes. “Who are you gonna believe?” Grayson asks. “A CEO who has lied publicly in the past or Jason whose track record of journalism is impeccable?”
- Scalebound’s Cancellation: Schreier reported on its potential cancellation long before it was official, and Microsoft confirmed it shortly after.
- Insomniac Games Acquired by Sony: When whispers started circulating about Sony and Insomniac Games getting hitched, Schreier was the first to report it. And low and behold, both companies confirmed the acquisition.
- Cyberpunk 2077’s Disaster: Schreier wasn’t shy about revealing Cyberpunk 2077’s messy development—crunch culture, delays, the whole nine yards. While some folks argued the severity, the game’s buggy launch with performance issues seemed to confirm Schreier’s intel.
For Nathan Grayson’s complete insights on journalism and the gaming industry, read the full interview here.
If you’d like to support our small independent company, please consider making a donation here. Your contribution will help us stay afloat and continue our work.
