At Bit Battalion, we recognize that our voice is just one among many in the expansive realm of gaming discussions. While we understand that we cannot single-handedly resolve all the challenges facing the video game industry, we consider it vital to disclose our thoughts and policies that hold significant value to our staff. Our primary aim is to serve you to the best of our abilities, and we believe that being honest and upright individuals is the path to achieving that goal.

General Guidelines

In line with the guidelines recommended by the Federal Trade Commission, Bit Battalion diligently adheres to the standards set in 2013. We are committed to providing repeated, clear, and conspicuous disclosures and disclaimers in each author’s biography and beneath every editorial, ensuring that any concerns from our readers are addressed. Our core focus is on putting consumers first, and we make every effort to uphold this principle.

Former Staff and Affiliates

Given the relatively small size of the video game industry, it is not uncommon for many influential figures to have previously been associated with Bit Battalion. However, we want to emphasize that any previous relationships are completely disregarded when evaluating games. We have a thorough process in place for collecting upfront disclosures as part of our employment paperwork, which we regularly update. When individuals transition away from Bit Battalion, we ensure their new work history is appropriately noted in their bio whenever possible.

We provide disclosures on every employee bio, and a concise summary is included with each article. In cases where developers, marketers, or sponsors contribute content, we clearly label their contributions as such.

Review Scores and Product Origins

Transparency is of utmost importance to us, particularly when it comes to review scores and the origin of products. We disclose whether a product was provided by the manufacturer or purchased independently in every instance. Additionally, we proactively seek out and retrospectively include disclosures regarding any involvement, direct or indirect, by former staff members. For example, if we discover that a staff member who joined after reviewing a game was later involved with its production, we believe it is necessary to provide this information to our readers. Our commitment to transparency stems from our gratitude towards our readers, and we strive to rectify any mistakes that may occur.

Crowdfunding and Investments

We maintain a strong focus on disclosure regarding crowdfunding and personal investments. In our reviews, we make it a point to transparently disclose any private investments, contributions to crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter, Patreon, IndieGoGo, Fig campaigns, or any other financial involvement of our staff members or their families. These disclosures are prominently displayed within the review itself. Furthermore, if a writer has personally invested in a game, they are strictly prohibited from writing about it. Similar to our disclosures for former staff members, we provide a note in relevant news stories whenever an individual on our team has invested in a game.

It is essential to emphasize that no personal relationships or financial interests influence our coverage, and our writers are required to disclose any personal investments they make. Moreover, all shift leads (EICs) are explicitly forbidden from investing, and reviews for such games are published without scores.

Travel, Gifts, and Advertiser Relations

To maintain transparency, we explicitly mark any travel, gifts, or products provided by advertisers.

Advertising

We collaborate with multiple third-party ad networks to display advertisements on our site. It is important to note that these external teams have no control over our editorial content in any way.

Furthermore, our editorial team remains unaware of the specific advertisements that will appear on Bit Battalion.

Automated Software Disclosures

Our site infrastructure automatically inserts disclosures for content. For example, if an article includes discussion around products or services, particularly where we link out to those products or services, our website automatically includes a disclosure stating that we may earn an Amazon.com commission from resulting sales. While not all our product or service content might provide affiliate opportunities, we prefer to provide these disclosures regardless. We strive to include clear disclosures whenever shopping links are involved, irrespective of whether they financially benefit Bit Battalion or not.

Corrections

When a story contains a significant error, such as incorrect pricing or factual inaccuracies, we promptly add a note enclosed in brackets within the editorial, usually at the top. Minor spelling or grammatical errors that do not impact the story’s meaning may be silently corrected by our editors.

Satire and Defamation

We uphold a firm stance against hate, discrimination, and harassment. While we encourage thoughtful discourse, it is crucial to maintain a clear distinction between criticism and harassment. We do not intend to venture into the realm of harassment and expect the same from our community. Please refer to our code of conduct for further information on our moderation practices for both staff and user conversations.

Severity and Termination

If we discover that an editor at Bit Battalion intentionally concealed ethical conflicts of interest that may have influenced their output, immediate suspension and subsequent investigation will follow. We treat such matters with utmost seriousness.

Contact Us with Your Concerns

We greatly value your feedback and concerns. If you ever encounter an issue or have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us.