[OPINION] Gaming Exclusives Are Losing Their Value: Who Really Breaks the News in Gaming Anymore

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Jez Corden, an editor at Windows Central and a well-known Xbox journalist, used X to voice his frustration with a growing problem in gaming media. According to Corden, many large YouTubers, TikTok creators, and even established websites regularly republish exclusive gaming reports without giving proper credit or linking to the original source. This practice, he argues, takes attention and traffic away from the reporters who did the actual work.

Corden pointed to the current situation around WWE 2K26 as a clear example. Over the past two days, Insider Gaming reporter Mike Straw published two major exclusives about the game. Despite the clear sourcing, the information quickly spread across social media and websites, often without any mention of Straw or Insider Gaming.

The first report revealed that WWE 2K26 will feature a Showcase Mode fully focused on CM Punk. The mode is said to include narration by Punk himself and will be divided into three parts. Players will relive key matches from his career, explore “What If?” scenarios based on alternate paths he could have taken, and take part in fantasy matchups against opponents he never faced. The structure is similar to past Showcase modes that focused on stars like John Cena and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Straw followed up the next day with more exclusive details, this time about new match types coming to the game. These include the return of the I Quit match, Inferno Matches where damage causes flames to grow stronger, the classic 3 Stages of Hell format with player-chosen rules, and a new Dumpster Match with mechanics that have not yet been explained.

Since then, the leaks have spread rapidly online. WWE 2K26 is now rumored to launch in March 2026 and feature a roster of more than 400 playable wrestlers. However, many viral posts and videos simply repeat the information with headlines like “CM Punk Showcase confirmed” while failing to link back to Insider Gaming or credit Mike Straw in any way.

Straw himself publicly called out at least one outlet for not having “the courtesy to link,” highlighting how common the issue has become. In contrast, Windows Central published a roundup that clearly credited Insider Gaming for the original reporting, showing that proper attribution is still possible.

Corden’s message struck a nerve because it touches on a deeper issue. Investigative reporting in gaming takes time, sources, and personal risk. When others copy that work without credit, it removes the reward for doing real journalism. Reaction videos and short clips can pull in views and ad money with little effort, while the original reporters are left with nothing.

This is not just a matter of bad manners. It threatens the future of gaming journalism itself. If exclusives no longer bring traffic or recognition, fewer reporters will be willing to chase them. Without stronger pressure from platforms or communities to credit original work, the problem is likely to keep getting worse.