Game Invasion's Head Games

The was a ton of buzz going on yesterday regarding Spike TV's Game Trailers TV with Geoff Keighley having access to "exclusive" first ever look at gameplay of 'Gears of War 2' and I went to sleep last night only after setting my DVR to record the program.

Oh what a difference a day makes. Looks like Ziff Davis' GameVideos.com is touting its own "exclusive" running the same night. Can two gaming outlets have access to the same exclusive on the same night? Impossible? Yeah it is.

For Reference:

In this case "exclusive" means - "A news item initially released to only one publication or broadcaster." - DICTIONARY.COM

So who has the exclusive? Game Trailers TV with Geoff Keighley is pitching this:

and Ziff Davis' 1UP is pitching this:

Exclusive Gears of War 2 Gameplay Video on Friday

That's all you need to know, really. 1UP's GAMEVIDEOS will be the very first place online you'll be able to see the footage, and we'll be posting it in all of its HD glory. And trust us when we say you're going to be blown away. So this Friday, go to dinner, go to the movies, or go play some GTA IV -- but whatever you do, make sure you check back here at 10:30 p.m. PST for the exclusive first Gears of War 2 video.

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Hold on. Which outlet really has the exclusive 'Gears of War 2' gameplay video? Neither, as both have the same footage and are set to air it on the same day.

"We are first with the exclusive," Game Trailers TV with Geoff Keighley's Geoff Keighley said via email. And he's right. Regardless of how you look at it - you can't get around the fact that the 'Gears of War 2' gameplay footage will debut on Spike TV at 1 a.m. eastern standard time. That is a fact and it is indisputable.

So GameVideos.com gets the "second exclusive?"

"GameTrailers TV has the TV exclusive and 1UP/GameVideos has the online exclusive," 1UP Network Editorial Director, Sam Kennedy replied. "GTTV will be airing the trailer in some markets at 10:00 PM PST. A few minutes later, 1UP/GameVideos gets to post the trailer exclusively on the web, and no other site is allowed to post it until a half hour after we do.

"It's basically a dual exclusive, though, for two different mediums."

While it may be on two different mediums, I know I am going to want to see this now “dual exclusive” as quickly as I can – even if we’re talking drunken shakey-cam posted on YouTube. I believe other 'Gears' fans will be doing the same.

Also, if you're on the West Coast and are not a Direct TV subscriber, the footage will be on GameVideos.com for two-and-a-half whole hours before it will air on Spike – and will be splattered on every other gaming site two hours before the Spike TV exclusive.

Make no mistake about it - an exclusive this ain't. While both outlets can claim a window of exclusivity, calling this footage, "exclusive" is simply another instance of the games media not understanding this painfully overused word.