This page explains how Output Lag works: who is responsible for what we publish, how each kind of article is made, where AI is and is not used, how we stay independent, and how we fix mistakes. If anything here ever stops being true, this page gets updated.
Who is responsible
Steven Mills is the founder and editor of Output Lag. He has been writing about games professionally since 2007, and he is responsible for everything that appears on the site. Questions about our coverage go to steven@outputlag.com.
Independence
- We do not accept payment for reviews or editorial coverage.
- Publishers and developers never see a review before it is published.
- Review copies: we buy some games and receive codes for others. Every review says which.
- Output Lag runs no display ads. The only paid placements are clearly labeled promoted slots, described on How Promotions Work. A promotion never buys coverage, a score, or review timing.
How each kind of article is made
The Wire
The Wire turns announcements sent to wire@outputlag.com into short news posts: release dates, trailers, patches, reveals. An in-house AI system drafts each post from the original announcement in our house style. Every Wire post is then checked by an editor before it goes live, for accuracy against the source, consistency, the headline and images, and relevance to our readers. Wire posts are labeled as Wire posts at the top of the article. The full process is on How our Wire works.
Event and showcase coverage
During live showcases we publish one article per reveal as it happens, then turn the live hub into a full recap when the show ends.
Reviews
We play games to completion before reviewing them. When that is not realistic before an embargo lifts, we play as much as we can, say so in the review, and may update it once we have finished. AI is used for editing and fact-checking only; the opinions, the experience, and the score come from the reviewer. The full process, including what each score means, is in our Review Methodology.
Guides
Guides are produced by our guide team, each focused on the genres they know best. Every guide is checked by an editor before it goes live, for accuracy, consistency, and our standard for guides: cover the material at hand, without fluff. Each guide states the game version or patch it was verified on, and we update guides when a patch changes the answer.
Previews and hands-on impressions
Previews come from time with preview builds and at events. They describe what we played, on what build, and avoid final verdicts on unfinished games.
How we use AI
We use AI where it helps us cover more games without lowering the bar, and we say where:
- The Wire: an in-house system drafts posts from official announcements. An editor checks every one before it is published.
- Reviews: editing and fact-checking only.
- Guides: AI tools help our guide team research and draft guides, working from gameplay videos, patch notes, and what players are actually searching for. An editor checks every guide for accuracy before it goes live.
Nothing is published without a human check, and a person is accountable for every article on the site.
Sources
News is based on official announcements from developers and publishers, or on events we cover directly. When a story relies on another outlet’s reporting, we credit and link it.
Corrections and updates
If we get something wrong, we fix it and add a dated correction note to the article explaining what changed. Small fixes like typos are corrected without a note. To report an error, email tips@outputlag.com with the link and what needs fixing.
Articles show an updated date when they change meaningfully after publication. Guides are updated when patches change the answer, and reviews may be revisited after a major patch, with the change noted in the review.