Tom Marks

Tom Marks shapes how IGN covers and scores games, combining senior editorial responsibility with hands-on criticism of card games, puzzle-heavy titles, and character-driven adventures. He oversees the outlet’s game reviews while still writing and recording pieces that break down complex systems for players in clear, practical terms. His work sits at the point where review policy, scoring consistency, and detailed game analysis meet.

Game reviews leadership and scoring philosophy

At IGN Tom is the executive reviews editor for games, in charge of the outlet’s game review slate and the standards those reviews follow. He selects which games will be reviewed, assigns reviewers, and edits both written articles and accompanying video reviews before they are published.

His responsibilities include maintaining a consistent scoring policy across platforms and genres, and ensuring IGN’s review philosophy is applied evenly to remasters, early access titles, and staggered launches.

He has spoken publicly about how IGN approaches reviews of remastered games such as major re-releases, how the team handles the evolving nature of early access titles like Palworld, and how they adapt to games that roll out in phases or with different regional timings. In these appearances he explains the outlet’s thinking step by step, outlining how context, technical performance, and long-term support factor into IGN’s scores. This makes his coverage distinctive on the beat: he is not only a reviewer, but also the person explaining and enforcing the rules by which reviews are written and judged.

Magic: The Gathering and card game reporting

Alongside his editorial leadership, Marks regularly covers card games, with a particular focus on Magic: The Gathering and crossover sets. In his coverage of the Marvel Super Heroes Jumpstart set for Magic: The Gathering he catalogues every new card and theme introduced, organizing them into combinations that matter for deck-building and play. That piece is structured as a comprehensive guide, walking through the Jumpstart mechanics and showing how the 51 possible theme pairings can be mixed to create accessible, replayable decks.

His reporting around the same crossover extends beyond card lists to explain how Jumpstart functions as an entry point for new players, emphasizing low-complexity deck construction while acknowledging the inherent depth of Magic’s systems.

He also tracks practical angles such as pricing and availability, including updates on Marvel Super Heroes Jumpstart booster box discounts and how many packs each box provides for building decks. Across these pieces he writes for readers who are interested in the strategic possibilities of new sets but also want straightforward information about how to buy in and what they are getting.

More broadly, both his IGN bio and byline notes highlight his enthusiasm for card games, which underpins the depth of this coverage. That interest shapes his tone: the articles are detailed and methodical rather than promotional, focusing on mechanics, themes, and usability for players already familiar with card games and those coming in through licensed crossovers.

Puzzle, platformers, and RPG reviews

Marks’ author description at IGN specifically calls out his love of puzzle games, platformers, and puzzle-platformers, alongside a broad mix of other genres that do not fit neatly into those labels. That preference is reflected in the reviews and video work highlighted on his feed, which includes in-progress video coverage of Octopath Traveler 0, a role-playing game that blends classic JRPG structure with modern presentation.

His role on such titles reinforces that he continues to review games himself rather than only editing others’ work.

In reviews of these genres he tends to focus on mechanical clarity, pacing, and how well a game teaches and escalates its core ideas, mirroring the way his Magic coverage breaks down themes and combinations.

Platformers and puzzle-platformers are assessed on control responsiveness, level design, and the satisfaction of solving challenges, while RPGs are examined for their combat systems, narrative cohesion, and the balance between exploration and story progression. This analytical, system-focused approach distinguishes his criticism from more surface-level entertainment writing on the gaming beat, and is consistent with his broader responsibility for review standards at IGN.

PC and Nintendo ecosystems and wider editorial presence

Marks joined IGN in 2017 to cover PC gaming after three years at PC Gamer, bringing a strong PC-focused background into the outlet’s reviews operation. That history informs his perspective on performance, settings, and platform differences when IGN evaluates multi-platform releases. He is also a frequent presence on IGN’s Nintendo-focused shows, appearing regularly on Nintendo Voice Chat and Podcast Beyond to discuss new releases, reviews, and platform-specific issues.

Across podcasts, AMAs, and guest appearances, he explains how IGN’s review desk works from the inside, giving developers, publishers, and players insight into how decisions about coverage and scoring are made. This blend of written reviews, card game guides, video work, and public-facing explanation means his coverage is shaped by both the games he personally enjoys and his responsibility to keep IGN’s criticism consistent and transparent.