March 21, 2005 - If you've ever caught an episode of "Mythbusters" on the Discovery Channel (airing Wednesdays at 9PM E/P) you've surely seen the two hosts, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, dismantle some of our most beloved urban legends and myths. The time they tested the opiate-effects of poppy-seed bagels and the experiment ripping the rear axle off of a motor vehicle are a couple of our favorites.

On this occasion, we decided to take a look at ourselves and see what myths we've got lurking around IGN. There aren't any poppy seeds or transaxles involved, unfortunately, but as it turned out, your favorite videogame site in the universe is full of urban legends and mythology. It's not the stuff that will be written about in years to come, but the myths of IGN might explain some of the nuttiness around here.

Fran is a girl

IGN Insider's Fran Mirabella has been misunderstood by more than a few readers and at least a handful of editors to be a girl; on multiple occasions. We're not sure if it's the well-maintained and ever changing coif or the preference to be called "Fran" rather than the 95% more macho "Francisco" or "Frankarelli" that lead to the confusion. Perhaps it was the IGN audience's desire to connect with such a dedicated Nintendo fan who might also be a girl, if only in their dreams. There can't be too many "hot chicks" who also collected every golden banana in Donkey Kong 64, the thinking went, so Fran must be, has to be a dream come true.

The truth is, however, that Fran is a dude and has been since day one. And as long as metrosexuality is not a crime, Fran Mirabella III will continue to be free to express himself as he sees fit.

Hilary is a girl

IGN Xbox's Hilary Goldstein came along at a time when there was still considerable support for the "Fran is a girl" theory throughout IGN's audience. For those on the fence on the Fran debate, Hilary must surely be a girl as well, because mere coincidence would be too much to bear. Afterall, Hilary is a real girl's name, not an ambiguous abbreviation like Fran. The whole notion of Hilary and Fran as women took on a life of its own on our message boards and in reader feedback. Hilary was and still is referred to as "she" without a bit of hesitation by readers who simply haven't seen a picture of the bespectacled, bearded Goldstein. With a biting wit and sarcastic sense of humor that would make him an extremely "un-chick", Hilary Goldstein is even more of the man he was when he first stepped into IGN three years ago. Lots of pizza nights will do that to you.

IGN makes games

We receive letters, both pen & paper and via email from readers who assume that IGN makes or is somehow responsible for videogames available on the market. Now sometimes the letters are benign offers to help with development of a new game that would totally "roxxors!!!11" But most of the time, complaints and threats are fired off to IGN with the assumption that we can make changes or otherwise respond as Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Ubisoft or Electronic Arts would.

We certainly play more than our share of games, and have kicked around many an idea for many games over the years, but nobody at IGN makes games until they move on, out of the company and get a real job…..making games.

IGN is paid for review scores

This is actually an issue we take very seriously. IGN has never, would never and could not ever let our editorial integrity be compromised by money or other favors. Over the years, our credibility with our audience has been built up and has always been our most prized asset. It's the reason for everything we do. We've underrated and overrated games, sure, but if we have it's been because of mild incompetence, lack of sleep or combinations of both, not because a third party told us to. We don't hold grudges or wish to see one company succeed either. As much as we'd like to ride around in fancy chauffeured helicopters and hovercrafts provided for us by videogame companies in exchange for favorable coverage, it just isn't like that and never will be.

IGN stands for internet gaming network

The mystery surrounding what the letters IGN mean, is as old as the company itself. It could be "Ignorant Gaming Nerds" or "I Got Nuts" or even "Idiots Got Nothing." The truth is IGN originally stood for Imagine Games Network way back in the day when we were part of a larger print publishing company. These days however, IGN is it's own standalone entity, even if the meaning behind the letters is still a secret. Which it is.