If every news outlet avoided a topic because the company wouldn't outright confirm its existence, we would never have reporting based on leaks and rumors. That's dumb and would make journalism worse for everyone.
It wasnt a rumor or hearsay but literally breaking a gentlemans NDA.
I havent played it but as I heard they requested not to show it and the journalist supposedly recorded whole gameplay and wrote about it?
Seems like a clear deal to me to cut of and ban his account for breaking an agreement for early access.
Reporting about leaks and rumors is totally fine. But that's like being the primary reporter of a whistle blower
"Gentleman's NDA" is not a thing. It's either a legally-binding NDA or it's not. It's within Valve's right to ban him from the game but saying the game shouldn't be covered at all is silly.
If I call you a friend and tell ypu something confidential I trust you to not talk about with someone else and you do regardless, I will quit the friendship.