Low score embargoes, review guides and $800 swag bags, oh my!

[Erik Aston]

twesterm said:

Again, I really don't see the problem with swag bags.  The reviewers already have the system and they already have crap flowing out of their offices.  Most of the stuff gets given away to random people and friends and really doesn't affect the review at all.

Yes I've heard of that incident and it was a pretty big deal but how many other times have you heard of this happening?  When these kind of things do happen the company gets a lt of flak for doing it too.  And with Madden, that game would sell even if it were rated a 5 anyways.

For the most part they are unbiased (some may or may not like certain types of games but that's beside the point).  Swag doesn't sway their opinion and embargoes don't sway their opinion.  Things like review guides are there just to hype their game but those are pretty much glorified instruction booklets.  

You should probably get this through your head now: game reviews are not some huge game industry conspiracy.  Yes, companies that can spend all the money they can on marketing, swag,  

Swag and other free stuff doesn't do anything to make a game better and professional reviewers aren't swayed by getting a free thumb drive, booklet, CD, or even a free 360.  I know you don't like this argument but not liking something doesn't mean it's not true. 

Publishers wouldn't do any of it if they didn't think it was working.

 

and use leverage to hold off on potential bad reviews as long as possible but that's just how things are. 

I know that's "how things are." They shouldn't be. You can't possibly argue that things are better with low score embargoes and bribes. And if not, then you shouldn't be dismissive of this thread. 

 

If you don't like particular reviews, don't read them.  If you have the preconceived notion that EA games suck, don't buy them.  It isn't that hard.

Well now we're on the same page. I don't like how shady videogame criticism is. I made a thread about it. It wasn't hard.