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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Former IGN Employee Admits Review Scores Are Skewed Due to Public Relations

Mr Khan on 23 October 2012
ECM said:
As a former game 'journalist' let me explain how this works:

Advertiser (game co.) puts pressure on ad sales guy who puts pressure on publisher who puts pressure on EIC who puts pressure on writers.

Now, at least in my case (and to the eternal credit of my publisher), we ignored all of that and just said whatever we wanted, *BUT* this is *NOT* the best way to be successful in the game media business.

That said, you will still probably get p/review copies, you'll just find it more difficult paying the bills, especially in hte long-term.

(This situation is actually much worse for the smaller outlets because they live and die on each ad spend, which makes the fact that, allegedly, IGN does this a bit startling but no less disgusting.)

I imagine because IGN's reviews matter, as opposed to websites of less notoriety. Thus the pressure will be stronger.



Monster Hunter: pissing me off since 2010.

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naruball on 23 October 2012
Kantor said:

Let me clarify what I mean.

An objectively good film as judged by a film reviewer is not necessarily remotely enjoyA well-made game is always enjoyable. A well-made film can be hopelessly dull.


I strongly disagree. I will never enjoy No country for old men just like I'll never enjoy Fifa. Whether it's a good game/movie is irrelevant.

OT: I have little respect for reviewers any more. I've noticed that they praise games I consider dull and they dislike games I really enjoy. I trust comments from the vgc forum much more than reviews. That's why I bought games like Tactics Ogre, Journey and Heavy Rain and don't regret it for a second. On the other hand, I was bored with Fallout and Batman: Arkham asylum and never beat them.



kain_kusanagi on 23 October 2012

Not all of IGN's scores are skewed for PR. All the ones by Greg Miller are just plain 100% fanboy bias.



naruball on 23 October 2012
huiii said:

So you are saying that your average mainsream tenage boy/girl should judge what is good and what not????

It's confirmed guys Tilight is the best piece of literature written in a decade!


50 shades of grey is even better. Truly a masterpiece.



osed125 on 23 October 2012
kain_kusanagi said:
Not all of IGN's scores are skewed for PR. All the ones by Greg Miller are just plain 100% fanboy bias.

lol so true.



Nintendo and PC gamer

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Cobretti2 on 23 October 2012

Pretty obvious really considering I have enjoyed games that rated 6 - 8 more than some 8.5.- 9.5 games.




 

 

arcane_chaos on 23 October 2012

like IGN reputation wasn't already at rock bottom...-_-



justinian on 23 October 2012
Kantor said:
Veknoid_Outcast said:
This is so deeply disappointing. How are video games ever going to be taken seriously when the people responsible for rating and reviewing the games aren't real journalists?

I can barely even go to sites like IGN and GameSpot any more. I much prefer talking to everyone here about upcoming games. The users here are honest with themselves and each other.

As someone who's worked for a magazine and several newspapers, this lack of journalistic integrity really rubs me the wrong way.

As opposed to, say, movie reviewers, who appear to have an average age of 65 and tastes stuck in the 1970s?

Reviews will always be subjective, but they are more objective with games than anything else because there are certain standards - good controls, good graphics, good music and sound in general, good length to which all games can be held, and because they are primarily about gameplay, which tends to be the same within a genre, rather than telling a story, which can be wildly different.

I agree with you. There is however a whole lot of difference between giving your honest opinion of a game (accepting it being subjective) and giving a review that is based on fanboyism.

If reviewers based their opinions on what you have stated then that is all well and good and that's what we expect of them.

However when reviews are based on "favours" from the developers, publishers or whoever then it becomes unreliable.

Unfortunately I believe that is were most game reviewers are at and thier reviews are not based on what you outlined.



Busted on 23 October 2012

That is shocking... it really is...



Pjams on 23 October 2012

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