Rockstar Asks For Favorable Reviews

[Bos_hybrid]

News report

 

"This is the biggest game we've done since GTA IV, and is already receiving Game of the Year 2010 nominations from specialists all around the world," it read.

 

"Can you please ensure Toby's article reflects this

Edited April 7, 2010 by Bos_hybrid

[Slowtrain]

Awesome. Great post.

 

It's not surprising at all, of course. And it mostly doesn't bother me, other than the blatant hypocrisy of pretending to be critically and impartially reviewing games when nothing could be further from the truth.

 

If game journalists are OK with just being shills for publishers and developers, that's fine. Just come out and say so right up front.

[Hurlshort]

That doesn't actually sound demanding or threatening. It is a bit oddly written, but I would guess most developers stress the groundbreaking-ness of their titles.

[Tigranes]

The article's trying to consider the credibility of Casker with his two 'official warnings' (and fair enough, I guess), but we already know for a fact that video game journalism in general is corrupt. Sore Thumbs probably had the best 'inside look'.

 

Hurlshot, that one probably wasn't a threat - but more like a reminder of what the journo should be doing and what his place is. The tone sort of betrays a sense of entitlement.

[Mamoulian War]

I stopped to buy and read any reviews, when there started to be common practice, that the text of the review was completely out of touch with final score... When you read review, which is stating in every paragraph that game is mediocre, and you get at the end score of 9/10, you know there is something fishy in the air...

 

nowadays, i just browse for some forums with mature gamers, like this one, where you don't see many diehard fanboys, and i get always the information what i need. I am yet to be burned with the purchase recommened this way...

[Volourn]

Nothing there comes across as a threat or demand. It's more like 'our game is awesome, we worked hard on it, tohers think it's also, please keep that in mind with your reviw." No threat, no demand. Asking for a favorable review is not a sin.

[Humodour]

Asking for a favorable review is not a sin.

 

It is unethical, though.

[Monte Carlo]

Nothing there comes across as a threat or demand. It's more like 'our game is awesome, we worked hard on it, tohers think it's also, please keep that in mind with your reviw." No threat, no demand. Asking for a favorable review is not a sin.

 

Maybe it's the contrarian in me, but nothing would be more likely to make me blade the game savagely than an email like that. The tone of the email is ridiculously precious, if it's that good then reviews will be of negligible impact anyway.

[GreasyDogMeat]

Every word of every preview article and every moment of every video preview for Red Dead Redemption has looked fantastic. I haven't looked forward to a game this much in ages. Why are they begging reviewers for a good score!?

[Mamoulian War]

Every word of every preview article and every moment of every video preview for Red Dead Redemption has looked fantastic. I haven't looked forward to a game this much in ages. Why are they begging reviewers for a good score!?

 

Maybe there is a possiblity, that all the other reviews were also based on similar emails...

[GreasyDogMeat]

Maybe there is a possiblity, that all the other reviews were also based on similar emails...

That might be true, but they describe situations that reflect their excitement in these previews. Even if the previews were 'fixed' the video previews have looked outstanding. Watching the horses muscles as it runs... the physics, weather, setting, voice acting... the game can't be released soon enough!

 

If anyone seems to be trying to sabotage interest in the game it is Rockstar themselves with their recent delay for 'exposure', 'wives letter' and this 'review begging'. Despite Rockstar making themselves look like jackasses, the game is looking so fantastic if it were revealed multiple developers had been whipped to death to make the game I'd still end up buying it because it looks so damn awesome!

[Mamoulian War]

Heh, i stopped to judge anything from trailers, after i've seen few movies, which had put all the worthy scenes into 60 seconds trailers and everything else was yawnworthy

[cronicler]

I am also in the whiskeytangofoxtrot mode. The trailers (that show the gameplay) are good, the company has a "decent" experience in producing "city wide" sandbox games, theiy generally create decent gameplay (that big game will have bugs no matter what they do). Why did they send such a letter.

 

I wonder if that mail is a hoax of some kind or something...

[Nightshape]

I think my feelings and thoughts on this topic are well known.

 

Both are as bad as each other.

[Gorgon]

Trust no one who is paid directly or indirectly by the publisher.

[Slowtrain]

Trust no one who is paid directly or indirectly by the publisher.

 

 

That's pretty much the way it goes, isn't it?

[Gorgon]

This is how polished turds earn back the investment. I mean this is probably not one, but how would you ever know if there is no independent media out there. I certainly don't believe any exists.

[Hurlshort]

I'll be honest, this Toby guy seems like a total douche. Aside from the picture, which removes all doubt of douchiness, the whole situation smacks of a guy throwing a tantrum because he lost his job.

 

He's not a journalist, by the way. He never was. Zoo Weekly looks more like a weak ripoff of Maxim.

[Gorgon]

There are actual journalists among game reviewers ?.

[Hurlshort]

There are actual journalists among game reviewers ?.

 

I suppose the folks who work for the major news organizations would qualify.

[Gfted1]

Aside from the picture, which removes all doubt of douchiness...

 

 

Lol, amen! Nothing makes me want to punch somebody in the face faster than a pencil moustache. Well, except for this guy:

 

[Nightshape]

There are actual journalists among game reviewers ?.

 

It very much used to be that way in the 90's.

[Slowtrain]

There are actual journalists among game reviewers ?.

 

It very much used to be that way in the 90's.

 

 

Yep. It was a lot different.

[Humanoid]

Despite having never heard of the game, I will now gladly pan, denigrate and generally mock it free of charge.

 

 

 

I would also call it the worst PC port ever, but since it's a Rockstar game, that part is actually true.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Humanoid

[GreasyDogMeat]

Despite having never heard of the game, I will now gladly pan, denigrate and generally mock it free of charge.

Check out the videos on Gametrailers.com. If they don't get you excited then gaming may not be your thing. By all means though, pan, denigrate and generally mock ROCKSTAR. Its kind of like boycotting The Dark Knight because you heard Nolan/Bale are jerks. The only thing you are doing is cheating yourself out of a good thing.

 

http://www.gametrailers.com/game/red-dead-redemption/11275