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more about #onreviews AXISOF3VIL: As a game developer who has to worry about these things, I can say that the single driving force that motivates me to support these events is online m... more » phisheep: Vidgames said in a comment below "you won't likely be able to get enough sites to band together to shut the review events". That is, of course, a big... more » Friedhamster: I can understand the security issues, but how a bathrobe branded with Modern Warfare 2 helps is beyond me. I don't see how you could be 100% impartia... more » aniteshj: And this is different from all the private screenings that movie reviewers get? Or that auto journalists get? Who wouldn't give up an arm and a leg ... more » Vidgames: (Doesn't seem like this went through the first time...sorry if it ends up a duplicate.) If it comes down to having your review be timely and you won'... more » silvainsharp: Here's something I didn't see. The publisher isn't the only one who can sway, here. If the PR people did their job, they would be using the excitement... more » Blake: Bravo for addressing a gray area, Michael. For outlets wanting to achieve the utmost respect from their audience, I'd say decline said events in favo... more » Rambo731: Attending review events where the publisher pays for everything is wrong. It certainly seems like this article is trying to justify something that al... more » isbroking: As a former PR person I can say that this kind of thing was once common in the travel agency but over time is considered inappropriate for the most pa... more » phisheep: I am very uncomfortable about all this. The really big problem is one that is not mentioned in the article at all. It is the risk – no matter how h... more » Fontane: Fantastic article, Michael. I'm finding myself somewhat torn on the issue. The thought of accepting anything on the publisher's dime, even if it is ... more » BlackieC420: Amazing article, great to hear from Jeff Gerstmann. What is Jeff up to these days. Hopefully something more worthwhile than GameSpot. more » ngork: Great article Michael. I'd love to see more stories like this on Kotaku. I know that I have read some questionably glowing reviews at IGN that someho... more » Dante_Ravenkin: Wow! This is an incredible article! It gives us a great sense of the inside world of these events. I am definatly of the mind that these events can s... more » HonusWScruggs: Hang on, you guys review games on debug consoles? The same ones that have twice the RAM to make up for the fact that developers use them to debug cod... more » siempre: I'm a journalism major in my last year at college, and maybe this is just another example of the naivety of the academic world, but the guidelines we'... more » buddhathing: Loved the article. The more coverage and perspective on the trade-offs involved in balancing ethics and access in reporting on and reviewing games, th... more » -MasterDex-: Great article. It's an interesting topic. These events certainly have the ability to taint a review score whether it's for good or bad. For one revie... more » jimmyprufrock001: How can this entire article not even mention the RIDE review event and the subsequent 9.0 reviews from lesser known gaming sites? more » potatojenkins: Yes. Pampering journalists sure helps consumers, bungie! Especially how that the average consumer isn't invited to these things. more » -
#feature
Reviewing A Game On Their Terms: The Increasingly Prominent "Review Event"
My room had a private balcony, a calming view of the Pacific, and beaches a few hundred feet away. Like dozens of guests who stayed at a Santa Barbara resort in October, I was there to play a video game. More » -
#goldenaxebeastrider
Golden Axe Reviews Are "Irresponsible" Rubbish, Says Reviewer
The editor in chief of Play magazine, Dave Halverson, has some harsh words for anyone who scored Sega's Golden Axe: Beast Rider below a 7 out of 10: "Be wary. The majority of these people (can’t call them critics) either didn’t complete a fraction of the game, don’t understand game design, or just plain suck at games." At last check, all outlets but Play have reviewed the game well below Play's 9 out of 10 — the GameRankings average is currently at 44%. Halverson derides these "sad reviews" as an "ever pervasive sign of the times." More »
