Omar Boulon, the journo who heroically revealed the Dragon Age: Origins review corruption in Canard PC last week, has informed us that another mag has stepped up with details of another dishonest deal. This time, German mag Computer Bild Spiele has revealed that Ubisoft would only provide them with review code for Assassin’s Creed 2 if they would guarantee that they would give it a “very good” score. Computer Bild Spiele did exactly the right thing (and exactly what no British mag would do) by telling Ubisoft to fuck off whilst delaying the review and, in its place, blowing the deal wide open in an editorial.
Here’s the link if you still think we’re making this crap up for shits and giggles.
Congratulations, Boulon / CanardPC and Computer Bild Spiele. And bollocks to EA and Ubisoft (not to mention any mag that takes the deal).
Here’s the link if you still think we’re making this crap up for shits and giggles.
Congratulations, Boulon / CanardPC and Computer Bild Spiele. And bollocks to EA and Ubisoft (not to mention any mag that takes the deal).
So you are still not fucking off then? And why would you when you've highlighted yet again that some PRs fear that their decent games will get a trashing from a cynical press. AC2 is much better that the first one although the Animus and all it brings with it still sucks balls. AC gets a 360 Metacritic of 81, a 'good score'. Sequel is better. Hated the original, enjoyed the sequel.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you investigate why this 'bribery' sort of thing goes on with games that are going to get many good scores anyway rather than focusing on your own tiresome agenda? The German press? Please. They're famously insane.
You ever get the feeling these Anonymous posters are jerks within the industry?
ReplyDeleteCongrats to them, and you, for helping get this shit out there.
Dude, what. Are you honestly saying unethical practices are fine because PR are worried about their flawless gem being misrepresented by cynics?
ReplyDeleteAnon[0] - That's entirely the point, AC2 is good, it doesn't NEED this shit and yet they still pull it, giving the false impression that's it's not good because if it was good then they wouldn't pull this shit.
ReplyDelete*breathes*
RR - 360 have it on the cover this month complete with 5/5 score... is that pre-embargo?
Thanks for posting on this stuff RAM Raider. The people not making money off the situation benefit from this info being out there.
ReplyDelete"You ever get the feeling these Anonymous posters are jerks within the industry?" Jerk, yes - industry, no.
ReplyDeleteI'm just be far more interested if RR actually managed to ask a PR why such things happen rather that having him yet again just keep on going on about how they do just so he can prove he has some kind of point to all this ire. There must be a reason, and so far all I can think of is that often decent games get devoured by cynical journos who have to play games with a deadline. As many have mentioned, why bother being so prissy with a decent game? Because PRs are cunts is the only answer these pages ever give. Well that's insightful.
I'm no fan of AC, hated it, but I did quite enjoy AC2 and, no, I don't count freelance reviewing as being 'within the industry'. It's not a 5/5 game, obviously.
"Dude, what. Are you honestly saying unethical practices are fine because PR are worried about their flawless gem being misrepresented by cynics?" No, but they may be understandable if everyone just stopped shouting for a bit and its understanding, not cunt calling, that I'd like. Flawless gem is a bit strong, nobody asked for a perfect score and what constitutes a good score differs between magazines, depending on their market.
Where are the stories about 6/10 games getting 8/10 because of corruption? Ah, but in some minds AC2 IS a 6/10 game. Clever.
Maybe AC2 is just that good of a game? Oh, and you were wrong about Batman, so I have a feeling you're wrong about this one.
ReplyDeleteXbox : 92
PS3: 91
AC2 is repetitive and a bit shit, though. Definitely not the 9/10 game everyone seems to think it is. 8 at a push.
ReplyDeleteThat link was awful. I never thought I could be less informed by clicking a link.
ReplyDeleteBe grateful if you could get hold of an English version and a direct link maybe?
lol@arguing over fucking /print magazine scores/ in 2010, jesus christ
ReplyDeletewhy would gamers in their 30s even care about a game like this, let alone the ps3? and as for eidos, they kinda tuned out of contributing decent gameplay experiences after tomb raider 2
guys, get an xbox, get the new street fighter game that's about to come out (and if you dole wally twats can't even afford that, then good god, list some old copies of edge on ebay ffs) and have yourselves some killer gaming sessions again, just like goldeneye back in the day (which hits live soon as well afaik!)
Sorry about the regrettable age of the comment here, but, you know, just putting it out there while it's new to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat RAM raider stands for really, when you break it down is freedom of speech. It's empowers the honest journalists to be able to say 'actually, don't spend £40.00 on this title, because it's not up to scratch, go buy x instead' By denying journalists copies of reviews in exchange for 5 brown noses up, means that the industry controls the journalism and turns it into marketing. Every good journalist knows the basics: Who, What, Where, When, Why? If story is that Ubisoft are asking Assassins Creed 2 to get 5/5 stars in a German publication before release to improve sales then that's far more of a fucking story than the type of behaviour it condemns. This isn't about content. It's about credibility.
Often I'll ask for review copies and be asked what the output of our site is and how many listeners we have. Maybe one day it'll be based on how much of a shine I can polish a turd up to. For this reason, I kind of like reviewing independent titles.