Popular Post Undead Wolf Posted October 25, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted October 25, 2016 (edited) Earlier this year, Bethesda released DOOM which ended up being both a critical and commercial success. What was odd about this release though is that early review copies weren't sent out weeks before launch like most game publishers usually do, but they were instead sent out to arrive the day before launch. That's obviously not enough time to form a conclusive opinion about a game, so reviews weren't able to be published until days/weeks after launch. The informed gamers out there saw this as a red flag since this usually only happens when a game isn't very good, or is not what was advertised. Aliens: Colonial Marines, anyone? It came as a pleasant surprise then that DOOM wasn't actually bad, and in fact, it was actually very good. So why did Bethesda decide against early reviews? I mean surely a positive review is better than nothing, right? Well they don't seem to think so. In fact, they believe keeping consumers in the dark on their games makes the most business sense. They will be continuing this trend moving forward with Skyrim Special Edition and Dishonored 2. Here's their official statement right from their own website: https://bethesda.net/en/article/42QH1pTNpKSYIcgKK2C4wW/bethesda-and-game-reviews At Bethesda, we value media reviews. We read them. We watch them. We try to learn from them when they offer critique. And we understand their value to our players. Earlier this year we released DOOM. We sent review copies to arrive the day before launch, which led to speculation about the quality of the game. Since then DOOM has emerged as a critical and commercial hit, and is now one of the highest-rated shooters of the past few years. With the upcoming launches of Skyrim Special Edition and Dishonored 2, we will continue our policy of sending media review copies one day before release. While we will continue to work with media, streamers, and YouTubers to support their coverage – both before and after release – we want everyone, including those in the media, to experience our games at the same time. We also understand that some of you want to read reviews before you make your decision, and if that’s the case we encourage you to wait for your favorite reviewers to share their thoughts. Skyrim Special Edition releases globally on October 28 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Dishonored 2 releases globally on November 11 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Personally, I see this as a bad thing. I mean reviews are a way to make an informed decision on your purchase. Without them, all we have before launch are carefully constructed marketing material, all designed to make the game look as good as possible. Despite how they may spin this, their goal is to limit information known about the game that they can't control, and make us see what they want us to see in order to sell more copies. There's another factor to consider too. While yes, this move won't stop reviews from coming out, so providing you wait, it will still be possible to make an informed decision. The thing is though, there's a large intensive to get your review up as quickly as possible, as being the first review of a game will be sure to drive up traffic. This is something these sites rely on. In doing so, you reduce the quality of the review as the reviewers have to rush. That's not the case when review copies get sent out weeks in advance as every site has to stick to an embargo date. There is no intensive to rush, so they can take their time. EDIT: This video pretty much sums up what I'm trying to say. I'd recommend giving it a watch. EDIT 2: Here's an article by Eurogamer discussing this issue: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-10-26-bethesdas-anti-consumer-review-policy-comes-as-no-surprise So anyway, what do you think about all of this? Will you still be pre-ordering Bethesda's games? I would always advise against pre-ordering a game unless you're absolutely certain you know what you're getting, but who am I to tell you what to do with your money? Edited October 26, 2016 by Undead Wolf 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valyrious Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Honestly, I'm not a fan of Bethesda. They don't do many games that I enjoy, and they've always rubbed me the wrong way. Note that I haven't even played more than two hours of Skyrim. Who knows why I feel like this. I should give Doom more of a chance beyond that demo though. I don't see Dishonored 2 flopping, in all honesty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post xZoneHunter Posted October 25, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted October 25, 2016 Just because DOOM was amazing doesn't really give them a free pass. Don't pre-order games 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon-Archon Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Riiiiiiight, there's a reason I hardly ever buy games at the launch anymore. At Bethesda, we value media reviews. We read them. We watch them. We try to learn from them when they offer critique. And we understand their value to our players. Lol, sure you do Bethesda. That's why every new game is riddled with bugs and glitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihiris- Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Doom's critical success basically gives them the excuse to do this from now on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon-Archon Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Just because DOOM was amazing doesn't really give them a free pass. Don't pre-order games Exactly this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallume Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 So... this makes me a sucker? QQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Cobby Posted October 25, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted October 25, 2016 (edited) For fuck sake ... No they don't. Sure they want your money, they'll happily take it after release date as well ya know. There's no harm in waiting a few days, weeks, months or even years to buy the sodding games. What is everyone's obsession with giving devs money for game that aren't finished, continuously complaining about it, then doing the same bloody thing to the next game .. Edited October 25, 2016 by The Last Cobbisquama 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkusT1992 Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 I don't know why everyone has to read reviews befor buying a game. I never read them and buy games I might like. No other person can tell me if a game is good or bad. Even a game with bad reviews migth be fun for me. If you really need to know the scores of a game just wait till the review gets published. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgrave Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 (edited) I would rather they not make a habit out of what happened with Doom which was a shot in the dark but one that payed off in the end, especially if it comes to their more open world games like Fallout and Elder Scrolls which normally turn out to be buggy messes day one. I also wouldn't like it if other devs took that route either, considering Mafia III (granted they at least patched it shortly after but still) and it probably gives shady devs the chance to make more excuses. Edited October 25, 2016 by Redgrave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJC3317 Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 For fuck sake ... No they don't. Sure they want your money, they'll happily take it after release date as well ya know. There's no harm in waiting a few days, weeks, months or even years to buy the sodding games. What is everyone's obsession with giving devs money for game that aren't finished, continuously complaining about it, then doing the same bloody thing to the next game .. i've been doing this more and more recently. especially now a days with all the changes and additions that come in the form of patches, if you wait a while you can get a much different and often better game than the one that was released on launch day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheYuriG Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 What I think? We also understand that some of you want to read reviews before you make your decision, and if that’s the case we encourage you to wait for your favorite reviewers to share their thoughts but since we know that we make most of the sales based on hype and you won't wait, we know you gonna buy it anyway. Honestly, is there even any difference between Bethesda games (rethorical question)? They are all average~good, but glitchfest all over the place and they get patched lately much more often than before. We all know it gonna be nearly broken near launch and no number of reviews will change that, so you either cope with the initial glitches or wait until very later on when it's all patched and reviewed. The big question is, how far away from the hype can you stay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damon8r351 Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Already know what Skyrim is like, so this is a non-issue to me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bladesoframen Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Just because DOOM was amazing doesn't really give them a free pass. Don't pre-order games But what about my nep preorder bonuses. I like giant cloth posters to hang on my wall. Who cares if the game is bad . On the other hand, Bethesda has never given me even a remote reason to preorder their games. Free dlc is usually lackluster and isn't very displayable if the game is bad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihiris- Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 (edited) Already know what Skyrim is like, so this is a non-issue to me. Yeah I feel that the biggest reason people would be reading Skyrim reviews would be purely on whether the game performs well or not on their console of choice. Otherwise you already know what you're getting into. Edited October 25, 2016 by Death_Ninja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Undead Wolf Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 (edited) Just because DOOM was amazing doesn't really give them a free pass. Don't pre-order games I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, I think some people are way too trusting of certain publishers just because they've made some games they like. I don't know why everyone has to read reviews befor buying a game. I never read them and buy games I might like. No other person can tell me if a game is good or bad. Even a game with bad reviews migth be fun for me. If you really need to know the scores of a game just wait till the review gets published. And I don't know why people purchase games without reading into them at all. You're right, no one can tell you how much you're going to enjoy a game, but that's not the point. Find the reviewers who you relate to the most, and based on what they say they like and dislike about a game, you can form your own opinion. People don't have unlimited amounts of money to spend on games, and reviews are a valuable way to make informed decisions. Already know what Skyrim is like, so this is a non-issue to me. You know Skyrim isn't the only game affected by this, right? ALL Bethesda games will be doing this going forward. Edited October 26, 2016 by Undead Wolf 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post damon8r351 Posted October 26, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted October 26, 2016 You know Skyrim isn't the only game affected by this, right? ALL Bethesda games will be doing this going forward. Not going to get worked up about it. If it's something I'm interested in, I'm going to play it regardless what number the internet assigns it. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PooPooBlast Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 (edited) Haha I love how you don't sugar coat your title. "Bethesda wants your money." It is true though if you put it bluntly . Tbh I couldn't care less what Bethesda does or what developer A or B does In the end, I'm never going to preorder games. Never had! ever! Never will! You're basically putting trust in people in a game that you've never played and you're trusting them based on snippets of gameplay and marketing( which could be of course exaggerated). Even then, I never buy a game at full price. Always wait for a sale. I always have a game to keep me busy till the next game I'm interested in drops in price. Edited October 26, 2016 by poopooblast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumpkin Head Cthulhu Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 (edited) well i never trust reviews to begin with as they are all biased in one way or another. i prefer Gamefly and other suck services, plus since i usually wait about a year before buying a game now-a-days due to all the nickel-and-dime strategies they pull. I feel they are just shooting themselves in the foot with this. yes they got lucky with DOOM doesn't mean it will happen again. I do not think i even own a Bethesda Game, i almost bought Skyrim a few years ago but decided against it after gameflying it. the world felt so empty Edited October 26, 2016 by DarkHarmonixer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Remilia Scarlet Posted October 26, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted October 26, 2016 (edited) Reviews don't mean jack shit. The only thing that can definitively tell you if you will enjoy a game is to experience it yourself firsthand. >Bethesda wants your money Correction: ALL developers want your money. That's why they develop games. Edited October 26, 2016 by Darth Remi 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazingCat83 Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Love Skyrim, so don't care. Might be a bit more wary with anything not The Elder Scrolls VI, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkthur Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 I know if I'm buying a game way before relase, and don't even read reviews anymore. Seriously, is way better to watch a couple gameplay vodeos on YT than paying attention to some random number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Undead Wolf Posted October 26, 2016 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 26, 2016 Reviews don't mean jack shit. The only thing that can definitively tell you if you will enjoy a game is to experience it yourself firsthand. I don't really agree with this. I mean I can look at Aliens: Colonial Marines and tell it's shit. i don't need to play it to understand that. Like I've mentioned in previous posts, you shouldn't 100% trust what a reviewer is saying. They are giving their own opinion, and you may have a different one. It's still a valuable piece of information though. Let's say they give a game a 6/10 and they complain about a certain mechanic or feature that you think you would like, you can assume you'll think of the game as more of a 7 or 8. Maybe it will be worth it to you then. Then there are objective things a review can tell you as well, such as games length, or how buggy it is. This is all information you can take into consideration. >Bethesda wants your money Correction: ALL developers want your money. That's why they develop games. That's not the point I was making. Of course all developers/publishers want to make money, but there are different ways to go about that. This is an anti-consumer move. It's the same reason why I'll give games with microtransactions so much shit. There's making money, and then there's exploiting consumers. Bethesda want to keep us ignorant by preventing us from making informed decisions. That's just how it is. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playdemos1 Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 The only game I pre-order was Uncharted 4, but that's because I know what I can expect from the game, beside I trust ND but anyway usually I don't pre order games but just cause they are expensive at release date, I wait for a sale and I see if I really need the game, I look at my backlog and I cry to myself :') ahahah For example Dying Light is 25€ with everything but I am playing Shadow of the Colossus, finished Dust and I am playing Dynasty Warriors Next on Vita. Dying Light can wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remilia Scarlet Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 I don't really agree with this. I mean I can look at Aliens: Colonial Marines and tell it's shit. i don't need to play it to understand that. Like I've mentioned in previous posts, you shouldn't 100% trust what a reviewer is saying. They are giving their own opinion, and you may have a different one. It's still a valuable piece of information though. Let's say they give a game a 6/10 and they complain about a certain mechanic or feature that you think you would like, you can assume you'll think of the game as more of a 7 or 8. Maybe it will be worth it to you then. Then there are objective things a review can tell you as well, such as games length, or how buggy it is. This is all information you can take into consideration. That's not the point I was making. Of course all developers/publishers want to make money, but there are different ways to go about that. This is an anti-consumer move. It's the same reason why I'll give games with microtransactions so much shit. There's making money, and then there's exploiting consumers. Bethesda want to keep us ignorant by preventing us from making informed decisions. That's just how it is. Except they AREN'T preventing you from making an informed decision. You, as a consumer, have zero obligation to purchase their product immediately. If you buy a game blindly and find out that's utter garbage after playing it, that's YOUR fault because you didn't research the game when it was released. If you really feel the need to read reviews then wait for those reviews. Wasting your money on a bad experience because you can't wait is not the developer's fault. Am I defending Bethesda's decision? Yes, I am, because it is their right to do so. Do necessarily AGREE with said decision? No, I don't. But don't make false claims like this when you have the free will to WAIT a few days before making a purchase. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now