Will Bethesda's No Advanced Review Policy Affect 'Skyrim Special Edition' & 'Dishonored 2' Sales? Why This Is Bad News For Critics, Consumers;
J RoseBethesda has announced that the company will be making changes to its review policy.
The publisher declared on its site that it will no longer provide early copies of its games to the media, which means that no one will be seeing reviews about a game until after it isreleased.
"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," Bethesda said. "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."
The publisher pointed out that they did the same thing with its shooter game "Doom" earlier this year, providing copies of the game to reviewers a day before launch. "Doom" became both a critical and commercial hit.
Unsurprisingly, most media outlets have reacted to this news, with Grab It Magazine saying that this is a risky move by Bethesda.
"So what Bethesda is saying to reviewers is effectively this - you now have to finish this game, test its various modes, write your full opinion, get it live, and get it marketed (social, forums, etc.) in about 15-hours," the online publication said. "Each minute is a minute lost. And games like 'The Elder Scrolls' take a long, long time to complete."
The publication went on to say that this will effectively produce rushed, and oftentimes bad, reviews.
Polygon has a harsher stance on the issue, accusing Bethesda of wanting to get consumers' money and avoid potential buyers from veering away from a game with bad reviews.
"Bethesda's goal is to limit information that it doesn't control in order to sell more copies," Polygon's Ben Kuchera said. "This is its play to do so. To paint this as anything other than being consumer- and press-hostile requires some pretty hefty spin."
PC Invasion shares the same sentiments as Polygon. "Their aim is for prospective buyers to see nothing except marketing material prior to launch, and rely on customer impatience.. to get away with it," PC Invasion's Peter Parrish wrote.
As for Kotaku, Bethesda has already blacklisted them for the past few years, so the news will hardly affect them. However, the publication has also voiced out its opinion about the issue.
"Game makers are entitled to send out copies of their games whenever they want," Kotaku's Stephen Totilo said, "and if they've determined that their games can't be judged prior to release, so be it."
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