retired_v_meenucancer

sounds like bribery to me

Ventil

It's called oiling the wheels of business.

More work is done over the lunch table than the board table!

retired_ehoff15

I remember once Edge tried something quite interesting. Instead of putting the score at the end of the review, they leave it in another page. So it's up to you if you want to find out what score they give

michaelwoodcock

This guy hardly the first, or last. Bribery such a harsh word, we are normally "gifted" hardware and/or software, to allow us to fully experience the game in all it's glory. Crysis netted me a 8800 GT. A few particularly good reviews, especially of top titles may also result in a publisher sending you a special "thank you" parcel, which normally contains exclusive merchandise. Prime example was the thank you parcel for Halo 3 which contained the £90 collectors edition of the game in some helmet, and a bunch of Halo 3 collectors stuff worth around £300, probably more in a while once the fanboys get desperate to buy it.

Worst I've ever had is EA request someone else review their games on PC format due to my "bias views being based solely upon business practices instead of the software itself", which was utter rot anyway. Not my fault FIFA and NHL are awful on PC this year.

retired_recca

Fired? I'm guessing he was a contributor who wrote for the freebies and enjoyment of writing rather than a paid employee?

retired_barbara45

He was an editor, so I doubt he did it for free.

Smokey3957

to be fair, the gameplay footage was poor, and i was told how bad it was from several different sources myself...

surely a decision would have been made about the advertising well before the review when review code was released to gamespot?

i remember a PS2 title with some bird with special powers got advertised like it was the next big franchise. my workplace bought loads of copies which couldn't sell...

forgot the title, though...

retired_katie14

Docker and Gav blatantly living in ignorance.

retired_katie14

Not ignorance, denial.

michaelwoodcock

How am I living in denial? I've said bribery is the wrong word and I stand by that. You get the gifts alot of the time prior to review, not due to a favourable one. My Crysis freebie being case in point. Bribes kinda useless if you give them regardless of end result. Have never once heard of actual cold hard cash changing hands, as someone else suggested.