Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

1up hates everything it seems.....
me and 1up never see eye to eye.

but then again there no 24thletterreviews.com

[luv_mist]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

This is interesting. It seems like a lot of these sites and magazines are trying to get attention towards the numbers not being important. I hate the numbers game myself. A lot of times it seems like these sites give bogus or undeserved numbers to games that are better than that.

Very interesting also how a game like Madden that comes out each year hasn't gotten a score of a 4.5 ever. EGM gave them 76 right? In analyzing, I don't quite understand how they come about with their scores. That's just me though. I wonder what happens when Prince of Persia comes out.......

[Dondadda]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

EGM / 1UP are the worst reviewers in the game (and THAT'S saying something). There is no rhyme or reason to their reviews, and they review games as if THEY are the show, and not the game. Unprofessional.

[luv_mist]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

EGM / 1UP are the worst reviewers in the game (and THAT'S saying something). There is no rhyme or reason to their reviews, and they review games as if THEY are the show, and not the game. Unprofessional.

I enjoy hearing their podcast but have found them to be along the lines as IGN. Gamespot seems to be the most sensible out of the big three, but that isn't saying much since the Kane & Lynch fiasco.

[grunt]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

I could see the publishers side in this issue. A software company work 18 months on a project then a reviewer spend 2 paragraphs "reviewing' your game and then give it a low score. I read the "review" of NHL 2k8 on 1 up and it was a joke. The development team and the review staff was playing f u and the reviewers gave a game a 4. The score was more of a personal vendetta than a review.

Leave the score out and write your review. We all read reviews then we scratch our heads over the score. Sometime scores of games are easy bail out for reviewers.

I always want to know how long and how much did a reviewer play the game before they write their review.

[luv_mist]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

I could see the publishers side in this issue. A software company work 18 months on a project then a reviewer spend 2 paragraphs "reviewing' your game and then give it a low score. I read the "review" of NHL 2k8 on 1 up and it was a joke. The development team and the review staff was playing f u and the reviewers gave a game a 4. The score was more of a personal vendetta than a review.

Leave the score out and write your review. We all read reviews then we scratch our heads over the score. Sometime scores of games are easy bail out for reviewers.

I always want to know how long and how much did a reviewer play the game before they write their review.

Personally, I'd be happy with a company that took the liberty to not rush out a review just for the simple fact of being the first to have it hit the masses but would take a month or two after the game is released to have a justified reveiw. Too many companies reviewing games after they've rushed through them. The number game is the most ignorant thing. So far, I am fairly pleased with on Game Informer. They seem to be solid with their reviews which is pretty great.

[Village Idiot]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

Personally, I'd be happy with a company that took the liberty to not rush out a review just for the simple fact of being the first to have it hit the masses but would take a month or two after the game is released to have a justified reveiw. Too many companies reviewing games after they've rushed through them. The number game is the most ignorant thing. So far, I am fairly pleased with on Game Informer. They seem to be solid with their reviews which is pretty great.

Co-sign, all the way around.

[JRod]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

Personally, I'd be happy with a company that took the liberty to not rush out a review just for the simple fact of being the first to have it hit the masses but would take a month or two after the game is released to have a justified reveiw. Too many companies reviewing games after they've rushed through them. The number game is the most ignorant thing. So far, I am fairly pleased with on Game Informer. They seem to be solid with their reviews which is pretty great.

Then what point is there to have a magazine. If they don't put something out when the game hits the store selves, people won't buy the magazine.

This isn't a problem of when the game is reviewed. It's a matter that EGM and 1UP have graded some games really low. I can see how they gave NBA The Life a bad score. But they gave MLB The Show 08, PS3, a 55.

The problems is with the whole review scoring system. IGN and Gamespot basically grade games on a scale of 75 to 100. Lower than 75 and you have a bad game. I guess they do that to play the numbers game, if you inflate scores on the basis of a scoring grade, then the publisher's will be happy because they receive inflated scores.

A bad game on a true 1-100 scale would get a 35 but now with the IGN/Gamespot scale, they would get a 70. And on the all important metacritic score, which companies heavily rely on, the scores are also artificially higher.

I think 1up and EGM have low-balled a few games that weren't deserving of the score. I can see Sony Sports point here in regards to MLB The Show. I can also see how a lot score at EGM could impact sales and set the tone for other reviews.

I think the whole industry should go to a movie system where 4 or 5 points are used. A bad game would get 1 to 2 stars. It doesn't look as bad as getting a 55 on a 100 point scale but numerically it's the same.

[mgoblue]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

Then what point is there to have a magazine. If they don't put something out when the game hits the store selves, people won't buy the magazine.

This isn't a problem of when the game is reviewed. It's a matter that EGM and 1UP have graded some games really low. I can see how they gave NBA The Life a bad score. But they gave MLB The Show 08, PS3, a 55.

The problems is with the whole review scoring system. IGN and Gamespot basically grade games on a scale of 75 to 100. Lower than 75 and you have a bad game. I guess they do that to play the numbers game, if you inflate scores on the basis of a scoring grade, then the publisher's will be happy because they receive inflated scores.

A bad game on a true 1-100 scale would get a 35 but now with the IGN/Gamespot scale, they would get a 70. And on the all important metacritic score, which companies heavily rely on, the scores are also artificially higher.

I think 1up and EGM have low-balled a few games that weren't deserving of the score. I can see Sony Sports point here in regards to MLB The Show. I can also see how a lot score at EGM could impact sales and set the tone for other reviews.

I think the whole industry should go to a movie system where 4 or 5 points are used. A bad game would get 1 to 2 stars. It doesn't look as bad as getting a 55 on a 100 point scale but numerically it's the same.

You're hitting it on the head, and that's my annoyance with the system! I just am not sure if it'll happen ever...

[ChaseB]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

You're hitting it on the head, and that's my annoyance with the system! I just am not sure if it'll happen ever...

But if all anyone after is perception that's silly. And just because both movies and games get judged doesn't mean they automatically should be put on the same scale. Reviewing a video game and reviewing a movie are two very different things, and two very differently involved things.

[mgoblue]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

But if all anyone after is perception that's silly. And just because both movies and games get judged doesn't mean they automatically should be put on the same scale. Reviewing a video game and reviewing a movie are two very different things, and two very differently involved things.

I just question that the industry can put so much emphasis on Game Rankings scores, when the Game Rankings combination is completely flawed. You can't compare a Gamespot score with a IGN or 1UP or EGM score. They have different score ceilings and floors. I personally read the reviews and go off the words to figure out if I'll like something, but some people just look at a number.

Rotten Tomatoes concept works, just not sure GameRankings and the like does as well.

[Dallasin2K3]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

What stops EGM from springing for a couple copies of a game at $60 a pop and reviewing it (crappily, if they want to), anyway?

[ChaseB]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

What stops EGM from springing for a couple copies of a game at $60 a pop and reviewing it (crappily, if they want to), anyway?

Nothing, the point is the coverage isn't as timely and it's about pointing out publishers trying to screw with EGM...Basically he's making sure these companies have PR issues on their hands and also building credibility for his own magazine in the wake up Gerstmanngate.

I just question that the industry can put so much emphasis on Game Rankings scores, when the Game Rankings combination is completely flawed. You can't compare a Gamespot score with a IGN or 1UP or EGM score. They have different score ceilings and floors. I personally read the reviews and go off the words to figure out if I'll like something, but some people just look at a number.

Rotten Tomatoes concept works, just not sure GameRankings and the like does as well.

Yea I certainly dont disagree that the reviews system looks kind of oddball when put into an aggregate site such as GR or Metacritic. But I mean as long as you read the words like you said then I think reviews do their job. Whether it's 2 stars or 6 out of 10 those things shouldn't mean anything without reading the words that go with the final judgment.

N'Gai Croal (Newsweek/Level-Up blog) and GameSetWatch talked about something similar...You want the link to read about it?

[mgoblue]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

Nothing, the point is the coverage isn't as timely and it's about pointing out publishers trying to screw with EGM...Basically he's making sure these companies have PR issues on their hands and also building credibility for his own magazine in the wake up Gerstmanngate.



Yea I certainly dont disagree that the reviews system looks kind of oddball when put into an aggregate site such as GR or Metacritic. But I mean as long as you read the words like you said then I think reviews do their job. Whether it's 2 stars or 6 out of 10 those things shouldn't mean anything without reading the words that go with the final judgment.

N'Gai Croal (Newsweek/Level-Up blog) and GameSetWatch talked about something similar...You want the link to read about it?

I agree with you, and personally I don't look at the score, I read the review of a game I'm interested in (read multiple) and then form my decision based on those combined. Sadly the industry (and a lot of people) don't read anything but the number.

[bkfount]

Re: Three publishers stop sending products to EGM after poor reviews

What stops EGM from springing for a couple copies of a game at $60 a pop and reviewing it (crappily, if they want to), anyway?

well since there's a delay in getting their word out with magazines, getting review copies early helps them get a more indepth review, as well as time it for slightly before or at release. If they have to go out and buy games to review, it could be a month or so before we see a review in the magazine, making it pointless to 90% of the people that read those magazines.

I read magazines like crazy when N64 games cost $70. Games are "only" $60 now, but I still won't blow money on a game before reading up on it. Hearing pros and cons before or at its release makes it easier. Having a substantial delay in reviews will only allow lesser quality games to sell better initially based on hype and commercials.