Eidos Wants Negative Tomb Raider Reviews Delayed

In today’s gaming culture and in the age of Metacritic, this isn’t all that surprising, but it seems that Eidos is asking that anyone who gives the new Tomb Raider a score under an 8 has to delay their reviews. Basically, they’re trying to boost the game’s Metacritic score in order to persuade buyers.

While I understand it in the business sense, it’s kind of shady seeing as how Eidos was part of the whole Gerstmann-gate/Gamespot scandal all those many months ago. It’s not entirely too shocking that video game companies have this kind of hold over the reviewers that they advertise with, but it really is just another sign that gaming editorials these days are jacked.

It especially makes me miss Dan Hsu, former editor-in-chief at EGM, who always took the ballsiest stance possible against these kinds of shenanigans. What do you guys think of Eidos’ policy on game reviews- fair or foul?

Source- Shacknews

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10 thoughts on “Eidos Wants Negative Tomb Raider Reviews Delayed”

  1. I think I’d be speaking everybody’s mind by saying an unequivocal foul. It may ship a few more units of Tomb Raider, but let’s face it, not many people get Tomb Raider for the gameplay anyways. In any case isn’t this violating something? Like the 1st amendment? In their defense, I’m sure that they put some clause or another in their contracts so that it’s not technically illegal. Still, the government may be able to walk all over the constitution, but gaming companies shouldn’t have that kind of power. …right?

  2. If they dont have the confidence to let everyone rate it then its like the ultimate negitive review in my opinion.If the developers are afraid of it getting a lower scores then its like they are rating the game 0. Even the person that buys wii music will catch on to that as long as people make it public.

  3. Eidos is doing what makes sense for them.

    I say we save our wrath for the real villains:

    ANY REVIEWER WHO OBLIGES EIDOS.

    If any site or magazine does so, I will boycott them and I encourage you to do the same.

    Also, I am such a jerk, i will write the advertisers of that site and let them know my feelings on the matter.

    Yes. I am a douche.

  4. it’s a shame but anthoney, we can’t blame te reveiwers. if they disobey, they will get sued. the fact that eidos has this power suggests they have legal authority.

  5. chamdar,
    I am not sure what you are talking about. They are ASKING. They have can’t sue a publication for a bad review or for releasing it. They actually only have power to withhold advertising.

  6. Lol, i can’t wait to see the responses here.

    (To a room of reviewers)
    “Hey, can you NOT publish reviews that make our game look bad?”

    (Crickets)

    GameInformer:
    “Um…no?”

  7. @wox: Still, the government may be able to walk all over the constitution, but gaming companies shouldn’t have that kind of power

    actually, private parties (like gaming companies) are the only ones who DO have the power to ignore free speech. The government can’t mess with it, but in private, people can do that, because we have the right to not associate with any
    private party we don’t want to.

    @chamdar: They wouldn’t have any grounds to sue a reviewer unless they slandered the game, like anthony said, they’re just ASKING. Threatening might be more accurate, but their only power is to NOT advertise with a site.

    That said, Justin’s response is hilarious to me. I can’t believe a game maker is asking to NOT get bad reviews. WTF?

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