Assassin's Creed and the Gaming Press.

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YukoAsho

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Edited By YukoAsho
Member since 2004 • 3737 Posts

Yes, this topic gets me in trouble regularly, but I'm quite moth-like at times, and it's such a pretty flame...

As we all know, Ubisoft rushed Assassin's Creed: Unity out the door in a pathetic state, which anyone with a lick of sense could tell was going to happen by the fact that embargoes were in place until 12 hours post release, most likely in order to make sure no pre-orders got canceled.

Now, unlike most, I don't particularly harbor any ill-will at Ubisoft. At least no more than usual. I don't buy their games until I've seen media on them, simply because they, along with EA, have proven incapable of consistent quality. However, while their business practices are deplorable, they're not unexpected.

Unfortunately, the games press' compliance is also not unexpected. We can go on and on and on about how Ubisoft was scummy for issuing the embargo, and of course they were. However, a corporation is, at the end of the day, looking out for itself beyond anyone else. In theory, the games press should be on the side of its readership, or at least beholden to the most basic principles of honesty. Instead, the industry agreed to this embargo. While Ubi might deny review copies, embargoes aren't legally enforceable without contract. Therefore, the problem here isn't Ubisoft being jackasses, but with the games media being completely on the take.

Here we are, presented with yet another example of how the games press isn't looking after the best interests of its readers, but instead playing along with the industry standard of appeasing the publishers in exchange for access. This isn't a good thing, and seeing reviews only pop up after millions of dollars have been collected on a travesty such as this only serves to support the notion that there are no ethical standards in the press.

So, what should the press do? Don't sign the damned contract! If you're denied access, say so. Put it on the front cover that Ubisoft refused to work with you because you wouldn't play along with its marketing team. At least everyone will understand ahead of time when the review comes late because you had to buy the game yourselves. Show a bit of backbone and stand up to someone at least once!

Of course, that will never happen. With a press that's obsessed with keeping the flow of easy access and free goodies going, we're never going to see a games outlet say "No, we're going to do right by the reader." Indeed, we're the last thing on the gaming press' mind, at least until the time comes to paint us all as misogynist babies.

Thankfully, I had the good sense to stop buying AC games a long time ago, but it irks me that a press that's supposed to stop people from being hoodwinked like this was instead helping by agreeing to the embargo and putting nothing at all on their front pages until Ubi said it was OK to go ahead.

At least it wasn't an indie game by a woman, I suppose. The press would be ripping into anyone daring to criticize it then...

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Macutchi

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#1 Macutchi
Member since 2007 • 10358 Posts

it would be great if the mainstream gaming media responded en masse to review embargos by calling out the publisher but they won't explicitly do it whilst they're set to benefit from lucrative advertising revenues. however i have noticed gamespot seem to be getting less tolerant and accommodating to big gaming companies in their reviews, hence the 6 for master chief collection, the 7 for unity and 8 for advanced warfare, which is a start at least

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c_rakestraw

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#2  Edited By c_rakestraw  Moderator
Member since 2007 • 14627 Posts

Kotaku actually put a new policy in place that said they won't sign any post-release embargoes going forward following the Assassin's Creed Unity fiasco. Hoping more outlets will follow suit.

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yukushi

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#3  Edited By yukushi
Member since 2011 • 2368 Posts

I think all gamers should boycott ubisoft games until they have being on the market a few weeks and we are sure its working properly, the only way they will change their behavior is if you hit them in the wallet.

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JustPlainLucas

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#4 JustPlainLucas
Member since 2002 • 80441 Posts

One person I have great respect for is Dan Hsu, who has always been about integrity. I remember reading an editorial from him back when EGM was still in print. He talked of a company (I think it was Acclaim) who threatened to pull ad support because of one of their negative reviews, and wanted it revised. His response was, "Go ahead and pull it. We'll get ad revenue from other companies." From that point on, the magazine saw adds from other companies like shoes and cologne. To see things like that in a video game company was kind of sad, but knowing that EGM flat out couldn't be bought was a comforting fact.

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The_Last_Ride

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#5 The_Last_Ride
Member since 2004 • 76371 Posts

@YukoAsho: with the recent development, i am glad i don't pre-order games.

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YukoAsho

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#6 YukoAsho
Member since 2004 • 3737 Posts

@JustPlainLucas said:

One person I have great respect for is Dan Hsu, who has always been about integrity. I remember reading an editorial from him back when EGM was still in print. He talked of a company (I think it was Acclaim) who threatened to pull ad support because of one of their negative reviews, and wanted it revised. His response was, "Go ahead and pull it. We'll get ad revenue from other companies." From that point on, the magazine saw adds from other companies like shoes and cologne. To see things like that in a video game company was kind of sad, but knowing that EGM flat out couldn't be bought was a comforting fact.

I remember that. The game was Total Recall on the NES, which was indeed a shit show. I wonder if Dan's still kickin' around anywhere. I'd love to see what he's up to.

I think that's a large part of the problem with games media as well. Not only is access an issue, but the ads on game websites (unless they use google ads or something) tend to be games. Until game websites can get enough non-gaming ads to sustain themselves, I don't see this issue going away any time soon, if ever.

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The_Last_Ride

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#7  Edited By The_Last_Ride
Member since 2004 • 76371 Posts

@YukoAsho said:

@JustPlainLucas said:

One person I have great respect for is Dan Hsu, who has always been about integrity. I remember reading an editorial from him back when EGM was still in print. He talked of a company (I think it was Acclaim) who threatened to pull ad support because of one of their negative reviews, and wanted it revised. His response was, "Go ahead and pull it. We'll get ad revenue from other companies." From that point on, the magazine saw adds from other companies like shoes and cologne. To see things like that in a video game company was kind of sad, but knowing that EGM flat out couldn't be bought was a comforting fact.

I remember that. The game was Total Recall on the NES, which was indeed a shit show. I wonder if Dan's still kickin' around anywhere. I'd love to see what he's up to.

I think that's a large part of the problem with games media as well. Not only is access an issue, but the ads on game websites (unless they use google ads or something) tend to be games. Until game websites can get enough non-gaming ads to sustain themselves, I don't see this issue going away any time soon, if ever.

i think i saw him on a Bonus Round on Gametrailers

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El_Zo1212o

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#8 El_Zo1212o
Member since 2009 • 6057 Posts

I remember reading the Hsu &Chan comics at the end of every EGM. Christ, but I miss that magazine.

@c_rake: Good for them, locking the barn door after the horse has fled like that. :roll eyes:

If any of these places had any balls they would have made people aware of what was going on. And if their review copies and access and such were pulled because of it, they ought to shout from the mountaintops that "X Company is engaging in BULLSHIT!!"

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YukoAsho

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#9  Edited By YukoAsho
Member since 2004 • 3737 Posts

@El_Zo1212o said:

I remember reading the Hsu &Chan comics at the end of every EGM. Christ, but I miss that magazine.

@c_rake: Good for them, locking the barn door after the horse has fled like that. :roll eyes:

If any of these places had any balls they would have made people aware of what was going on. And if their review copies and access and such were pulled because of it, they ought to shout from the mountaintops that "X Company is engaging in BULLSHIT!!"

Unfortunately, no one has guts in the games media.

I swear to Christ, I'm just waiting for the inevitable ET to come along and crash the industry again. Between EA, Ubisoft and the occasional Capcom nonsense, we've got plenty of games that aren't that great, and we have a games media that's mostly owned by publishers. All we need is that one truly terrible, enormously anticipated game to act as a spark.