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[WarPig]

I can vouch for this. Remember a few years back when GameSpot was doing weekly previews of whatever WWF or ECW wrestling games were set to come out? I ended up reviewing a few of those games--Oh, the pain.

Meanwhile, I had to preview AND review that horseshit. No wonder I was such a hateful motherfucker.

DFS.

 

[B E N K E]

Gamespot have most likely signed some kind of agreement. Rockstar don't give stuff for free. I see nothing wrong in it as long as all it covers is that each update gets priority on the front page (people want to read it anyway, so no fuss).

 

[WarPig]

Gamespot have most likely signed some kind of agreement. Rockstar don't give stuff for free.

I dunno. What does Rockstar need a quid-pro-quo for? What the fuck is there worth promoting OVER San Andreas right now?

Even with three weeks of exclusives, in terms of their total archive of coverage, I'm betting that Gamespot's still behind fansites that can crib their GTA shit from print mags.

I'll be the first to agree that Rockstar treats the enthusiast press like its personal chew-toy collection, but there's no need to get excessively conspiratorial in this particular instance.

DFS.

 

[Ferrarisimo]

Since when did Gamespot update ANYTHING on their frontpage on the weekends? This I know: We will get a new frontpage image on saturday and one on sunday. And the same loop will repeat every weekend until the game releases.

I'm calling shenanegins whether you like it or not.

GameSpot has been updating 365 days a year for about 4 years now. Where on EARTH have you been?

 

[ohmycar]

GameSpot has been updating 365 days a year for about 4 years now. Where on EARTH have you been?

Word to that.

 

[mashoutposse]

IGN did the same thing with GTA3 a couple of years ago. They rated the game extremely highly; of course, it got similar scores from practically every other publication and website.

 

[WarPig]

IGN did the same thing with GTA3 a couple of years ago. They rated the game extremely highly; of course, it got similar scores from practically every other publication and website.

GTA3 got a good review from IGNPS2 because Doug liked it. It got substantial preview coverage for the same reason -- Doug and Todd Zuniga at OPM were pretty much the only American journalists to prefigure the game's immense success. There was no quid-pro-quo involved.

DFS.

 

[Ferrarisimo]

GTA3 got a good review from IGNPS2 because Doug liked it. It got substantial preview coverage for the same reason -- Doug and Todd Zuniga at OPM were pretty much the only American journalists to prefigure the game's immense success. There was no quid-pro-quo involved.

DFS.

You interviewed every American journalist?

 

[mashoutposse]

GTA3 got a good review from IGNPS2 because Doug liked it. It got substantial preview coverage for the same reason -- Doug and Todd Zuniga at OPM were pretty much the only American journalists to prefigure the game's immense success. There was no quid-pro-quo involved.

DFS.

Exactly my point -- a site can do massive coverage on a game and still remain somewhat objective.

 

[WarPig]

You interviewed every American journalist?

If there was anyone else felt that way, it didn't show up in their coverage.

DFS.

 

[WarPig]

Exactly my point -- a site can do massive coverage on a game and still remain somewhat objective.

Aha, I see, I apologize for the misunderstanding.

I do agree in principle with the Gamespot policy, it's a good one if it's logistically viable. It wouldn't have worked at IGNPS2 with only three people, since everybody was helping to preview most everything. But in a situation with a heavily-hyped game, having to work on so much preview coverage can definitely color your review.

A lot of my pro wrestling reviews would have been better had I not had to beat my brains out doing all the preview action, for instance, and my Metal Gear Solid 2 review might have had an ounce of sanity to it if I hadn't spent 18 months slavishly hyping every tiny detail about that goddamned game. Live and learn.

DFS.

 

[Ferrarisimo]

If there was anyone else felt that way, it didn't show up in their coverage.

DFS.

Maybe not, but I'm not sure estimating a game's sales figures belongs in a preview.

 

[GDJustin]

They even have their very own debug kits to play beta games in progress.

lol. How the hell else are you supposed to preview games? If small sites write their previews based on what the big sites say, what do the big sites use for their info? Do they just stare at the preview disk and make shit up? Any moderately big gaming press outlet needs debug units.

 

[jamesb23]

Gamespot rocks. Case closed. How anybody can complain about weekly updates on one of the most anticipated games of this year is beyond me.

 

[Mike Works]

IGN did the same thing with GTA3 a couple of years ago. They rated the game extremely highly; of course, it got similar scores from practically every other publication and website.

Wait a second... IGN had a bucketload of screens of Zelda: Ocarina, including the teaser trailer... and that game got a good score too!

Gentlemen, I think we've unearthed something here.

Gamespot rocks. Case closed. How anybody can complain about weekly updates on one of the most anticipated games of this year is beyond me.

It'd be nice if I could see the screens.

 

[Goreomedy]

It'd be nice if I could see the screens.

From Gamespot's Help FAQ:

I can't view screenshots and graphics on GameSpot. Screens and graphics on every other Internet site I visit are OK. What's going on?

Chances are that ad blocking or firewall software on your computer is blocking them. A common culprit is Kazaa Lite, which has a large list of blocked sites, including Image.com.com. GameSpot screenshots and graphics are served from Image.com.com. For assistance in unblocking Image.com.com from your ad blocking or firewall software, please consult your software's manual or publisher.

Basically, Kazaa has edited your HOSTS file to block Image.com.com

Just remove it from the list, and you're rozy.

 

[mashoutposse]

Wait a second... IGN had a bucketload of screens of Zelda: Ocarina, including the teaser trailer... and that game got a good score too!

Gentlemen, I think we've unearthed something here.

???

No need for sarcasm, bro -- my point is that a site can do massive coverage on a game and still remain somewhat objective.

 

[DarienA]

???

No need for sarcasm, bro -- my point is that a site can do massive coverage on a game and still remain somewhat objective.

His sarcasm was using your post as a reference.. but the sarcasm itself wasn't really aimed at you.

 

[StoOgE]

the only time I honestly questioned a game sites objectivity was IGN Xbox with its reviews of wreckless and Raw. Both games were HUGE steaming piles of shit, which both got VERY good reviews. Both games also happened to have advertised like mad on the site for months before their release. I'm not sayint for sure they gave the games good reviews because of that.. but it seems rather odd that anyone could mistake either one of those games as remotely enjoyable, let alone game worthy of scoring as high as they did (a 9.1 for raw and a 9.0 for wreckless).. for reference gamerankings has their averages as 65% and 72%, respectively

 

[robertsan21]

ok first!

Halo 2 SUXXXX hahaha no ok maybe it does not suck but Killzone will OWN it!

second!

Gamespot and IGN did the same thing with Vice city before it came out and i for one did not feel that gamespot or Ign had been influenced by rockstar games to giving the game a better score than the game deserved!

 

[Kobun Heat]

ok first!

Halo 2 SUXXXX hahaha no ok maybe it does not suck but Killzone will OWN it!

...GameFAQs banned you, eh?

 

[robertsan21]

...GameFAQs banned you, eh?

eh no i dont hang out on GameGAQs so i never got the privilage to get banned!

but i was joking about the things i said about halo 2