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Lack of reviews in gaming media, why?

It look like huge marketing fail, it's few days from launch date. On metacritic there's single gaming media review from GamesBeat besides I find only total 4 other reviews. Even low budget indie crap get more reviews. Is the recent controversy some kind of desperate attempt to get gaming media attention, or what?

Another marketing fail, there no localised versions despite Baldur's gate great popularity in Europe, in Poland and Russia it has even cult following among rpg fans. CD Projekt build their success because one day they decided to do BG localisation, and they propably made all the way from that photo to making of witcher 3, because of that localisation.

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Comments

  • GrifGrif Member Posts: 48
    Nice pic! Those are CD Projekt guys with their localized versions? Which year was this?
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,725
    A lot of gaming sites are in the process of creating their reviews for SoD now. I wouldn't name it a marketing fail, I think a small amount of official reviews is because even the press-version of SoD was released on 31th of March, not before, as the developers worked till the last minute on their build.

    We have to wait more. And I think it's actually better, not worse, because this way every official review goes more independant, it becomes more valuable and reflects on more things.

    BTW, there's a thread for official reviews here - https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/49735/overall-score-84-100-sod-official-reviews-list-spoilers#latest
  • Baeloth_JnrBaeloth_Jnr Member Posts: 86
    @sieciech

    Perhaps reviewers are wary of getting involved in an internet spat where there can be no winners (positive review or negative review someone will not be happy).
  • Mikey205Mikey205 Member Posts: 307
    Im a bit disturbed by the fact Eurogamer posted a story commenting on the controversy and said they couldnt comment on quality due to no review being in progress.
  • WanderonWanderon Member Posts: 1,418

    @sieciech

    Perhaps reviewers are wary of getting involved in an internet spat where there can be no winners (positive review or negative review someone will not be happy).

    How is this different than the effect of reviewing any game on the internet? Reviews by their nature are nothing more than the reviewers personal opinions which will by default not match everyone else on the planet.

  • Baeloth_JnrBaeloth_Jnr Member Posts: 86
    @Wanderon

    Because those games are not smack bang in the middle of the mother of all flame wars, maybe?
  • Mikey205Mikey205 Member Posts: 307
    If anything itll be opposite due to extra traffic and advertising revenue.
  • sparkleavsparkleav Member Posts: 871
    Mikey205 said:

    Im a bit disturbed by the fact Eurogamer posted a story commenting on the controversy and said they couldnt comment on quality due to no review being in progress.

    I read that on Eurogamer earlier and thought why only report on the controversy and not review the actual game?

  • Mikey205Mikey205 Member Posts: 307
    sparkleav said:

    Mikey205 said:

    Im a bit disturbed by the fact Eurogamer posted a story commenting on the controversy and said they couldnt comment on quality due to no review being in progress.

    I read that on Eurogamer earlier and thought why only report on the controversy and not review the actual game?

    Exactly I tweeted them to ask why they arent reviewing an expansion to one of best rpg series ever.
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  • SamySamy Member Posts: 51
    So the short answer to "lack of reviews, why?" is because of fear. People are not doing their jobs because they fear. Sounds like terrorism to me.
  • Baeloth_JnrBaeloth_Jnr Member Posts: 86
    @subtledoctor

    Nope. I said any review positive (ie anti-'gamer-gate' pro-cjw) or negative (ie pro-'gamer-gate' anti-cjw) would attract dissent from the side that was anti the review.

    Your inference "GamerGate will viciously attack any site that dares to review the game we are currently targeting" is thus entirely fallacious.
  • SamySamy Member Posts: 51
    Yeah, because GG are so known for their fluffy bunnies.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Stay on topic, folks.
  • spacehamzterspacehamzter Member Posts: 77
    edited April 2016
    I think its kind of odd that IGN(not the Russian IGN or Gamespot have not touched the game. I would have expected a review by now. It is one of the most important RPG games of all time.
  • sparkleavsparkleav Member Posts: 871
    Mikey205 said:

    sparkleav said:

    Mikey205 said:

    Im a bit disturbed by the fact Eurogamer posted a story commenting on the controversy and said they couldnt comment on quality due to no review being in progress.

    I read that on Eurogamer earlier and thought why only report on the controversy and not review the actual game?

    Exactly I tweeted them to ask why they arent reviewing an expansion to one of best rpg series ever.
    Any response?
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  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,725
    Usually game developers give pre-release versions of their games to gaming sites/press so that review could be awailable right at the launch date.

    But in this case, the work on SoD continued right till the 31st of March, based on the feedback from the open beta, especially regarding the UI, this is why no build was given to any gaming site/press source before the actual release.

    To create a solid review, you need time. This is why we have only 3 official reviews after 5 whole days passed since the release.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    bengoshi said:

    Usually game developers give pre-release versions of their games to gaming sites/press so that review could be awailable right at the launch date.

    But in this case, the work on SoD continued right till the 31st of March, based on the feedback from the open beta, especially regarding the UI, this is why no build was given to any gaming site/press source before the actual release.

    To create a solid review, you need time. This is why we have only 3 official reviews after 5 whole days passed since the release.

    I could be mistaken, but I don't think that was the case here. While work continued on the game up until release, press builds were definitely sent out to at least a few reviewers. (PCWorld's review, in fact, noted a bug that ended up being fixed prior to release.)
  • Baeloth_JnrBaeloth_Jnr Member Posts: 86
    @subtledoctor " But GamerGate is the only "side" here that will be "anti" the review even if the review focuses solely on gameplay, or visual art, or some other completely non-political aspect of the game. "

    I have seen enough attacks on non-PC views to know that in many cases it is just the politics that counts, and so content is largely irrelevant to merit (or, rather, 'merit is politics; politics is merit' type of thinking).
  • PurudayaPurudaya Member Posts: 816
    Dee said:

    bengoshi said:

    Usually game developers give pre-release versions of their games to gaming sites/press so that review could be awailable right at the launch date.

    But in this case, the work on SoD continued right till the 31st of March, based on the feedback from the open beta, especially regarding the UI, this is why no build was given to any gaming site/press source before the actual release.

    To create a solid review, you need time. This is why we have only 3 official reviews after 5 whole days passed since the release.

    I could be mistaken, but I don't think that was the case here. While work continued on the game up until release, press builds were definitely sent out to at least a few reviewers. (PCWorld's review, in fact, noted a bug that ended up being fixed prior to release.)
    @Dee Are there other well-known sites/magazines that you're expecting reviews from soon? Not asking for names or anything, but I've been trying to confront the review bombing since Sunday and it would be nice to see some professional reviews to lend some perspective.

    That and prospective gamers - despite our little review threads, a lot of them can't find objective information about the game.
  • sparkleavsparkleav Member Posts: 871
    Well I've seen very little except for opinion pieces
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Purudaya said:

    Dee said:

    bengoshi said:

    Usually game developers give pre-release versions of their games to gaming sites/press so that review could be awailable right at the launch date.

    But in this case, the work on SoD continued right till the 31st of March, based on the feedback from the open beta, especially regarding the UI, this is why no build was given to any gaming site/press source before the actual release.

    To create a solid review, you need time. This is why we have only 3 official reviews after 5 whole days passed since the release.

    I could be mistaken, but I don't think that was the case here. While work continued on the game up until release, press builds were definitely sent out to at least a few reviewers. (PCWorld's review, in fact, noted a bug that ended up being fixed prior to release.)
    @Dee Are there other well-known sites/magazines that you're expecting reviews from soon? Not asking for names or anything, but I've been trying to confront the review bombing since Sunday and it would be nice to see some professional reviews to lend some perspective.

    That and prospective gamers - despite our little review threads, a lot of them can't find objective information about the game.
    I don't know who all was sent a copy of the game, and it's not really my place to comment on how long it's taking for reviews to show up. Game reviewers keep a busy schedule--they have a lot of games to review, and that means actually sitting down to play them--so I wouldn't worry about reviews being delayed for political reasons. It may just be a busy week for a particular site.
  • Mikey205Mikey205 Member Posts: 307
    True plus a lot seem busy with Dark Souls 3. Very much doubt they're afraid of GamerGate. No response from Eurogamer, assume they meant they havent started playing it for review yet.
  • Mikey205Mikey205 Member Posts: 307
    PC gamer is really one that should tho lol.
  • sparkleavsparkleav Member Posts: 871
    I assume so, it did say 'no review being in progress'. I can't believe Eurogamer wouldn't review it at all.
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  • ojthesimpsonojthesimpson Member Posts: 121
    reviews for the game are going to be a huge embarrassment when people realize how homophobic and how Ted Cruz-iness our fan base is.
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