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The Splinter Cell Essentials Marketing Fracas
Videogame Media Watch has a breakdown on a developing story, yet another example of the sometimes less than stellar relationship game reviews/previews have with game marketing. In essence, Ubisoft used language from a GameSpy preview in their marketing, combining words to get the result they wanted. From the article: "As the 1up article notes, the UbiSoft ad probably does need an ellipsis to note where words were removed from the GameSpy preview. This is hardly the main issue, though, as the difference between 'one of the best games on the PSP' and 'one of the best games we've played on the PSP' is not all that important. A somewhat more salient question: how can a game turn from '...one of the best...' on a system to a 2 out of 5 review in a matter of two-and-a-half months between preview and review? "
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Twoflower
That is why you should NEVER believe quotes on books, movie reviews, games, etc. Even if it is in print it is far too easy to take out of context.
Take this for example:
"The main-chase scene in Matrix 2 is the best I have ever seen; it's too bad the rest of the movie couldn't keep pace."
Spin enabled: "...Matrix 2 is the best I have ever seen.."
Anybody with half of an education should know this stuff.
Demo the ****ware, if you like it buy it!
"The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." ~Plato (427-347 BC)
One thing to remember about previews, is that you are playing a game in the rough. I have played pre-alpha builds of games, and have seen some cool items in games, that were later pulled. That can change a game pretty drastically, from what you saw. Previews are part of a game's marketting strategy. You don't see a lot of previews of an entire game, but of a few levels, that the developer/publisher choose to show you. They give you an idea of what the game is about. Reviews, on the other hand, are written based on what you will get to put in your machine. I may get hyped up by previews... but I wait for reviews before making any real choice.
I like how, at the end of the article, he goes on about how awesome the citizen-driven media is! No one would have normally noticed this! Only the bloggers have the power to fix our horribly corrupt blah blah blah.
This horrible, horrible error might have only been noticed by a few bloggers because maybe, just maybe, no one gives a crap. It's about an ad that few see for a game few want on a system few own.
You want to fix game media? Ditch "new games journalism," stop playing the stupid "everyone is a hater" card regarding violent games, stop trying to provide media exclusively through press releases and for God's sake, dissociate yourselves from the companies whom your job is to critique!
Pointing out relatively minor transgressions and fraud present in almost every venue while shouting how awesome blogs are from the rooftops solves nothing.
It's simple: people like to be excited. Excitement makes people feel good, and for magazines in particular, if you're excited about an upcoming feature or review, it makes you buy the next issue of the magazine (in addition to the one you've already got). Negativity, on the other hand, is a turn-off; there are very few reviewers of any media that can consistently pan things and still be an interesting read (Anthony Lane of the New Yorker is one of them, FYI). So even if the game's final review makes it clear that it sucks, the preview (which is probably longer and more graphics-filled than the review) is enough to keep people happy and buying the magazine.
Or, it could simply be that they don't get the chance to play through the whole game and realize some of its faults during the preview, but when they get a final copy, they can spend enough time to find out where the problems are.
I don't approve of sleazy marketing. BUT, the Splinter Cell series is one of the most fun series I've ever played. I never tire of sneaking around in the dark and killing people. Just remember, if Ubisoft ever stops making these games it may end up affecting you personally. I may be your neighbor. ;)
If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
...this is the only /. article I've ever seen with no catchy little department tagline...wtf?
Preview = Paid review.
A company doesn't offer a prerelease version of a game to a website without some expectation of softball consideration. Websites know this so they tend to talk up the good points and play down the bad points (because, after all the game isn't finished yet).
"One of the best games we've played on the PSP" is exactly full of the kind of weasel words they use in previews. Low and behold Ubisoft ends up removing some of the weasel words in order to make a more compelling quote.
Meh. That's why I listen to Chris the video-game guy at the store. Looks like Comic Book Guy, but is refreshingly free of condescension. Also, you dorks at slashdot are pretty cool too...
My father is a blogger.