In a move that I personally consider stunning, Bethesda say that their new policy is to not send out review copies of games to media outlets until one day before the game’s release. They did it with DOOM earlier this year, and they plan to keep it going with the releases of Skyrim Special Edition and Dishonored 2.
(Note: For the record, we have never received review copies from Bethesda or any other AAA publisher.)
For Bethesda, this can only be a good thing. They will be able to control the information on their games for longer and keep the discussion of said games in a positive light – they hope – for longer. I and a great many others, however, see this as a load of horse shit. Bethesda has reached a level of anti-consumer nearing that of EA and Activision. And that truly sucks.
First off, the obvious. Bethesda say they just “want everyone, including those in the media, to experience our games at the same time.” Well, of course they do. That way, reviews and gamers find out if a game is shit at the same time. That way, reviewers can’t warn off those who have pre-orders and may cancel them if the game is no good. That way, Bethesda can rake in their money and worry about backlash later.
They say they are specifically outlining this policy now because of the flak surrounding the lack of review copies for DOOM. Prior to DOOM’s release, no one was given review copies. Typically, a game publisher provides media outlets with review copies of games in advance. That allows reviewers to play through the game and provide reviews right before the game’s launch. When a publisher does not provide a review copy early, it is assumed that the publisher knows it is providing an inferior game and wants to avoid the criticism for as long as it can. Publishers have pulled that stunt before; most famously, Ubisoft refused to give review copies of Assassin’s Creed: Unity out. Once they did, they placed an embargo on reviews, not allowing any outlets to release any until AFTER the game’s release. The game was notoriously buggy and broken.
DOOM, however, shocked everyone by being a great game. That led to speculation as to why Bethesda would withhold review copies. Well, now we know: they just want to.
This kind of behavior is heavily anti-consumer. It robs prospective customers of information needed to make a reasoned purchasing decision. It attempts to skew the game’s coverage so that only positive things are being said. Using Dishonored 2 as an example, early reviews could potentially rob the game of the momentum it has received. Many outlets have prematurely – and stupidly – declared the game a “Game of the Year” candidate. Without any evidence to the contrary, Bethesda can ride that over-hype train all the way to the bank.
Keep in mind that Bethesda are doing nothing technically wrong here. It is their right to hand out or withhold review copies as they wish. If they feel that the practice can damage their ability to make money, they can cancel it. They are, after all, a company, and a company’s only real goal is to make money. But it cannot make that money if its customers do not trust them.
It’s a shame, really. I used to hold Bethesda in high esteem. I still recognize their ability to release great games. But with this maneuver, I’ve lost all respect for them. In the end, they’re all companies, and they’re all trying to do nothing more than part us from our money. But I could at least respect a Blizzard or a Rockstar for somewhat seeming to care about their customer base. Bethesda seemed to as well. Now they seem just as dirty and underhanded as EA and Activision, companies who openly antagonize their customers and want to be thanked for doing so.
So I’ll treat Bethesda like I treat EA and Activision. I never pre-order any games; now I simply won’t buy their games at retail at all. Not even their presumptive “Game of the Year”, Dishonored 2, which I was looking forward to.
