Oh Eidos, your PR department is really,reallybad at keeping this crap under wraps, aren’t you? The company has become notorious for trying to fix and/or “encourage” high review scores for its games, first becoming infamous as a central figure in the Jeff Gerstman/Kane & LynchGamespot controversyand then making waves formeddling withTomb Raiderreviews. Now the company’s at it again, this time withBatman: Arkham Asylum.
According toThe RAM Raider, Eidos has been “encouraging” review scores of 90% and above by offering an early embargo break to any magazine that givesArkham Asylumsuch a rating. Not only that, but willing magazines also have to make Eidos’Batmangame the cover story for that issue. If you may guarantee a 90% score and a front cover, you can run your review earlier.
This is, sadly, a common practice. I’ve been made similar offers by other publishers in the past, none of which have particularly interested me. However, the fact that it’s Eidos, yet again, that can’t cover up its chicanery is hilarious. If Eidos wants to be a corrupt, politicking, shady publisher, that’s up to them — however, they’re going to have to learn to getwaybetter at making sure people don’t find out about it.
Eidos, for their part, aredenying the allegations, claiming that there is “not one single shred of truth” to the story. Considering the fact they’ve done it before, coupled with the other fact that it’s been done many times in the past by other companies, I don’t see why now would be any different from Eidos’ usual MO.
