Dan Hsu went on twitter and wrote that a site was forced to pull it's review because of advertising pressure. He wouldn't say which one, or anything else, however. Any guesses as to what's going on? A couple people thought that GameSpot was the site he was alluding to, but this doesn't seem to be the case. 
 

It's like what happened with Kane and Lynch 1, but with less firing.  
 
Also, similar topic already up, but not with Twitter. 

That's awesome. 
 
I love America and our corporate nature.

Is it the game that broken?  If it is, I'll probably just wait a while to get it and might play the pc version just to hope for some mods to clean it up.

I'm not even surprised.
Not at the buggy mess the game is nor the reactions from gamers/websites/corporations alike.
 
Guess it just needed to be put out there to keep the publishers / investors happy innit?

Hsu is always pulling this shit.  Back when he was at EGM it was the same thing on numerous occasions.  "Oh I know of this OTHER magazine that got an exclusive because they agreed to give a game a favorable review. I can't say WHO, but just know that your old trusty friends at EGM would NEVER do that, because I have a golden light that shines out of my asshole that I call Integrity".  I wrote him once and pressed him saying if you don't name names how do you expect anything to change?  But of course not naming names is another example of his shining asshole light I guess.
 
Not saying he's making it all up - it's already apparent that sketchy shit goes on in the biz - but I'm not impressed with what amounts to basically suggesting you can't trust any other outlet than the one he works for, because without naming names it could be ANYONE.  I think he needs to get over himself as some industry watchdog and whistle-blower if he won't go all the way live.

Adam Sessler would disapprove of what has happened, and so would I.

This shit is still going on? Seriously?

HOLY SHIT!!!! Now I see why Giant Bomb doesn't do video game advertising. You're smart Giant Bomb. Can't piss off video game advertisers if there isn't any on your site.

" Hsu is always pulling this shit.  Back when he was at EGM it was the same thing on numerous occasions.  "Oh I know of this OTHER magazine that got an exclusive because they agreed to give a game a favorable review. I can't say WHO, but just know that your old trusty friends at EGM would NEVER do that, because I have a golden light that shines out of my asshole that I call Integrity".  I wrote him once and pressed him saying if you don't name names how do you expect anything to change?  But of course not naming names is another example of his shining asshole light I guess.  Not saying he's making it all up - it's already apparent that sketchy shit goes on in the biz - but I'm not impressed with what amounts to basically suggesting you can't trust any other outlet than the one he works for, because without naming names it could be ANYONE.  I think he needs to get over himself as some industry watchdog and whistle-blower if he won't go all the way live. "

This again? I believe him, and would love to know what pussy site it is.

Why don't all the major game sites band together and tell publishers to cut this shit out?  
 
I mean I understand if one site, let's say Giant Bomb,  were to tell Activision for instance to fuck off, then I imagine Giant Bomb probably wouldn't be seeing many Activision games for review. But what if everyone did it? As far as I can tell, games journalists are a relatively close knit bunch, it seems like it would be possible...

" Why don't all the major game sites band together and tell publishers to cut this shit out?  
 
I mean I understand if one site, let's say Giant Bomb,  were to tell Activision for instance to fuck off, then I imagine Giant Bomb probably wouldn't be seeing many Activision games for review. But what if everyone did it? As far as I can tell, games journalists are a relatively close knit bunch, it seems like it would be possible... "

Thank you advertisers, for allowing your consumer base to make uninformed decisions on their video game purchases.  It's stuff like this that makes me wish this damn game didn't sell one copy until they got their shit together.  If the game isn't ready for review, it is not ready for sell.

Ok. 
 
I'm still buying it.

Sounds like what Sessler was soapboxing about the other day.  It sounds like it's affecting lots of media outlets, too.

" @ApolloBob said:

" Hsu is always pulling this shit.  Back when he was at EGM it was the same thing on numerous occasions.  "Oh I know of this OTHER magazine that got an exclusive because they agreed to give a game a favorable review. I can't say WHO, but just know that your old trusty friends at EGM would NEVER do that, because I have a golden light that shines out of my asshole that I call Integrity".  I wrote him once and pressed him saying if you don't name names how do you expect anything to change?  But of course not naming names is another example of his shining asshole light I guess.  Not saying he's making it all up - it's already apparent that sketchy shit goes on in the biz - but I'm not impressed with what amounts to basically suggesting you can't trust any other outlet than the one he works for, because without naming names it could be ANYONE.  I think he needs to get over himself as some industry watchdog and whistle-blower if he won't go all the way live. "

Yeah, calling "invisible wolf" is getting old. Either call them out or shut your trap. "

Crazy.

By virtue of him mentioning it, wouldn't that person's boss know (provided news of his post reaches them)?
 
In any case, it's pretty fucked up that shit like that happens.

Well this same situation was the genesis of Giantbomb, maybe if this guy gets ratted out he/she will venture on over to Whiskey Media.

" By virtue of him mentioning it, wouldn't that person's boss know (provided news of his post reaches them)?  In any case, it's pretty fucked up that shit like that happens. "

" @CH3BURASHKA said:

" @ApolloBob said:

" Hsu is always pulling this shit.  Back when he was at EGM it was the same thing on numerous occasions.  "Oh I know of this OTHER magazine that got an exclusive because they agreed to give a game a favorable review. I can't say WHO, but just know that your old trusty friends at EGM would NEVER do that, because I have a golden light that shines out of my asshole that I call Integrity".  I wrote him once and pressed him saying if you don't name names how do you expect anything to change?  But of course not naming names is another example of his shining asshole light I guess.  Not saying he's making it all up - it's already apparent that sketchy shit goes on in the biz - but I'm not impressed with what amounts to basically suggesting you can't trust any other outlet than the one he works for, because without naming names it could be ANYONE.  I think he needs to get over himself as some industry watchdog and whistle-blower if he won't go all the way live. "

Yeah, calling "invisible wolf" is getting old. Either call them out or shut your trap. "

I see your point, but at the same time the first rule of journalism is "protect your sources."  It wowould be a total dick move to name names if that ended up costing another person their job. "

It's really unfortunate that this kind of shit still happens. 

" Sounds like what Sessler was soapboxing about the other day.  It sounds like it's affecting lots of media outlets, too. "

Most video game reviews are bullshit and corporately influenced. More at 11.

sucks but with the retarded way large gaming websites financials  are  managed I dont see this stopping in the future.     
 

 

 
 

" @ApolloBob:  The purpose he serves by naming the name of Bethesda is far more important to everyone but Bethesda's marketing department than naming the names of his sources, right?  In this case Sessler made a rant not too many days ago over a very similar issue.  He's not the only one this time, anyways. "

Ya know, I agree that this is wrong and I posted in here earlier (and Imma let ya finish :P), but I can see why companies do it. I mean, think about it. If your job and your ability to put food on the table depended heavily on a handful of review scores, then delaying a couple that you expect to be negative is very understandable. It sucks, but it really doesn't change anything. It's survival of the fittest, and you can only pretend you're the fittest for so long.

" @Diamond said:

" @ApolloBob:  The purpose he serves by naming the name of Bethesda is far more important to everyone but Bethesda's marketing department than naming the names of his sources, right?  In this case Sessler made a rant not too many days ago over a very similar issue.  He's not the only one this time, anyways. "

Ah yes - d'oh - my bad.  I saw the references to Sessler in the thread, but haven't heard his rant. If there is a linky, I'd like to hear/read it.  I'm probably cynical, but Bethesda is unlikely to suffer any real significant backlash to affect them financially.  They'll just say "Whaaa?  We had nothing to do with this.", much like Eidos did back in the Gerstmann gate days.   And for all I know the majority of the company really doesn't know anything about any of this, but it's always a good idea to distance yourself from scandal regardless.  I'm also returning to Gooddoggy's comment about "protecting your sources" which is an excellent point to raise, but begs the question - When Dan Hsu tweets, is he doing it as an extension of his journalism?  In other words - is his tweeting to be taken as "reporting"? "

Man fuck. you shouldnt be allowed to do that but you know know what money speaks.

But where is the evidence ?.... i believe it happens... but you can't have a Gerstmann gate without any names.

This is really disappointing.  I have been a huge Bethesda fan for eight years, and its sad to see them stoop to this kind of stuff now that they've become something of a big publisher.  C'mon guys, I thought you were too good for this kind of bullshit.

I stumbled across this just now while reading about all this:
 
  http://www.games.net/article/feature/106644/the-blame-game-where-do-you-keep-your-integrity/
 
Pretty interesting - please note that this is from 5 years ago.  I'm almost embarrassed to share it because the author says almost exactly some of the same things I've already said and now I look like a plagiarist.  So I am not a unique snowflake...  :(  But I haven't read this before today as far as my tired old brain can remember. 

I thought Bethesda and Zeni-max had a little more class than this...

Oh well. And it is a janky game, crashed on me earlier. Lots of clipping. Jeff covered his ass well, and I am enjoying the game. It's playable. Just screwed up occasionally, and I could not see this as acceptable for most other games. But it is open world, ppl. know the engine and the developer, so on and so on. I myself even buy into it. But if someone else called it for the pile of unacceptable junk it is in several critical areas, I would be forced to agree. And it sounds sounds like there may be suppression of this. But I do not know that as fact. 
 
The rotating head, oh how I honestly wished I had that glitch!

Dan Hsu needs to either name names or STFU.  Straight up.  He does this shit all the time to get people to pay attention to him, and it's absolutely shameless.

SOMEONE MAY OR MAY NOT BE LACKING INTEGRITY DUE TO ADVERTISER/PUBLISHER PRESSURE... POSSIBLY 
 
 
 
Fuck off Dan. It's not like most people don't already know most sites are garbage. If you're going to do this, name names. 
 
People say "This first rule of journalism is protect your sources", but... this garbage is "journalism" an off hand remark on twitter that doesn't confirm nor deny anything? Give me a break. 

" SOMEONE MAY OR MAY NOT BE LACKING INTEGRITY DUE TO ADVERTISER/PUBLISHER PRESSURE... POSSIBLY    Fuck off Dan. It's not like most people don't already know most sites are garbage. If you're going to do this, name names.  People say "This first rule of journalism is protect your sources", but... this garbage is "journalism" an off hand remark on twitter that doesn't confirm nor deny anything? Give me a break.  "

" SOMEONE MAY OR MAY NOT BE LACKING INTEGRITY DUE TO ADVERTISER/PUBLISHER PRESSURE... POSSIBLY    Fuck off Dan. It's not like most people don't already know most sites are garbage. If you're going to do this, name names.  People say "This first rule of journalism is protect your sources", but... this garbage is "journalism" an off hand remark on twitter that doesn't confirm nor deny anything? Give me a break.  "

Fine, if this type of garbage isn't going to stop, then I'm going to adapt to it.
 
Dear Bethesda Softworks:
I am inspired by your blackmail style advertising practices. Especially after such highly public escapades concerning the same practices. I will be more than willing to sell-out. Please send how-much-money you deem to be enough, and I shall write you a full-blown review for said product comparing it to Jesus Christ. 
 
I, like you, have no shame or moral standards. We would be a perfect fit. I await your response.

This is probably a temporary thing. Bethesda probably feels that it would be a tad hypocritical for a webite to create splash pages for their game, and then slam it in a review. They just want to avoid mixed messages. I've encountered this before in the animation industry. We can't throw a Storm Hawks' character in the background of a League of Super Evil episode because they air on different channels in some parts of the world. There-by, we would be giving faux advertising for a competing channel in doing so. Regardless of the fact that both properties are our own.
I blame the editor of the site who didn't think ahead of the reprucussions this would cause. The review will most likely be back up next week some time.

" This is probably a temporary thing. Bethesda probably feels that it would be a tad hypocritical for a webite to create splash pages for their game, and then slam it in a review. They just want to avoid mixed messages. I've encountered this before in the animation industry. We can't throw a Storm Hawks' character in the background of a League of Super Evil episode because they air on different channels in some parts of the world. There-by, we would be giving faux advertising for a competing channel in doing so. Regardless of the fact that both properties are our own. I blame the editor of the site who didn't think ahead of the reprucussions this would cause. The review will most likely be back up next week some time. "

In this case I don't know why anyone would have legitimate reason to doubt these reports. Reviews of a buggy mess of a Fallout 3 clone not going up on various sites? Quite the shocker.
 
I get that people want names but there's no reason for more innocent people to get fired either.

This is why advertising's place in videogames causes a big problem.  Advertising should not have any merit to what or when a review score is posted.  This is just ridiculous.

" @Hailinel:  Right, and they'll be allowed to post the score once the front page of that site no longer looks like "Buy Fallout: New Vegas Today! 4.1/10" And who knows what kind of agreement the website signs when bethesda gives them their paycheck. I'd assume most publishers would have a "You can rate this game however you feel as long as you wait until the ad campaign is finished before you post it." Cause if they didn't, then they should get their legal team to update that agreement contract. "