If we are all not familiar with companies using forums to push their products in a way that is not ethical, then you should be.  On this topic, I now have absolute first hand experience with it and feel it worthy of sharing it with you.  For many of you, it will not be a surprise. 
 
I work for one of the world's largest food manufacturers.  I have done so for 11 years now.  They are by my own personal standards as a moderate socialist, an excellent company.  They have a chequered past however and are still subject to much hate and direct action, which I personally believe is utterly wrong.  Everything I have seen and been involved with has been highly ethical. 
 
However. 
 
At my last business trip, we were taken through a relaunch of an existing product by the marketing division handling it.  They were going though all the usual things we expect to hear - magazine, television, websites, billboards, direct mail-outs et cetera.  One extra one was in there and it just slipped right past the staff in the room.  I am pretty sure no-one was paying a whole lot of attention, but to me, it raised my interest. 
 
The product is mainly eaten by kids, but of course, is predominately purchased by mums.  So, the mums are essentially the target demographic.  The marketing strategy involved hiring a company that then hires people to go onto forums, just like here, except it is mainly mums as the membership, and casually asking them if they have tried the product recently and how good it is now.  I only found that out by asking. 
 
The response to my questions was extremely uncomfortable for the room and the presenter.  I described to her what she was planning exactly as it was planned, in my questions.  She was rather uncomfortable answering the question.  I asked the obvious question - is it ethical.  She wouldn't say it was and in fact, said the ethics were questionable.  Perhaps the decision wasn't hers and she was just charged with selling it. 
 
I lightened the mood a little at the end by offering myself as a fake mum who would be a lot cheaper than the agency. 
 
So, now we tie this back to what we love - computer games.  Am I right in assuming that everyone actually believes that major game sites are a target for game companies? 
 
I myself have been asked twice on this site if I am a Nintendo employee because of my enthusiasm for the product.  Of course I am not, but who is to know for sure?  My good friend Linkyshinks has been asked the same question.  My suspicions are usually the highest when a new member writes up something over the top (a Natal one was where I asked if he worked for Microsoft).  They are of course the overt ones and seem a little contrived.  What about the more subtle ones?  How would you pick them?  Sometimes it will just be an enthusiastic employee acting on his own, but there has to be professionals as well.   Usually, a long term member with a highish post count is a good sign, but who is to know for sure? 
 
My personal view is that it is highly unethical.  I would go as far as to say that it should be illegal and a matter for the local Competition watchdog, but I doubt I would get much support.  Have you experienced this type of surreptitious form of advertising?  How do you feel about it?