It’s no secret that Eidos has in the past been caught employing underhanded techniques in order to manipulate review scores for its games.
According to The RAM Raider, the publisher is at it again with its upcoming Batman: Arkham Asylum.
Often publishers release review copies of games to the press, but with stipulated embargos being placed on the date of publishing the review. Typically publishers prefer not to have reviews of their games floating around before their release, especially if they are not very good. Eidos admitted trying to get publications to “sit on” reviews of Tomb Raider: Underworld that gave the game less than 80%. They did this in order to protect the game’s Metacritic score during its first week of release.
The RAM Raider reports that Eidos is offering a way around the embargo. Apparently, publications can publish early reviews as long as they make the review the cover story and provide the game with a score of at least 90%.
Apparently one unnamed publication has already declined Eidos’ offer, but when RAM Raider asked UK Official Xbox 360 Magazine’s editor about the offer he apparently “clammed up”.
Batman: Arkham Asylum is only due out on August 28, and we certainly have had no access to an early review copy, but obviously this is not something that is going to permeate local publications.
While it is difficult to ascertain exactly how valid this accusation is, we are on the lookout for international publications carrying the review as a cover story and awarding it 90%.
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