Double Fine’s latest game, Broken Age, has been released this week and by now you’d usually see some reviews popping up around the internet about it as embargoes are generally lifted around or on release date. However, there currently aren’t any major reviews live due to a ridiculous stipulation that Double Fine has tried to push on its Kickstarter backers, including press.
“We’re also preparing to send out review codes to press, who will be under review embargo until January 27. This embargo also applies to any of you backers who are in the press or have blogs—we are requiring all formal reviews be held until January 27 at 10am Pacific time (6pm GMT). The same time limit applies to the press as to backers; everyone is in the same boat! We’re trying to be as fair as possible given that backers will have access to the game before everyone else.”
Embargoes are par for the course in this industry, and they have their pros and cons. However, considering we do our utmost to never give away major plot points in reviews and that this is a silly embargo limit, this is one such time TSA feels at odds with such a request.
As we’re strong believers of when you buy something you own it and can do what you wish with it, there will be a review for the game on here soon considering it was paid for and is not a review code.
UPDATE: Double Fine have lifted the embargo, probably because nobody was going to stick to it.
Source: VG247
Scythegpd
Alarm bells!
That’s all I have to say …
dizwod
I agree, seems a bit fishy
Starman
Never heard of a embargo for 2 weeks after release. Well done TSA for deciding to put your review up shortly.
Ferrick
Yes, yes and YES!
Well done TSA, as far as video games journalism is concerned, you’re the only one’s doing it properly.
Bravo!
3shirts
Well played. That is going too far.
I understand trying to stop reviews based on potentially buggy pre-release code but the only reasons for doing this are either because it’s not really ready and you are hoping to patch it in that time or it’s just shite and you want to con a few sales out of people before they find out.
upselo
This is incredibly stupi but I guess the point is to have reviews act as publicity at the time the game becomes available to non backers. Poorly timed reviews mean less sales for them.
Person678
I feel the title and article is a bit misleading – It’s only been released to backers so far, people who’s money was taken a long time ago. I’m assuming the embargo will have expired by the time people are able to purchase the game. It’s still a bit silly mind.
Person678
I definitely agree it’s a bit much to prevent people who have “bought” a game, even if it’s unusual circumstances like a kickstarter backing, from writing up their thoughts on that game though.
Illessa
Not only is it only going out to backers – it’s explicitly a backer *beta* so yeah, the title is massively misleading.
They’re also not asking people not to talk about it – they asked us to hold off doing formal reviews. Nothing stopping impressions articles, informal critiques, opinion pieces, or even video footage as long as it cuts before a specific point in the story (to limit the amount of spoilers floating about before non-backers can get their hands on it).
It’s just a marketing timing thing and yeah, they’re being horribly naive to think it will work (especially when using such a loaded term as embargo – I honestly think if they’d just said “This is a beta so feel free to talk about it but avoid spoilers and we’d prefer it if you hold off writing full reviews until everyone can get their hands on the game!” this would never have happened), but everyone having a pop at them for it before the details of the public release have even been announced seems a tad premature.
bunimomike
If it’s good, let people know. If it’s bad, let people know. Sorry… but that’s called fairness and an open consumer society.
What a tool of a thing to stipulate. :-\
hazelam
i applaud your decision to review the game sooner than the embargo date.
if you bought it, then you have every right to review it.
with sites that received review copies from they might have to abide by the embargo date, but still, two weeks after release?
it doesn’t inspire confidence in the title when there’s a release day embargo, but it feels like they’re running some kind of con with one two weeks after.
ABlokeCalledDaz
As soon as I hear the phrase ‘review embargo’ I automatically think ‘rubbish game’ to go along with it. I can only think of a few games that had embargos that turned out to be decent. I’m sure you can correct me though internet.
Illessa
Tons of games have review embargoes. Why do you think reviews of big releases tend to appear on every major site within minutes of each other?
Blair Inglis
Nearly every game has a review embargo. I think you’re mixing up “day one embargo”, and thinking that’s what it means. It doesn’t. At times it’s weeks before, other times it’s days and some times it’s even hours.
Review embargoes are good – providing they’re before release – as it gives the press time to play the game, rather than everyone rushing through for a review 6 hours after they’ve received their review copy so they can be first on Google. Embargoes prevent postal issues from affecting a site, and offer a level playing field for all websites.
baggyg
This is very odd. Considering the game won’t be available to buy for a little while I can kind of understand. Usually I also see this as a bad sign of the quality of the game.
Im a backer so looking forward to my Humble key and your review!