Bethesda has confirmed that it won’t be sending review copies of Skyrim and Dishonored 2 until one day before the release dates of each game. This is likely to be the standard method to be implemented by Bethesda, who also didn’t send review copies of DOOM until a day before release either. The reason given by Bethesda is that it wants everyone to experience the game at the same time.
With the upcoming launches of Skyrim Special Edition and Dishonored 2, we will continue our policy of sending media review copies one day before release. While we will continue to work with media, streamers, and YouTubers to support their coverage – both before and after release – we want everyone, including those in the media, to experience our games at the same time.
We also understand that some of you want to read reviews before you make your decision, and if that’s the case we encourage you to wait for your favorite reviewers to share their thoughts.
So don’t expect in depth reviews of either game until a few days after their respective launches. Skyrim is likely to get high scores anyway due to its popularity and being a re-release. Dishonored 2 has a well regarded prequel but it is a new game so people may wait to see what kind of coverage it gets. Â Skyrim Special Edition releases on October 28th, while Dishonored 2 will be out on November 11th.
Source: Bethesda
wonkey-willy
speed run the night before and review the next day?
that’s how we role here at TSA Bethesda.
JustTaylorNow
Got my copy of skyrim today. Can’t wait to go home after work to play
kjkg
So jealous. Who did you order it from?
homerjnick
We can trust Bethesda though to release games though can’t we?
I mean, it is not like games like Fallout 3 and Skyrim had any issues on launch did they?
Oh wait…
gazzagb
There’s a lot of chat that this is the start of a new ‘era’, where streamers are more important than critics in terms of passing judgement on a game.
I don’t get why though that the media can’t get it the same time as the streamers, that way gamers can go to whoever they want to find out about a potential purchase.
Tuffcub
Because Streamers, by and large, have no ethics. They are kids who want to make as much money as possible, and if that means they say nice things about a game before launch because Bethesda have chucked them ten grand, they will.
We – and probably all the other sites your trust – would never do that. Streamers advertise games, not review them.
kjkg
I get as a review site it is annoying. And I also get that as a reader it’s a pain in the arse to wait for a few more days for a review. But does it really make that much of a difference?
So the people that are going to buy it day one were most likely (not definitely but close) still will. The people that weren’t but wanted to wait and see some reviews drop have to wait a few more days?
Is getting a game on day one that important for them? Are the preorder benefits that we constantly moan about and show our disgust at so good that despite moaning, we still want them?
I’m not saying that the general annoyance is unfounded. I just think that what is a few days? Have all gamers lost patience?
leeroye
Everyone surely knows by now that bethesda games are total bugfest, this seems to me like they are now admitting under the guise of “letting everyone play it at the same time”
I though that cod developer saying Infinate Warfare was essentially 5 games worth of content was the biggest pile of BS i would hear this year, these fools just topped that.
The Lone Steven
Not all Bethesda developed games are bugfests. Skyrim and Fallout 4 don’t have that many bugs due to the Creation Engine not being as big as a pile of monkey crap as the Gamebryo engine and with Fallout 4, the Playstation actually had proper RAM instead of the PS3’s calucator RAM.
Dishoured isn’t developed by them but published by them. THere’s two Bethesdas. Bethesda Game Studios the developer and Bethesda the Publisher.