Penny Arcade Lampoons Eidos' Latest Media Manipulation
Penny Arcade Lampoons Eidos' Latest Media Manipulation
November 25, 2008
When last we looked in on Eidos, it was over a little episode that came to be known as GerstmannGate.
The UK game publisher's ham-handed attempt to manipulate GameSpot's Kane & Lynch review scores unfairly cost long time journo Jeff Gerstmann his editor position and nearly brought the site down as outraged veteran staffers bailed one after another.
Recent reports indicate that Eidos is up to its old tricks, this time in regard to Tomb Raider: Underworld. Naturally, the Penny Arcade crew can't resist making Eidos the star of its latest cartoon.
Hit the link for the full version of The Truth is the New Lie...
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Posted 09/01/10 at 11:40pm
ZippyDSMlee: Got an Ipod touch need a MP3 app with seeking ability...
ZippyDSMlee: Got an Ipod touch need a MP3 app with seeking ability...
Posted 08/30/10 at 03:44pm
JDKJ: AE: Thanks. That cured my head-scratching. They're actually making money the good, ol'-fashioned, American way: stealing it.
JDKJ: AE: Thanks. That cured my head-scratching. They're actually making money the good, ol'-fashioned, American way: stealing it.
Posted 08/30/10 at 10:41am
E. Zachary Knight: A Trademark/Media lawyer reviews the DigiPen IP ownership issue and proposes a change to their ownership policies. Good read.
E. Zachary Knight: A Trademark/Media lawyer reviews the DigiPen IP ownership issue and proposes a change to their ownership policies. Good read.
Posted 08/30/10 at 10:13am
Andrew Eisen: JDKJ - Doesn't appear that it did refuse the ad revenue. "Stingray Sushi says that it already paid for the ad and that a refund is not an option."
Andrew Eisen: JDKJ - Doesn't appear that it did refuse the ad revenue. "Stingray Sushi says that it already paid for the ad and that a refund is not an option."
Posted 08/30/10 at 09:20am
PHX Corp: Sensitive files For the Sony PlayStation 3 have been stolen by hackers
PHX Corp: Sensitive files For the Sony PlayStation 3 have been stolen by hackers
Posted 08/29/10 at 03:55pm
JDKJ: What leaves me scratching my head is why any municipality or authority would be interested in refusing advertising revenues while crying that they're flat-ass broke, raising fares, and reducing services. Go figure.
JDKJ: What leaves me scratching my head is why any municipality or authority would be interested in refusing advertising revenues while crying that they're flat-ass broke, raising fares, and reducing services. Go figure.
Posted 08/28/10 at 02:38pm
Andrew Eisen: Agreed. If aiming guns in a mildly threatening manner and short skirts are not okay, fine. But you have to be consistent. I've seen too many underwear ads and action movie posters with characters in the same pose not to call BS on this decision.
Andrew Eisen: Agreed. If aiming guns in a mildly threatening manner and short skirts are not okay, fine. But you have to be consistent. I've seen too many underwear ads and action movie posters with characters in the same pose not to call BS on this decision.
Posted 08/28/10 at 02:10pm
Mad_Scientist: "violent" and "obscene"... because the character has guns and a short skirt? Guess they've been taking lessons in double standards from the Chicago Transit Authority.
Mad_Scientist: "violent" and "obscene"... because the character has guns and a short skirt? Guess they've been taking lessons in double standards from the Chicago Transit Authority.
Posted 08/28/10 at 02:09pm
Mad_Scientist: Phoenix Public Transportation Department bans an ad for a restaurant that features an anime-style character, claiming it's "viol
Mad_Scientist: Phoenix Public Transportation Department bans an ad for a restaurant that features an anime-style character, claiming it's "viol
Posted 08/27/10 at 12:52am
Dante: @gellymatos thats just your avarage yellow press article.
Dante: @gellymatos thats just your avarage yellow press article.
Posted 08/26/10 at 10:19pm
gellymatos: @Dante: Last I checked, you don't do any of what is decribed by the article in the game.
gellymatos: @Dante: Last I checked, you don't do any of what is decribed by the article in the game.
Posted 08/26/10 at 04:28pm
Andrew Eisen: Especially absurd are the spambots that put a lot of time and effort into disguising their spam as legitimate comments, hiding the links in multi-paragraph posts that specifically comment on the story at hand (again, stories from ’09 and earlier).
Andrew Eisen: Especially absurd are the spambots that put a lot of time and effort into disguising their spam as legitimate comments, hiding the links in multi-paragraph posts that specifically comment on the story at hand (again, stories from ’09 and earlier).
Posted 08/26/10 at 04:12pm
Andrew Eisen: Seriously, what are the odds that someone who's actually interested in your spam will stumble across it while reading the comments of stories from well over a year ago?
Andrew Eisen: Seriously, what are the odds that someone who's actually interested in your spam will stumble across it while reading the comments of stories from well over a year ago?
Posted 08/26/10 at 04:08pm
Andrew Eisen: I don't understand you spambots. Even if our users were interested in clicking on your links, how do you expect them to do so when you bury your spam in the comments section of articles that are over 18 months old?
Andrew Eisen: I don't understand you spambots. Even if our users were interested in clicking on your links, how do you expect them to do so when you bury your spam in the comments section of articles that are over 18 months old?
Posted 08/25/10 at 09:16pm
jedidethfreak: Zippy, it's an 8-hour playtime before fatigue kicks in, then 7 before they shut down XP gains
jedidethfreak: Zippy, it's an 8-hour playtime before fatigue kicks in, then 7 before they shut down XP gains
Posted 08/25/10 at 11:09am
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: A couple of idiots fight over a PS3 online match in NY. Both face charges.
Rodrigo Ybáñez García: A couple of idiots fight over a PS3 online match in NY. Both face charges.
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Comments
I don't think I've ever let a "review" determine what game I will or will not buy. The only opinion that matters is usually your own - which is why I love demos and consumer gameplay videos on youtube. There's too much manipulation in reviews and this is just more evidence of it.
Yeah, I go off of player reviews instead of staff reviews, and my own judgment,
I posted a review for Madden on GameSpot and they deleted it giving off a BS reason. They didn't like how I was comparing it to the last version of the game or some crap like that. It is pretty hard not to when all they did is change the lighting and some textures, with no real additional gameplay or anything else worth a hoot.
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How to set Xbox 360 Parental Controls
I usually play a demo or rent before I buy. I do read reviews and I'm sure they have a subconscious effect on my decision to buy or not, but usually a review (or reviews) alone isn't enough for a purchase.
Good luck, they're attacking rentals and demos too now. Make sure you review every game you can and post up on amazon, newegg, etc. Most companies attacking rentals and demos are releasing crap games.
It's pretty sad that we cant get an honest review. I hate renting games, I have to buy the game and have there on my shelf, and I think it's a damn shame that my sixty bucks could be going to whichever publisher paid the magazine or website the highest. Especially when the game isn't even worth $20.
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"Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor, and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and freedom
I've not trusted Gamespot for a long while, they were at best a good place to get some cheats back in the day. Now they are advert'ed up the ass and I can't stand those intermittent full screeners you have to click your way out of. I can only hope their greed digs them a nice deep pit to fall and die in, metaphorically speaking.
There's advertisements on Gamespot?
Dear Eidos:
Here's a novel idea. If you want great review scores, MAKE A GREAT GAME. Don't try and manipulate review scores to say what you want them to.
Thanks for your time.
Hey man Eidos can still make some great games. Ever played Blood Money?
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"What for you bury me in the cold cold ground?" - Tasmanian devil
What is Eidos? A miserable little pile of bigots! But enough talk. Have at you!
(Castlevania SotN FTW!)
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"Game on, brothers and sisters." -Leet Gamer Jargon
o good he stopped drawing THE TEETH
For anyone that didn't read up on the issue (the comic doesn't really explain), Eidos didn't tell them how to rate the game this time. Instead, a PR man for Eidos set out a email to review sites "demanding" that any score lower than an 8/10 should not be posted until Monday (after the game had been on sale for 3 days already). He, of course, couldn't force them to hold back, since the agreement for early copies of the game only restricted reviews before Wednesday of the previous week (right before the game went on sale). But he claimed he was in the right to ask this of them, because he wanted to manage the scores in a way that was favorable to his company. He was a douche, but he was honest about it.
This is why I don't read reviews. Ever. Anything I want to know about a game, online I go. Or I ask a friend who has said game.
Eidos really is quite scummy sometimes. I'm trying to think of any games they've made recently that I've enjoyed. I'm having a hard time thinking of one.
The Honest Game - http://www.thehonestgame.org
Frankly, I think anyone outside of Penny Arcade, this site, or the Gamespot community actually cared much about Jeff Gerstmann's deal with Eidos, much less remember what it was.