A couple of days back indie developer Adam Saltsman tweeted out that he wanted his followers to remind him never to allow TotalBiscuit or any other dismissive reviewer to ever review his games.
remind me to never let totalbiscuit or any other dismissive bullshitter ever review any of my work
— Adam Atomic (@ADAMATOMIC) August 19, 2014
This was coming on the end of an online argument about allegations of a certain indie developer sleeping with reviewers for better coverage. The accusations levelled at Zoe Quinn are quite severe but unfortunately, or fortunately, there is no real hard evidence so we really don’t know exactly what is happening; nor is any developer’s personal lives any of our business.
Either way, paying for a good review in any way is a bad thing and simply should never happen. Though it unfortunately does. But let’s get back to Adam’s point where he is going to deny certain people the chance to review his game. Unfortunately for Adam this is not only very immoral but it is also not possible. The developer/publisher of a game has no say over who or how their product is reviewed.
Reviews are covered under fair use, freedom of expression and freedom of speech and while they may own the rights to the images, gameplay and audio they can’t demand a review is taken down since they didn’t agree with it or license it.
Much is made about the fact that gaming media get given free games to review with people claiming this skews the process. And yes sitting on the other side of the keyboard you can see why some people think getting a brand new game for free would give the reviewer a sense of euphoria that will result in a higher score even if it isn’t planned. But the reality is that it doesn’t work that way.
Reviews are hard work and most reviewers I know shy away from reviewing the games they are excited about simply because they want to take their time and enjoy the games instead of it feeling like a job. Even when we get whisked away to a hotel half way across the world to review a game it really doesn’t feel like a holiday.
We are away from our comforts of home, friends, family, everything costs a fortune and the free food we get is normally pretty crap. Add on top of that we are working 18-20 hour days and it is no longer the paradise it once appeared to be. Don’t get me wrong though, this industry is awesome and we wouldn’t do it if we didn’t love games but it also isn’t all roses.
We have never once been asked to remove a review and the absolute majority of publishers and developers want us, and every other site, to review their games as it gives them coverage.
Indie developers however are a weird bunch. You get some who are in it for making games that people enjoy and they love the coverage. Then you get the ones who have this weird attitude that their game is above reproach and is more artistic and intelligent than anything you’ve seen before. I avoid those ones. They look down on gaming journalism and seem to think they are above the industry. For those games I’d love to see a professional art critic review their games and then they’ll truly understand what a mauling feels like.
In a nutshell, we will review whatever the hell we like and no publishers/reviewers/distributors have any say over that. Also reviews are simply opinions and you have the right to ignore or disagree with them.
TGIF
Last Updated: August 22, 2014
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 22, 2014 at 13:32
FFFriiiiiiday!!!
*off to read article then
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2014 at 13:43
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
August 22, 2014 at 13:43
And now I’m closing my Lazygamer tab. You, sir, have gone too far.
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2014 at 13:44
It’s been a while since we heard this abomination of a song
Mark Treloar
August 22, 2014 at 13:58
Does it come before Thurday and is it followed by Saturday?
Anon A Mouse
August 22, 2014 at 13:58
Luckily I don’t have to click on the song, I am still save although it did start swirling around in the empty space where my brain is supposed to be.
Mark Treloar
August 22, 2014 at 14:02
Well in that case, here’s the Karaoke light version for you
Seven a.m., waking up in the morning
Gotta be fresh, gotta go downstairs
Gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal
Seein’ everything, the time is goin’
Tickin’ on and on, everybody’s rushin’
Gotta get down to the bus stop
Gotta catch my bus, I see my friends (My friends)
Kickin’ in the front seat
Sittin’ in the back seat
Gotta make my mind up
Which seat can I take?
It’s Friday, Friday
Gotta get down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekend
Friday, Friday
Gettin’ down on Friday
Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend
Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Fun, fun, fun, fun
Lookin’ forward to the weekend
Read more: Rebecca Black – Friday Lyrics | MetroLyrics
Anon A Mouse
August 22, 2014 at 14:04
The fact that you know the lyrics or are able to stay sane after having to copy and paste them makes me very uncomfortable. o.O
Lord Chaos
August 22, 2014 at 14:05
I think you’re under the misconception that anyone here is sane.
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2014 at 14:12
How rude, I’m the sanest person I know.
Lord Chaos
August 22, 2014 at 14:14
#ForeverSP??
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2014 at 14:15
Of course. What else could it possibly mean? O_o
Anon A Mouse
August 22, 2014 at 14:14
The LG version of sanity at least.
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 14:02
Watch this version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzfQwXEqYaI
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2014 at 14:03
LOL
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 14:03
hehehe
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2014 at 13:59
Here, fixed.
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 14:04
Awesome is awesome 🙂
Anon A Mouse
August 22, 2014 at 14:08
Ohhhh X-Com
Viking Of Science
August 22, 2014 at 13:44
http://i.imgur.com/kPkp83z.gif
Lord Chaos
August 22, 2014 at 13:50
I hope your beer tastes funny.
Kensei Seraph
August 22, 2014 at 13:52
Hahah.
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2014 at 15:58
Doesn’t matter, after the sixth one I won’t even notice 😛
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 13:56
WIN!
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 13:59
I RAISE YOU THE INTERNET https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzfQwXEqYaI
ToshZA
August 22, 2014 at 15:57
So much win in this video.
Rock789
August 22, 2014 at 14:00
o_O
My ears!!!!!!!!!! They burn!!!!!!!!!
ToshZA
August 22, 2014 at 15:55
That deserves a downvote. My ears are burning!
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2014 at 15:57
But she banged Justin Bieber 🙁
ToshZA
August 22, 2014 at 15:59
Oh god, could you imagine that offspring? Anti-christ for sure!
rollingmol
August 22, 2014 at 18:03
http://youtu.be/gLyLvCXYKUg more like it ^^
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2014 at 18:44
Agreed 😀
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 22, 2014 at 13:33
VIVA LAZYGAMER!!! VIVA!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 22, 2014 at 20:08
Amandla Potato Amandla!
Brendyn Zachary
August 22, 2014 at 13:41
And that, is why I love this site. Keep it up Lazygamer champions, you make our internets a better place.
Viking Of Science
August 22, 2014 at 13:42
@Gavin. I myself a lot of reviews for a local music Website, and Let me tell you, The fact that I get the album or EP for free, weeks before release doesn’t skew my opinion of the work, As any review.
Your piece is spot on. Mad props.
Admiral Chief Assassin
August 22, 2014 at 14:53
” I myself a lot of reviews for a local music Website”
ENGLISH VoS ENGLISH!!!
Viking Of Science
August 22, 2014 at 15:59
I ARE LIKE TO WEAR JEAN PANT…. lol, typed too fast… will NOT edit for posterity…
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2014 at 13:43
I think THOSE are the indie games (and devs) you can safely refer to as “indie hipster twaddle”. (c) Geoff.
Viking Of Science
August 22, 2014 at 13:45
Or: Phil Fish and the Posers, it’s an underground group, you’ve probably never heard of them
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2014 at 13:45
Adam sounds Fishy to me.
Umar Ver 1.OBJECTION
August 22, 2014 at 13:48
OH YOU!
Kensei Seraph
August 22, 2014 at 13:47
“Even when we get whisked away to a hotel half way across the game to review a game it really doesn’t feel like a holiday.”
Are we talking a Skyrim sized game or a Last Stand sized game?
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
August 22, 2014 at 13:58
Gameception.
Anon A Mouse
August 22, 2014 at 14:00
GTA V sized game with MSSA heists.
Rinceable
August 22, 2014 at 14:05
That Zoe thing, sho…
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
August 22, 2014 at 14:08
I just read it. Decided to do some digging to see what all the fuss is about. And honestly… that dude who wrote all that shit in his blog about getting cheated on?
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2014 at 14:08
Hell hath no fury like a hipster ex-bf scorned.
Sir Rants A Lot: On Pandora
August 22, 2014 at 14:21
This is what I really dislike about the internet. We all get to have our say (Heck I usually write essays in the comments) but at some point people take it too far. The attack against Zoe Quinn is disgusting.
No proof yet people are out on a witch hunt. It makes me sick that we as humans can do so much harm with so little reason or proof.
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
August 22, 2014 at 14:26
Someone got cheated on. Get the fucking tinder. We’re burning witches tonight. Cause there be EVIL in the land. Totally. Fucking. Ridiculous. Story.
It’s pretty ridiculous.
What kind of a man writes a blog like that though? I can’t imagine a word where I take to a blogspot to decry my cheating ex-partner. I mean – yeah – if you got cheated on you deserve to be upset. You can tell the people involved they’re scum (I’d probably suggest that as a fair and honourable bit of balance). But FFS. Don’t go and cry to the internet – who are at best the Roman Mob and are at worst The Walking Dead with raging teenage hormones.
Lord Chaos
August 22, 2014 at 14:29
“The Walking Dead with raging teenage hormones”
*Shivers*
Mike Doutchevitch
August 22, 2014 at 14:28
I very much agree with your last paragraph.There are various reviews, across various sites that I think are too harsh or too lenient. However I realize that not everyone puts the same emphasis on the
things I might find enjoyable or irritating in a game. That is why I generally use the review roundups,and sometimes the user reviews (when the trolls are not out in force) as a better indicator than a single review.
Mog
August 22, 2014 at 14:50
The really funny thing is that the developer in question is responsible for a terrible platformer that was clearly intended for mobile devices and literally nothing else. Like anybody cares what he has to say.
rollingmol
August 22, 2014 at 18:12
I mean it’s not like there’s only one reviewer of the game. The last of us as an example got good scores all around . It’s not like hey I made a crap game lets sleep with everybody and my game will sell. Problem would come if reviewers were bribed and then score-fixed but to be honest most gamers who are are gaming for quite a while will see past crap like that. Can’t paint crap and sell it ads a diamond.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 22, 2014 at 20:07
I still don’t know what to make of the whole “Zoe Quinn 5 burgers and fries” incident, and I honestly don’t know what to make of the whole “Phil Fish doxed” incident. Is Phil doing it himself to garner sympathy? Is this retaliation from the dark underbelly of the internet in what’s perceived to be an attack on the “corrupt” institution of GAMEZ JURNALISM? I honestly don’t know….
All I know is the internet is a strange… strange place…
http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/scale_small/7/72053/2517572-5012440838-BPliFCPCUAA_A99.jpg%3Alarge
Brian Murphy
August 23, 2014 at 17:27
Well, as far as I currently know, there is truth to 2 of the 5 allegations, however, I know of no concrete evidence that ties into favorable reviews or personal gain. There is certainly a reason to be concerned over conflicts of interest, but no proof to suggest those conflicts went either way.
As far as Phil Fish, yeah that’s a strange one also. However, I can say with utmost certainty if he did it to himself, he is in so much trouble. Some of the information released will give the perp years in prison. He might also take this moment to reflect on how poorly he conveys himself on social media.
What I do know is ethical breaches among journalists is a very concerning issue, and something that has certainly caused issues in the past. If such a thing has occurred, the journalists should without question be fired.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 22, 2014 at 20:09
On topic: Excellent point Gavin. I agree wholeheartedly.
jeannwhitefield
August 23, 2014 at 17:41
st?rt ?orking ?t home ?ith Google! It’s by-f?r the best job I’ve h?d. L?st ?ednesd?y I got ? br?nd ne? BM? since getting ? check for $6474 this – 4 ?eeks p?st. I beg?n this 8-months ?go ?nd immedi?tely ??s bringing home ?t le?st $77 per hour. I ?ork through this link, go? to tech t?b for ?ork det?il
>>>>>>>>>> Cort.As/Ft4e
===========================