Realtime Worlds places 10 day review embargo on APB.

This sounds like they're admitting the game isn't good and they're trying to grab as many sales as they can before the bad reviews start flowing in...

"Review embargoes are a very normal part of games journalism. Companies will put restrictions on when publications are allowed to talk about games before they're released. For previews this is done to control the dissemination of information. For reviews it's to allow certain publications to have an exclusive, or more muckily, because they don't want negative reviews to appear too much in advance of the game's release. It's potentially murky territory, but since it's their game, they get to choose the conditions in which they make them available to magazines and websites before commercial release. It's not unusual for everyone to be told, "Reviews of game X may be published at 5pm on the 26th", and then you'll see all the sites have their reviews appear at once.

What's far more rare is a company attempting to control the publications of reviews after a game has been released. Especially not ten days after. This is what Realtime Worlds are astonishingly trying to enforce for APB"

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/06/17/apb-review-embargo-set-week-after-release/#comments

Or it is an MMO and is going to have a lot of real big problems the first few days that will really look negative.

MMOs shouldn't be reviewed until at least 1-2 months have passed. They are such large games it is unfair to judge them by their launch and their low-level content.

I think a pre emptive review is neccessary some times in such a case as this game because no one wants to spend 60 dollars on something that is jsut plain horrible.

Or it is an MMO and is going to have a lot of real big problems the first few days that will really look negative.

MMOs shouldn't be reviewed until at least 1-2 months have passed. They are such large games it is unfair to judge them by their launch and their low-level content.

Wasdie

Or it is an MMO and is going to have a lot of real big problems the first few days that will really look negative.

MMOs shouldn't be reviewed until at least 1-2 months have passed. They are such large games it is unfair to judge them by their launch and their low-level content.

Wasdie

I think that if I were a site hosting reviews that I would simply not review it at all. Reverse the embargo.

EM

Or it is an MMO and is going to have a lot of real big problems the first few days that will really look negative.

MMOs shouldn't be reviewed until at least 1-2 months have passed. They are such large games it is unfair to judge them by their launch and their low-level content.

Wasdie

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

Or it is an MMO and is going to have a lot of real big problems the first few days that will really look negative.

MMOs shouldn't be reviewed until at least 1-2 months have passed. They are such large games it is unfair to judge them by their launch and their low-level content.

skrat_01

[QUOTE="skrat_01"][QUOTE="Wasdie"]

Or it is an MMO and is going to have a lot of real big problems the first few days that will really look negative.

MMOs shouldn't be reviewed until at least 1-2 months have passed. They are such large games it is unfair to judge them by their launch and their low-level content.

AGMing

Yes, thats true. But read my post above. The game should never leave beta unless they are confident in their product. They can call for a re-review later in the games life cycle. MMO developers and reviewers alike know how this **** works. I see MMO's get re-reviewed all the time.

Alright and gamers can implement a 100 day embargo on buying that pile of crap. Gamesterpheonix

Sorry, I'm looking for the "Like" button, but I can't find it. Any help? 8)

Excuse me for the caps but I need to clearly state one thing.... APB IS NOT AN MMO!!!!!!! Honestly I've no idea why so many people have gotten that idea about the game. Where do the developers say its an MMO? The term being used is "Persistent Online Action Game". I would link to the relevent page on the APB website but it appears to no longer be working after they re-launched the site last week.

I have played APB for 80+ hours now. Essentially APB is a team-based 3rd person online action game. Not an MMO! Are we clear now? :)

The message about what APB is has become a mess. The wrong people are playing the game. They join expecting a massive world to explore with an intense storyline and character progression. When they find it isn't this they are disappointed and call it rubbish, which it isn't if you enjoy action games.

So who should be playing APB? If you're a hardcore MMORPG/FPS shooter type of person this probably isn't for you. However if you are like me and wanted Battlefield 2 city maps without helicopters or jets all packaged up in in a slick way like Team Fortress 2 with a hint of GTA. Then I suggest you head to the Key to the City event site (limited time remaining) and try the game for yourself. You will like it, bring some friends and you will love it!

I'm not saying the game is perfect. I'm not telling you to buy it. Ignore what others are saying and try it to make up your own mind.

Now I've clear that point up. The review embargo is stupid. Again, another example of a very good game being poorly managed from a marketing/information campaign point of view.

Massive.. Check. Multiplayer.. Check.. Online.. Check.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/evethesecondgenesis/index.html?tag=result%3Btitle%3B1

Thats EVEs initial review so i think we can all state MMOs change.

I personally like APB i think its a really fun shooter.

Its only stand point is similar to an MMO is character customization its a shooter by core.

Its a fun game people that get mad are mainly people that suck at the game or so.

Or it is an MMO and is going to have a lot of real big problems the first few days that will really look negative.

MMOs shouldn't be reviewed until at least 1-2 months have passed. They are such large games it is unfair to judge them by their launch and their low-level content.

Wasdie

Massive.. Check. Multiplayer.. Check.. Online.. Check.

matty_patty1232

However if you use the more widely used definition of an MMO as containing a Massive world, with Multiplayer Online action. APB fails at the start. The game world isn't Massive at all. In fact its a couple of highly detailed, brilliantly design and fun maps.

The more I see the term MMO used. The more I think its lost its meaning as too many games, officially or unoffically are defined as an MMO.

[QUOTE="matty_patty1232"]

Massive.. Check. Multiplayer.. Check.. Online.. Check.

Irricas

However if you use the more widely used definition of an MMO as containing a Massive world, with Multiplayer Online action. APB fails at the start. The game world isn't Massive at all. In fact its a couple of highly detailed, brilliantly design and fun maps.

The more I see the term MMO used. The more I think its lost its meaning as too many games, officially or unoffically are defined as an MMO.

There maybe 100 people on a map. However currently you are limited to 20 in a mission. In reality its rarely that size. 9 out of 10 missions are between groups of 2-4 players in size. I've only ever had one big mission of 9v9.

Compared with say Planetside which was massive. Both in terms of map size and upto 600 players in a single battle. APB is not massive. Just very fun :)

Embargo brought forward to UK release date, 2nd July. Thank goodness for that.

APB Statement From Realtime Worlds

Or it is an MMO and is going to have a lot of real big problems the first few days that will really look negative.

MMOs shouldn't be reviewed until at least 1-2 months have passed. They are such large games it is unfair to judge them by their launch and their low-level content.

Wasdie

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]Anyone who thinks what Realtime Worlds is doing is wrong clearly doesn't understand the difference between a MMO and any other genre. Mystic-G

I think MMO reviews should be redone - say every six months - to keep people up to date on improvements and changes, but since they're all available to buy and play on day one it's important that reviews reflect the state of the game at release. If the review is bad, gamers are smart enough to know to avoid the game but not to write it off permantly.

Reviewers shouldn't be forced or cajoled into reviewing games when it suits the developers... Ever. To insist that this is sensible practice is just utter lunacy.