Microsoft bribed Halo 3 reviewers

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7262&Itemid=53

Game journo Dean Takahashi with The San Jose Mercury News showed off his big $800-plus bag of Halo 3 propaganda sent to him by Microsoft.

He's sending back the free stuff, which he called "nothing less than a bribe to try to get me to be favorably inclined to accepting the idea that Halo 3 is 'the entertainment event of the year.'"

Included in the huge personalized duffel bag of goodies are Xbox 360 controllers, a Halo 3 Xbox Live headset, a displayable Master Chief helmet and a $480 Halo 3 limited edition Xbox 360, not to mention a first aid kit and some UNSC-issued food.

1up editors and a few other gaming media editors received the same gift from Microsoft. This gift was sent out a about a week before Sunday so it was sent before the gaming sites were allowed to post their reviews.

Shame on you MS. Halo 3 is a good game, no need to bribe people to get what you want.

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7262&Itemid=53

Game journo Dean Takahashi with The San Jose Mercury News showed off his big $800-plus bag of Halo 3 propaganda sent to him by Microsoft.

He's sending back the free stuff, which he called "nothing less than a bribe to try to get me to be favorably inclined to accepting the idea that Halo 3 is 'the entertainment event of the year.'"

Included in the huge personalized duffel bag of goodies are Xbox 360 controllers, a Halo 3 Xbox Live headset, a displayable Master Chief helmet and a $480 Halo 3 limited edition Xbox 360, not to mention a first aid kit and some UNSC-issued food.

1up editors and a few other gaming media editors received the same gift from Microsoft. This gift was sent out a about a week before Sunday so it was sent before the gaming sites were allowed to post their reviews.

Shame on you MS. Halo 3 is a good game, no need to bribe people to get what you want.

Nick-M40A3

its better than getting a manual on how to properly review their game :)

I detect a lock incoming.. TC can't be serious?

$800 not in cash but in toys & food?

please, you have to give these reviewers more credit then that

LOL

wow - swag. now that's something new. :roll:

this is nowhere near as bad as the Sony Lair Reviewers Guide.

Maybe they got the idea from sony?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4741259.stm - fake critic

http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2006/12/12/sony-pays-pr-firm-to-lie-about-wanting-a-psp-for-christmas-terrible-rapsong-video-included.htm - paid PR to fake a blog

http://uk.gizmodo.com/2007/09/05/sony_caught_meddling_with_halo.html - altering wikipedia to make MS and Halo look bad

Sony the kings of bad PR

wow - swag. now that's something new. :roll:

this is nowhere near as bad as the Sony Lair Reviewers Guide.

3picuri3

Uhh, HELLO, they gave him 800 bucks and a 360.

[QUOTE="Nick-M40A3"]

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7262&Itemid=53

Game journo Dean Takahashi with The San Jose Mercury News showed off his big $800-plus bag of Halo 3 propaganda sent to him by Microsoft.

He's sending back the free stuff, which he called "nothing less than a bribe to try to get me to be favorably inclined to accepting the idea that Halo 3 is 'the entertainment event of the year.'"

Included in the huge personalized duffel bag of goodies are Xbox 360 controllers, a Halo 3 Xbox Live headset, a displayable Master Chief helmet and a $480 Halo 3 limited edition Xbox 360, not to mention a first aid kit and some UNSC-issued food.

1up editors and a few other gaming media editors received the same gift from Microsoft. This gift was sent out a about a week before Sunday so it was sent before the gaming sites were allowed to post their reviews.

Shame on you MS. Halo 3 is a good game, no need to bribe people to get what you want.

kevy619

its better than getting a manual on how to properly review their game :)

ZING.... right where it hurt

[QUOTE="3picuri3"]

wow - swag. now that's something new. :roll:

this is nowhere near as bad as the Sony Lair Reviewers Guide.

Eponique

Uhh, HELLO, they gave him 800 bucks and a 360.

They did not give them $800. They said "$800-plus bag of Halo 3 propaganda" meaning, a care package of goodies over $800 in value that includes an Xbox 360, controllers, master chief helmet, and other accessories and items related to Halo 3.

It was not cash.

Geez, learn how to read English people.

Well i'm not shocked, this is something MS could do, and now they have actually done it to...

It's not a bribe as someone said earlier, but the reviewer will probably give good score so that they will get a new "bribe" like that agian...I think it needed this to get the GREAT score it got, i personally don't think it deserved the 9.5, okey the multi is fun, but the SP is not near good enough! And everything has to be taken in to consideration!

Well, as someone said, it's better to bribe then to make a book on how to review:lol:

Yea and I guess they bribed all the people that bought the game as well. All 170 million worth...:roll:Bchmedic28

[QUOTE="3picuri3"]

wow - swag. now that's something new. :roll:

this is nowhere near as bad as the Sony Lair Reviewers Guide.

Eponique

Uhh, HELLO, they gave him 800 bucks and a 360.

they gave him a 360 and some controllers - with a combined value of 800. i have friends that write reviews, one for 1up - they get stuff like this all the time, they never pay for any game / controller / system they ever use. trust me, i have 3 original xbox prototype controllers sitting on my shelf because of his job :)

[QUOTE="Eponique"][QUOTE="3picuri3"]

wow - swag. now that's something new. :roll:

this is nowhere near as bad as the Sony Lair Reviewers Guide.

thinicer

Uhh, HELLO, they gave him 800 bucks and a 360.

They did not give them $800. They said "$800-plus bag of goodies" meaning, a care package of goodies over $800 in value that includes an Xbox 360, controllers, master chief helmet, and other accessories and items.

It was not cash.

Geez, learn how to read English people.

He still got a free 360 :( Do want.

[QUOTE="3picuri3"]

wow - swag. now that's something new. :roll:

this is nowhere near as bad as the Sony Lair Reviewers Guide.

Eponique

Uhh, HELLO, they gave him 800 bucks and a 360.

Anyhoo, the clear mistake was sending it to a reviewer, and not to me.

I wonder if Gamespot got one too, but there was only thing one Jeff needed to give out a 9.5 >_>ZanuffC

I would've given a 10 with all tha stuff. And I hate shooters :lol:

Not as bad at Lair-age but still, I don't think they needed to bribe such a hyped game.groudyogre

Dude.. I go to MS conferences all the time as well as other Tech conferences.. Trust me I am sure Sony was giving away Swag at thier booth for TGS and E3.. it is not a bribe..It is called a perk for the job you do.. There was nothing MS did to say.. If you do not give Halo 3 a good score you have to return all the stuff..

And as someone pointed out earlier.. a reviewers guide for Lair.. is about as pathetic as they come.. That is self owning on Sonys part.. :D

[QUOTE="3picuri3"]

wow - swag. now that's something new. :roll:

this is nowhere near as bad as the Sony Lair Reviewers Guide.

Eponique

Uhh, HELLO, they gave him 800 bucks and a 360.

No, its $800 worth of toys and food.

And as someone pointed out earlier.. a reviewers guide for Lair.. is about as pathetic as they come.. That is self owning on Sonys part.. :D

NitaraPwnzU

Bribe, hype and fanboyisme ( for example Dan Hsu EGM )

3 most important to make it THE GREATEST FRANCHISE OF HISTORY OF GAMING....

yeah so Im assuming what they gave them was a halo 3 edition xbox, limited edition controllers, halowireless headset, halo 3 legendary edition... thats about $800 right there. They gave it too them to properly review the game the way it should be experienced.... what do car companys due when doing car reviews... they send in cars to the reviewers to drive???

This is retarted for assuming 1 it was for him... MS sent a car package to the newspaper... and this was for everyone there to be able to play it in all its glory. What if they had a xbox 360 for reviews with one controller?

[QUOTE="Eponique"][QUOTE="3picuri3"]

wow - swag. now that's something new. :roll:

this is nowhere near as bad as the Sony Lair Reviewers Guide.

thinicer

Uhh, HELLO, they gave him 800 bucks and a 360.

They did not give them $800. They said "$800-plus bag of Halo 3 propaganda" meaning, a care package of goodies over $800 in value that includes an Xbox 360, controllers, master chief helmet, and other accessories and items related to Halo 3.

It was not cash.

Geez, learn how to read English people.

Actually a bribe doesn't have to be hard cash. Or at least that's the way it is for engineers...ffx2warrior

[QUOTE="Nick-M40A3"]

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7262&Itemid=53

Game journo Dean Takahashi with The San Jose Mercury News showed off his big $800-plus bag of Halo 3 propaganda sent to him by Microsoft.

He's sending back the free stuff, which he called "nothing less than a bribe to try to get me to be favorably inclined to accepting the idea that Halo 3 is 'the entertainment event of the year.'"

Included in the huge personalized duffel bag of goodies are Xbox 360 controllers, a Halo 3 Xbox Live headset, a displayable Master Chief helmet and a $480 Halo 3 limited edition Xbox 360, not to mention a first aid kit and some UNSC-issued food.

1up editors and a few other gaming media editors received the same gift from Microsoft. This gift was sent out a about a week before Sunday so it was sent before the gaming sites were allowed to post their reviews.

Shame on you MS. Halo 3 is a good game, no need to bribe people to get what you want.

kevy619

its better than getting a manual on how to properly review their game :)