2K Games Fires PR Group After DNF Review Fiasco
Duke Nukem ForeverRemember, in such cases, it's very often the PR people who are to blame. Don't go after the game publisher immediately.
Earlier today, a post on The Redner Group's Twitter page hinted that the firm might blacklist sources and sites that give the recently released Duke Nukem Forever a particularly low score. The post read:
"Too many went too far with their reviews...we are reviewing who gets games next time and who doesn't based on today's venom."
A second post went on to say- "bad scores are fine. Venom filled reviews...that's completely different." Obviously, gamers quickly latched on and publisher 2K Games caught wind of the mess. The company has announced they won't be doing business with Redner in the future, and they don't condone such comments. You can find 2K's responses at their own Twitter feed.
"2K Games does not endorse or condone the comments made by @TheRednerGroup and confirm they no longer represent our products."
And:
"We maintain a mutually respectful relationship with the press and will continue to do so. We don't condone @The RednerGroup's actions at all."
Since then, Redner has apologized profusely but it seems the damage is already done. Stay tuned for PSXE's review, which will go up later tonight.
Related Game(s): Duke Nukem Forever
Tags: duke nukem forever, dnf, dnf reviews, 2k games
6/15/2011 2:52:30 PM Ben Dutka
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Comments (33 posts)
Alienange
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 3:12:38 PM
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8 up, 2 down
Highlander
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 3:50:34 PM
4 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 5:00:24 PM
1 up, 0 down
FatherSun
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 8:56:48 PM
Twisted Jaffe just called out one site on Twitter for spinning a wicked web about Sony not supporting Twisted Metal. Needless to say, he let them have it.
@Highlander, I agree, there is no standard when these so called reviews are posted. It's a shoot first ask questions later type situation. All for the HITS!!! That is a very important factor in these negative articles and reviews.
Last edited by FatherSun on 6/15/2011 9:00:07 PM
0 up, 0 down
Victor321
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 3:33:51 PM
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0 up, 0 down
Sancho
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 3:47:32 PM
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And while the PR company is probably right about some sites just being plain nasty in its reviews, but certainly tweeting stuff like that would need to be cleared with the people who pay you I would think. Regardless if 2k feels the same they know better than to piss off the people that advertise all your games and have a huge podium to your target audience for bad press towards your future releases. Good for them.
Its getting hard for me to read news anywhere these days. So many sites stating opinions and rumors as facts without sources and going back to edit the posts after being called out on it instead of acknowledging the error and apologizing. And then the little snide comments they make pertaining to certain companies. You can just feel the fanboy in the posts.
1 up, 0 down
Danny007
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 4:03:20 PM
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6 up, 0 down
Excelsior1
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 4:23:19 PM
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dnf is sitting on metacritic with a barely over 50 rating so it looks like it's a real stinker except for maybe hardcore duke fans. the publisher should just take its lumps and move on. calling out review scores is just plain dumb in this day and age. it always backfires on them.
Last edited by Excelsior1 on 6/15/2011 4:24:47 PM
5 up, 1 down
Claire C
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 4:47:46 PM
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2 up, 0 down
556pineapple
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 5:07:34 PM
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2 up, 0 down
jaybiv
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 9:53:09 PM
0 up, 0 down
556pineapple
Thursday, June 16, 2011 @ 2:49:55 PM
I'm truly sorry if I caused offense. It was just a joke.
0 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 5:12:07 PM
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1 up, 0 down
Lotusflow3r
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 5:19:08 PM
1 up, 1 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 6:50:18 PM
1 up, 2 down
maxpontiac
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 5:20:33 PM
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Whether or not a review host or author will admit it, but some reviews have cost people jobs. In my book, that means that professionalism should priority one. If it was up to me, the tabloid sites would lose all perks associated with reviewing.
Certain reviews lack professionalism and a fair viewpoint on video games. It's almost as if some websites can't offer an unbiased opinion. That's one of the reasons I came here, and post nowhere else (outside of GTPlanet) and visit only N4G for the headlines.
2 up, 0 down
Lotusflow3r
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 5:23:22 PM
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Many reviews have been disgraceful. It's like they have a hate for everyone who's involved with Duke. I think the age of humour is dying, though. Some of the stuff criticised, is why many want it back. Destructiods was the most embarrassing thing i have ever read, topping off IGNs. It was self satire, im sure of it!
Got a lot to talk about in my review. You might be surprised, if you're interested that is.
Looking forward to Ben's though, good or bad. I'll link it to Gearbox again.
Last edited by Lotusflow3r on 6/15/2011 5:25:49 PM
1 up, 0 down
nilos95
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 6:36:53 PM
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1 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 6:52:31 PM
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That said, Duke is awesome. Love it.
2 up, 0 down
Geobaldi
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 9:39:47 PM
0 up, 0 down
Teddie9
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 7:56:14 PM
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Last edited by Teddie9 on 6/15/2011 7:56:23 PM
0 up, 0 down
NoSmokingBandit
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 9:00:05 PM
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That said, if a game scores low for being awful then the devs need to make a better game instead of withholding review copies. I recall that when Other M was released Nintendo didnt like G4's review and they didnt get the next few first-party games from Ninty on time.
If you only send copies to respected sources then you know if you need to make a better game or not very easily.
I havent played DNF yet (i'm getting it after i finish DiRT 3), so i dont know who is at fault here, but its a lesson that can be learned easily.
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FatherSun
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 9:03:36 PM
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0 up, 0 down
Qubex
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 9:08:41 PM
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Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
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jaybiv
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 9:48:32 PM
0 up, 0 down
Scarecrow
Thursday, June 16, 2011 @ 1:58:15 AM
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Where I would dedicate myself to proving, with facts, which sites are misinforming you and which sites are not.
Of course, crap like Eurogamer would be one of those sites I would love to decipher and expose.
Sad that the company 2K hired for PR did this crap though. Basically telling reviewers to give Duke Nukem Forever good scores is not the way to go.
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___________
Thursday, June 16, 2011 @ 5:17:17 AM
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i could understand if the game was getting unfair reviews, but most ive read have been pretty accurate.
the games a F*CKING MESS!
it feels like they rummaged through a garbage can and stuck everything together with saliva.
it stinks, its messy, and its falling apart!
i mean everytime i re load a level it takes freaking forever to load and when it finally does load i press x to continue and i get greeted by a black screen for another 15+ seconds.
i swear to god theres no freaking way they could of play tested this, i mean its broken in so many ways, in so many areas!
0 up, 0 down
Mornelithe
Thursday, June 16, 2011 @ 8:23:58 AM
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Until you find a reviewer that you _know_ you can trust to deliver an unbiased assessment of a game, it's pointless to take what they have to say at face value.
DNF is a niche game, with a Niche following. Most of the younger generation of gamers, will simply have no idea who he is, where he came from, and what it's all about. And you know what? That's freekin OK. Not everyone has to buy the damn game. Those who've been waiting patiently for nearly 2 decades, those are the people who'll buy it, and that's that.
If developers and publishers seek too wide an audience with every single IP, gaming _will_ die. Plain and simple. Gamers aren't just younger folks anymore, and they aren't just older folks either. It's a huge spectrum of people, all with differing tastes. Deal with it.
0 up, 0 down
Beamboom
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Wednesday, June 15, 2011 @ 3:05:01 PM
Nice to see, especially after the reception DNF has received.
Last edited by Beamboom on 6/15/2011 3:09:28 PM