CEO Responds to Video Game Review Fixing Controversy
Open and honest response from developer of Jumpship Thrust Control 2
Norwegian iOS game developer Monkeybin is having to carry out some pretty urgent fire-fighting right now due to a piece of marketing that provided journalists with pre-written reviews of its title Jumpship Thrust Control 2.
Lazygamer ran a story regarding a email it received from the company that stated:
"Just to make your life easier, we attach a couple of reviews we have already written that highlight some of the key features of the game. Perhaps you can cut and paste some of the comments and claim them as your own review?! (Just thinking of your time.)"
Stunned, we requested comment from Monkeybin. We have received what appears to be a open, frank and frankly embarrassed response from CEO, Haakon Langaas Lageng.
He adopted a tactic that CEOs of larger, AAA publishers might like to look up in the Rule Book of Management. That guide appears to have one page and on it is written, "Never Apologise. Never Explain."
Here's what Haakon Langaas Lageng told us, "We hired a freelancing marketing manager to do the promotions for JumpShip Thrust Control, and it got out of hands. The marketing manager was free to do the promotions the way he thought would be the best, since we were pressed on time doing other projects. It resulted in methods that is not up to Monkeybin's ethics or standards, and not how we want to be perceived by the gaming community."
Then, well, he took it on the chin:
"As the CEO of Monkeybin, this is of course completely my responsibility. Unfortunately, what was happening here slipped my eyes. I found out only today what has been going on."
Expect an official press release, written by somebody else we'd assume, soon.
Lazygamer ran a story regarding a email it received from the company that stated:
"Just to make your life easier, we attach a couple of reviews we have already written that highlight some of the key features of the game. Perhaps you can cut and paste some of the comments and claim them as your own review?! (Just thinking of your time.)"
Stunned, we requested comment from Monkeybin. We have received what appears to be a open, frank and frankly embarrassed response from CEO, Haakon Langaas Lageng.
He adopted a tactic that CEOs of larger, AAA publishers might like to look up in the Rule Book of Management. That guide appears to have one page and on it is written, "Never Apologise. Never Explain."
Here's what Haakon Langaas Lageng told us, "We hired a freelancing marketing manager to do the promotions for JumpShip Thrust Control, and it got out of hands. The marketing manager was free to do the promotions the way he thought would be the best, since we were pressed on time doing other projects. It resulted in methods that is not up to Monkeybin's ethics or standards, and not how we want to be perceived by the gaming community."
Then, well, he took it on the chin:
"As the CEO of Monkeybin, this is of course completely my responsibility. Unfortunately, what was happening here slipped my eyes. I found out only today what has been going on."
Expect an official press release, written by somebody else we'd assume, soon.