DRIV3R review cheat scandal takes a twist
Future Publishing makes aggressive move on its own forum
As you may be aware, the uproar surrounding the emergence of Atari’s DRIV3R into the UK press kicked up one of the biggest controversies in the recent history of the games industry, with a finger of direct accusation pointed at an alleged collusion between certain Future Publishing magazines and the French games giant.
And over the weekend, Driv3rgate has taken something of a twist, with Future’s own GamesRadar forums being stripped of any mention of the scandal. This seems something of a strange move, given that various Future staff writers had used threads in those forums to respond to criticism over the escalating issue. But opinion was so heavily weighted against the company that in the end they must have felt that they had no option but to dramatically opress free speech in this way.
As regular SPOnG readers will be aware, the entire row exploded following a posting on our forums, which cited a source claiming to be from Future who alleged that a deal between both Xbox World and PSM2 had been reached with Atari for a 90% or 9/10 review score, in exchange for the exclusive review rights.
Interestingly, a source at Future told us in the run-up to the game getting its ‘review’ score that “…the game is in the office. People are standing around and laughing at how bad it is. And the review is being carried out using non-final code…”
Hardly sounds like a near-flawless game reaction…
Although both parties frantically denied any such antics, the game and both magazines have lost some credibility in the wider gaming conscious.
And over the weekend, Driv3rgate has taken something of a twist, with Future’s own GamesRadar forums being stripped of any mention of the scandal. This seems something of a strange move, given that various Future staff writers had used threads in those forums to respond to criticism over the escalating issue. But opinion was so heavily weighted against the company that in the end they must have felt that they had no option but to dramatically opress free speech in this way.
As regular SPOnG readers will be aware, the entire row exploded following a posting on our forums, which cited a source claiming to be from Future who alleged that a deal between both Xbox World and PSM2 had been reached with Atari for a 90% or 9/10 review score, in exchange for the exclusive review rights.
Interestingly, a source at Future told us in the run-up to the game getting its ‘review’ score that “…the game is in the office. People are standing around and laughing at how bad it is. And the review is being carried out using non-final code…”
Hardly sounds like a near-flawless game reaction…
Although both parties frantically denied any such antics, the game and both magazines have lost some credibility in the wider gaming conscious.
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Comments
Pandaman 26 Jul 2004 20:37
1/5
Maybe when Driv4r comes out, they can pay magazines to give them bad review scores so nobody would suspect them of any wrong-doing.
SPInGSPOnG 27 Jul 2004 05:58
2/5
Alan Poole wrote:
>Maybe when Driv4r comes out, they can pay
>magazines to give them bad review scores so
>nobody would suspect them of any wrong-doing.
Dude, unless Driv4r is a lot better than Driv3r, they won't have to pay anyone ;-)
>Maybe when Driv4r comes out, they can pay
>magazines to give them bad review scores so
>nobody would suspect them of any wrong-doing.
Dude, unless Driv4r is a lot better than Driv3r, they won't have to pay anyone ;-)
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Joji 27 Jul 2004 09:55
3/5
A change in direction is badly needed after Driv3r. First Stuntman and now this, another title that will be filling bargain bins soon.
Forget the driving games for a while, because after two driving game mess ups how on earth can they consider doing anymore. And which gamers will want to spend money on their product when stuff like GTA and GT4 on the way.
Perhaps a return of the Shadow of the Beast series is another direction that could be taken, because Reflections are looking a little lost now. Just about everything possible has been done with cars and driving games. Unless they can come up with new ideas to turn things on their head (which I doubt but feel free to try and surprise me) they should leave the driving games alone for a while.
It's time to diversify or die.
Forget the driving games for a while, because after two driving game mess ups how on earth can they consider doing anymore. And which gamers will want to spend money on their product when stuff like GTA and GT4 on the way.
Perhaps a return of the Shadow of the Beast series is another direction that could be taken, because Reflections are looking a little lost now. Just about everything possible has been done with cars and driving games. Unless they can come up with new ideas to turn things on their head (which I doubt but feel free to try and surprise me) they should leave the driving games alone for a while.
It's time to diversify or die.
TigerUppercut 27 Jul 2004 10:38
4/5
Joji wrote:
>A change in direction is badly needed after
>Driv3r. First Stuntman and now this, another
>title that will be filling bargain bins soon.
>
>Forget the driving games for a while, because
>after two driving game mess ups how on earth can
>they consider doing anymore. And which gamers
>will want to spend money on their product when
>stuff like GTA and GT4 on the way.
>
>Perhaps a return of the Shadow of the Beast
>series is another direction that could be taken,
>because Reflections are looking a little lost
>now. Just about everything possible has been done
>with cars and driving games. Unless they can come
>up with new ideas to turn things on their head
>(which I doubt but feel free to try and surprise
>me) they should leave the driving games alone for
>a while.
>
>It's time to diversify or die.
The tragedy of DRIV3R is so multifaceted as to be totally amazing. For a start, the First Driver game was one of the most sublime titles to grace the PlayStation, number 2 was also admirable. Driver invented mission-based driving in 3D, but Reflections just couldn’t manage the jump properly to PS2.
Joji is right to point out that both DRIV3R and Stuntman were shoddy, though the point is that Driver owned the genre and Rockstar came along and stole it with consummate ease.
Then there’s the fact that Atari seemingly (allegedly?) tricked the game-buying public into adopting DRIV3R – the result being that the Driver franchise, one of the UK’s best, is effectively dead.
Atari has seemed transparently desperate throughout this whole affair. It will be interesting to see the fallout in the coming months.
>A change in direction is badly needed after
>Driv3r. First Stuntman and now this, another
>title that will be filling bargain bins soon.
>
>Forget the driving games for a while, because
>after two driving game mess ups how on earth can
>they consider doing anymore. And which gamers
>will want to spend money on their product when
>stuff like GTA and GT4 on the way.
>
>Perhaps a return of the Shadow of the Beast
>series is another direction that could be taken,
>because Reflections are looking a little lost
>now. Just about everything possible has been done
>with cars and driving games. Unless they can come
>up with new ideas to turn things on their head
>(which I doubt but feel free to try and surprise
>me) they should leave the driving games alone for
>a while.
>
>It's time to diversify or die.
The tragedy of DRIV3R is so multifaceted as to be totally amazing. For a start, the First Driver game was one of the most sublime titles to grace the PlayStation, number 2 was also admirable. Driver invented mission-based driving in 3D, but Reflections just couldn’t manage the jump properly to PS2.
Joji is right to point out that both DRIV3R and Stuntman were shoddy, though the point is that Driver owned the genre and Rockstar came along and stole it with consummate ease.
Then there’s the fact that Atari seemingly (allegedly?) tricked the game-buying public into adopting DRIV3R – the result being that the Driver franchise, one of the UK’s best, is effectively dead.
Atari has seemed transparently desperate throughout this whole affair. It will be interesting to see the fallout in the coming months.
thetruth 27 Jul 2004 11:40
5/5
Hi all, I'm new to this forum but not the GR forums. I have been a member over there for some time and was very concerned when all the Driv3r posts were removed.
I wonder where the pressure came from?
1 Atari - threatening legal action (Maybe)
2 Atari via Microsoft - threatening to reduce XBox development. (GR being MSN official game site) (Interesting)
3 Future - worried about the bad publicity (Doubtful)
Any thoughts?
I wonder where the pressure came from?
1 Atari - threatening legal action (Maybe)
2 Atari via Microsoft - threatening to reduce XBox development. (GR being MSN official game site) (Interesting)
3 Future - worried about the bad publicity (Doubtful)
Any thoughts?