The Famitsu Controversy

[wraggster]

The Japanese weekly magazine Famitsu has given a perfect score (40/40) to Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and people are already up in arms about it. Why? Because Famitsu has a tie-in with Hideo Kojima's upcoming PSP game and the magazine appears in the game.

Kotaku even went as far as writing an heated and article titled "Do Not Trust This Magazine's Review Scores" that could be only defined as bordering on libel. This, of course, isn't even the first time that the American website slings mud at their Japanese colleagues. They have published several articles (like this one) in the past with that sole purpose, for some reason that I personally fail to understand.

Is it because they normally give more attention (and higher scores) to Japanese games and less to western games? I wouldn't be surprised, since for a western-centric site like Kotaku this must be a serious affront.

On a side note, I find it really funny that Kotaku and many other websites posted several articles denouncing how MGS: Peace Walker has several instances if in-game advertisement, when such deals are very, very common in the western gaming industry, so much that there even are several agencies dedicated just to deal with that. But that when that happens in a western game, it seems to be unimportant. When it happens in a Metal Gear game looks like it's "big news".

Anyway, if it wasn't sad enough to see gaming journalists slinging mud at their colleagues ("you should trust us! Not them!"), it's downright shameful that Kotaku isn't even alone in this crusade.

So what should have Famitsu done? They shouldn't have reviewed at all one of the most awaited (and best looking) incoming games for PSP because they have an advertisement deal with Kojima Production? Or maybe they should have automatically given it a lower score to avoid being criticized by Kotaku and by the other western "me too!" journalists that will follow? I don't think so.

More here --> http://classygamer.blogspot.com/2010...ntroversy.html

[symbal]

Well look at the top rated games you'll see they all Japanese developers so there's obvious bias there, it's like when the church recognises a miracle, they don't do it much because the idea of miracles is a complete load of crap but they just gotta throw one out there occasionally to keep the numbers up and make sure it's someone who looks good in the history books and not some criminal(non Japanese developer) i mean they are a decent enough magazine but i don't fully trust them for anything outside the Japanese gaming industry.

[fpcreator2000]

One thing is rating a game. Another is rating a game due to advertising of said reviewer being in the game. Both sides can be put to question.

1. Is Kotaku wrongfully accusing Famitsu because of a possible conflict of interest.
2. Is Famitsu actuallyperforming an unbiased review and it just happens that they are being advertised in-game.

[FireStag]

Sounds like haters hating on haters hating on a potentially biased magazine...

[Darksaviour69]

In gta 4 there is a mag that looks very much like a edge mag, and edge give gta 4 10/10!!

[VampDude]

In gta 4 there is a mag that looks very much like a edge mag, and edge give gta 4 10/10!!

It was possibly included in one of the updates, a new way to advertise meaning we could see the latest ads within older games (most notably the EA titles) if the developers wished to do so.