Fired Editor Alleges Rockstar Review Pressure

News.com.au tells the tale of Toby McCasker, a former deputy entertainment editor for the magazine ZOO Weekly, who claims he was fired for blowing the whistle on efforts by Rockstar Games to influence coverage of Red Dead Redemption. McCasker posted excerpts on Facebook of an email allegedly from Rockstar saying: "This is the biggest game we've done since GTA IV, and is already receiving Game of the Year 2010 nominations from specialists all around the world," going on to say: "Can you please ensure Toby's article reflects this — he needs to respect the huge achievement he's writing about here." The Facebook posting is now removed, and McCasker is no longer with ZOO Weekly. "I did not sign up to become a journalist to write advertorials masquerading as editorial," he says. "This 'cash for comment' culture that is fast becoming the status quo within print media bothers me a lot."

Kotaku has a response from ZOO editor Paul Merrill saying: "I would like to make it clear that at no time has Rockstar EVER sought a preferential review in return for advertising. In fact no games company has ever suggested this. And Zoo would never give a positive review to a game we didn't rate in return for ad dollars. Toby McCasker was sacked for a number of reasons, one of which was his decision to post a private email on his Facebook page. This email was not referring to a game review. He should not be considered a credible source of information on this matter." News.com.au also has a comment from Rockstar Games Australia: "We are not clear on what the story is here. We always try to present our games in the most compelling way to media and fans alike and of course we, like every other video game publisher in Australia or anywhere else for that matter, want to have our games seen in a positive light." The article also says: "It is understood McCasker had earlier received two official warnings about his behaviour."
View : : :
61.
 
Re: Fired Editor Alleges Rockstar Review Pressure
Apr 8, 2010, 12:06
PHJF
 
61.
Re: Fired Editor Alleges Rockstar Review Pressure Apr 8, 2010, 12:06
Apr 8, 2010, 12:06
 PHJF
 
Lol, is that what you call war? A couple of sadistic fucks sitting high and mighty in a million-dollar machine of war taking potshots at a guys armed with cameras? All right, fine, they followed RoE. But where in the RoE does it say to light up the non-combat vehicle attempting to evacuate the sorry sods you just impregnated with your 30mm?

That isn't war, it's war crime. And then of course the Army goes to what lengths they did to keep the incident from the public, because obviously the best people for investigating the Army is the Army.

Really, I'd like to know how many Apache pilots/gunners are sadistic murderers. Did you even watch the video?

"Requesting permission to engage..."

"Picking up the wounded?"

"Cmon, let us shoot!"
Steam + PSN: PHJF
Avatar 17251
Date
Subject
Author
32.
Apr 7, 2010Apr 7 2010
33.
Apr 7, 2010Apr 7 2010
37.
Apr 7, 2010Apr 7 2010
62.
Apr 8, 2010Apr 8 2010
65.
Apr 8, 2010Apr 8 2010
47.
Apr 7, 2010Apr 7 2010
52.
Apr 7, 2010Apr 7 2010
56.
Apr 7, 2010Apr 7 2010
63.
Apr 8, 2010Apr 8 2010
60.
Apr 8, 2010Apr 8 2010
 61.
Apr 8, 2010Apr 8 2010
     Re: Fired Editor Alleges Rockstar Review Pressure
66.
Apr 10, 2010Apr 10 2010