Poll: Do online reviews affect video game sales

[SirVaksghn]

The author of this article [http://newteevee.com/2008/11/15/do-zero-punctuation-videogame-reviews-influence-videogame-sales/] wonders if online review videos like ZP affect game sales. What do you think?

 

[COR 2000]

Hmm... Maybe. It's an interesting article, but Sales jumped by 7400%?! Holy crap.

 

[Fenring]

I wouldn't think ZP would, but I always go to Metacritic before I buy. I like to look before I leap.

 

[Jumplion]

Hmm... Maybe. It's an interesting article, but Sales jumped by 7400%?! Holy crap.

Holy crap indeed!

Depending on the person reviewing it, it depends I guess. But reviews to affect a games sales somewhat, no matter how minor.

 

[bue519]

Yes, people obey anything a tiny box tells them.

 

[USSR]

Yes, no question

People are lazy and wont bother to try the game unless its its an 8.0 or up =/

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

Yes. If they didn't, companies wouldn't have a "make reviewers happy" budget.

 

[Zer_]

Yes they do 4 hours after Yahtzee's review of Painkiller sales when up dramatically.

This is truth. He got an e-mail from Valve who were equally amazed.

 

[Sansha]

I can personally vouch for Painkiller's success from Yahtzee's review, because immediately after watching I purchased a copy of the Gold Edition online and love it like my family as Yahtzee promised.

Edit: this is also the secondary reason why I did not buy Spore.

 

[Tattaglia]

Yes, they do.

 

[Altorin]

The author of this article [http://newteevee.com/2008/11/15/do-zero-punctuation-videogame-reviews-influence-videogame-sales/] wonders if online review videos like ZP affect game sales. What do you think?

Well, After Yahtzee did the Painkiller episode, Valve called him a week later and said that sales of Painkiller had tripled.

So yeah, they do.

EDIT: Or, you know, something that not EVERYONE had said already

I am SURE that online reviews hurt the sale of Too Human and the new Golden Axe

 

[skoomaeater]

I personally couldn't give a damn about reviews. Sure some person on the other side of the world didn't have as much fun as me but it doesn't matter I still had fun.

For example, I preorderd The Force Unleashed and played it to death before going online and seeing what everyone else thought of it. It seems that every game reviewing man and his dog felt that TFU was at best "ok" and not much to shout about.

So no, reviews for me don't affect sales, almost all the games I buy are not on the reccomendation of others but are ones that have a cool box with exciting writing on it.

 

[Devil's Due]

I am SURE that online reviews hurt the sale of Too Human and the new Golden Axe

This is true. I enjoyed Too Human a lot and same with my friends. However, we were a bit afraid to get the game after all the reviews. Thanks to G4TV constantly talking about how it is, I said "Sure, why not?". Ended up having an enjoyable game that occupied me for weeks. Other friends continued to say Too Human is "crap" without even trying it, just watching the reviews. I let them try my own copy, and what do you know? They own Too Human now, too.

In short, online reviews can hurt or help games just as much as TV reviews or such do.

EDIT: 7400%... Wow.

 

[Altorin]

I am SURE that online reviews hurt the sale of Too Human and the new Golden Axe

This is true. I enjoyed Too Human a lot and same with my friends. However, we were a bit afraid to get the game after all the reviews. Thanks to G4TV constantly talking about how it is, I said "Sure, why not?". Ended up having an enjoyable game that occupied me for weeks. Other friends continued to say Too Human is "crap" without even trying it, just watching the reviews. I let them try my own copy, and what do you know? They own Too Human now, too.

In short, online reviews can hurt or help games just as much as TV reviews or such do.

EDIT: 7400%... Wow.

I had a similar experience, but I came to the conclusion that it was garbage even after playing it.

maybe that's because I only played the single player, but it just didn't seem like a good game to me.

 

[Nazulu]

It does because everytime I hear bad things about a game I go research it and see some in game footage before I even consider renting it. I'm just interested to know if it has good gameplay, unfortunately all of the reviews are spot on and I could spend my money on better things.

I am looking at GOW2, L4D and Mirrors Edge atm.

 

[Devil's Due]

I am SURE that online reviews hurt the sale of Too Human and the new Golden Axe

This is true. I enjoyed Too Human a lot and same with my friends. However, we were a bit afraid to get the game after all the reviews. Thanks to G4TV constantly talking about how it is, I said "Sure, why not?". Ended up having an enjoyable game that occupied me for weeks. Other friends continued to say Too Human is "crap" without even trying it, just watching the reviews. I let them try my own copy, and what do you know? They own Too Human now, too.

In short, online reviews can hurt or help games just as much as TV reviews or such do.

EDIT: 7400%... Wow.

I had a similar experience, but I came to the conclusion that it was garbage even after playing it.

maybe that's because I only played the single player, but it just didn't seem like a good game to me.

To each his own.