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Company turns to bribery for 5 star Amazon reviews
In a world where word of mouth and the judgment of the hive mind is worth more than any ad or the ruminations of many professional reviewers, companies will do just about anything to ensure a strong rating on outlets like Amazon. It's clear that dummy accounts simply aren't the way to go, but what about bribing your existing customers? Apparently VIP Deals thought that route was perfectly acceptable and offered rebates to people who rated their products on Amazon. Now, the offer letter (which you can see at the more coverage link) doesn't explicitly ask for a five star review, but it is strongly suggested that the company expects one in exchange for receiving the product for free -- in this case, a leather Kindle Fire case. VIP's reviews and its products have all since been booted from Amazon, but it certainly raises plenty of questions about the ease with which some companies are able to game the system and how a reputable outlet can protect its customers from ratings scams. Hit up the source for the full story.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 rated by ESRB for consoles, PC
The ESRB has granted Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 an "E for Everyone" rating on the PC, 360, PS3 and Windows Phone platforms, thankfully without dyeing its sideburns in the process. Usually, an ESRB rating is indicative of an impending release date announcement or, in the case of badly promoted games, an impending release.Android, iOS and Wii classifications are missing from the ESRB's breakdown of the title, which isn't to say that those version don't or won't exist, but it is a good sign that they may not be among the first batch of platforms to receive Sonic 4: Episode 2. Still, it's at least reassuring to know that the game exists, which is more than some people can say.
Blizzard's battle in South Korea over the real money auction house
Pop law abounds in The Lawbringer, your weekly dose of WoW, the law, video games and the MMO genre. Mathew McCurley takes you through the world running parallel to the games we love and enjoy, full of rules, regulations, pitfalls and traps. Diablo III is one of Blizzard's most ambitious (if not the single most ambitious) launch of a game in the history of video gaming. Blizzard intends on a worldwide mega-event to launch Diablo III simultaneously in every country, with a massive localization undertaking. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been poured into this product. Countless man-hours have been spent toiling behind computer screens and long nights and painful testing. This is the forge where artifacts are made. And as the mighty hype machine churns and the release date comes closer and closer until the game is announced, the best-laid plans of men and Blizzard begin to feel the sting of friction. Chaos exists amongst the order. Back in September, we learned that South Korea had denied a rating to Diablo III because of concerns over the real money auction house, a new, hotly debated feature coming to the game. More specifically, the South Korean raters felt that the ability to "cash out" on real-money auctions skirted too close to the gambling line. This was bad. This was really bad. How could a core feature of one of the most hotly debated and fought-over moves in microtransactions to this day be the cause of release hardships? People frantically checked their backlogs of notes. It didn't make sense. South Korea wasn't an issue, they assured themselves. There was no way.
PS3 and Vita game 'Malicious' classified in Australia
Malicious, a PSN-exclusive boss rush action game (genre: "I'd like to speak to the manager, and then stab him."), may bring its concentrated quest and weaponized cloak to territories beyond Japan. The Alvion-developed project has been classified in Australia and attached to publisher Sony Computer Entertainment, making a localized version likely. The game's move to other markets could coincide with the upcoming Vita port, which was announced in August after the original launched on PlayStation 3. We've yet to hear any official details about a Malicious localization, but we've already started begging Sony to change the name and prevent confusion with our homoerotic "Firefly" fan novel.
'Prince of Persia' for Wii and 3DS, 'Rayman' for 3DS rated
Ratings have popped up in Australia for 3DS games called simply "Rayman" and "Prince of Persia," along with a Wii "Prince of Persia." Ubisoft has done plenty with both of these franchises, ensuring that we can't know for sure exactly what's been revealed here. The simplest explanation is that these listings are all for Virtual Console downloads. Prince of Persia was released on both the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, making it eligible for the 3DS Virtual Console -- and it was made for almost all of the platforms supported by the Wii Virtual Console. In addition, a game called "Rayman" was released on Game Boy Color, which was a combination of elements from Rayman 1 and 2 -- and thus providing an example of why we'd have a hard time knowing what the plain "Rayman" title referred to. [Image: GameFAQs]
Android Market web store update adds user review filters, changes lives
It looks like Google has rolled out yet another update to its Android Market web store, bringing a slew of new filtering features for especially investigative users. In particular, the refresh allows consumers to filter user reviews by a handful of parameters, including star ratings, app version and device model. Best of all, you can use any or all of these filters simultaneously, thereby allowing you to isolate, for example, all five-star reviews of a specific app from users of a specific handset. It certainly sounds like a useful addition, and one you can check out for yourself, at the source link below.
Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition outed by BBFC
It would seem Warner Bros. is looking to re-release Mortal Kombat, perhaps bundled with all of the DLC characters released. At least, that's what we gleaned from a recent rating that popped up on the BBFC, the British Board of Film Classifications. They also rate video games. February 17 is the listed launch date for this potential re-release. But right now, outside of the date and our own speculation, there isn't much else to go on. We expect that will change soon enough.
Apple, Google opt out of app-rating system
Bloomberg reports that Apple and Google have opted out of an app-rating system announced by the CTIA-The Wireless Association. The system, which was developed and will be run by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, will bring a rating system to apps, similar to what currently exists for video games. Ratings range from from appropriate for all ages to mature content intended for adults only. Apple and Google already have review guidelines in place. Apple's can be seen through the Developer's site and Google's developer site holds guidelines for the Google Apps Marketplace. In early 2010, TUAW took a look at a report weighing if the ESRB should be in the App Store, and I agree with fellow blogger Mike Schramm's opinion that Apple's current vetting system is more than adequate.
CTIA and ESRB team up on new rating system for mobile applications
Details are fairly light at the moment, but the CTIA has put out a press release today announcing that it has partnered with the Entertainment Software Rating Board (or ESRB) on a new rating system for mobile applications. That's the same ESRB that is responsible for the ratings on video games. Unfortunately, any word on the ratings themselves or their possible acceptance by app makers or distributors will have to wait until the press event on November 29th, but it sounds like there will be a fairly big push behind them when they are announced -- the presidents of both industry groups, along with US Senators Mark Pryor and Kelly Ayotte are slated to be on hand for the announcement.
StormDriver social web app gets alpha release, booming launch video
You're not really reading this. Okay, you are reading this, but the problem -- we're told -- is that you're reading it like a little Pac-Man trapped in a blind maze, in which all the other Pac-People surfing this page are hidden from view. Don't you want to smash those walls down? Don't you want to immerse yourself in that sweaty throng of humanity? Oh, you do? Then you need StormDriver, a social web app which has just started alpha testing. Similar to the RockMelt browser that came out last year, it's an overlay that allows geeks on the same page to interact with each other, rate content and follow real-time feeds that point them towards hot sites and discussions. The video and press release after the break make it all sound very enticing, but remember the ancient phrase: never pull down a fence until you know why someone put it up. Update: if you want early access to the system, leave your email address at the source link.
Virtua Tennis 4 'World Tour Edition' rated in Australia
The Australian ratings board has posted a classification for some kind of new version of Virtua Tennis 4, called "Virtua Tennis 4 World Tour Edition." This one differs from the original in that it's got an M rating and warnings for severe, graphic violence. No, we're totally kidding. It's rated G ... for graphic violence. Kidding again. It's "General." Our best guess for the identity of this "World Tour Edition" is that it's the Vita release of Virtua Tennis 4. The PSP Virtua Tennis game bore the "World Tour" appellation as well. It certainly makes sense for a game you can take with you.
Doom now approved for sale in Germany, 17 years later
Doom may run on just about everything these days, but one place it hasn't been very accessible during the past 17 years -- regardless of the device -- is in Germany. That finally changed this week, however, with both Doom and Doom 2 receiving a USK-16 rating that allows them to be made available wherever video games are sold. Both games had previously been "indexed" by the country's Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons, which has effectively confined them to the underground market since their debut. According to the BBC, the ban was lifted because the agency now considers Doom to be "mainly of historical interest," although it notes that Germany is maintaining the ban on one particular version of Doom II that contains levels from Wolfenstein with Nazi imagery. As for Doom publisher Bethesda Softworks, it tells Joystiq that it's "obviously very pleased" with the decision, and that it will let folks know when it plans to actually makes the game available in Germany.
'Mutation Station' rated for Xbox in Australia
Mutation Station, what's your classification? "General," according to Australia's ratings board. Something under that title is being published for Xbox 360 by Microsoft, as the rating reveals. No details about the title have been officially announced, but a safe guess would be that it's another Kinect Fun Labs widget, one that lets you alter the appearance of anything you put in front of the camera, either by warping it or tacking on virtual tentacles and stuff. An unsafe guess would be that it's an app that causes your Xbox 360 to overheat, and then directs you to get closer to it and soak up the radiation it emits. [Thanks, Sacra.]
'Saints Row: Money Shot' rated, alleged screens posted
Over the weekend, a rating for something under the super classy title "Saints Row: Money Shot" appeared on the Australian Ratings Board database. All we know officially is that it's developed by THQ Digital Phoenix and earned an MA15 rating. Unofficially, however, we have some screenshots posted by MSXboxWorld, which look to us like grabs from a video. The screens reveal what looks like a Saints Row-themed light gun game or rail shooter. Achievements also posted on the site, worth 200 points, suggest that this is an XBLA game (or Saints Row: The Third DLC). There's even a description of the premise: "You are Cypher, a deadly assassin in the world of Saints Row, and you hunt the most elusive targets with the most sophisticated weaponry that Ultor has to offer." You can apparently control the movement of each bullet to weave its way to the intended target. Officially, the planned Saints Row XBLA/PSN/3DS game, Saints Row: Drive By, was cancelled. But, to engage in a bit of conjecture for a moment, the concept and appearance of this game seem tailor-made for 3D. Could the project have been resurrected? Or is this all just media for a cancelled game, with the Australian rating a vestige of its former development?
BMW's Ultimate Drive app lets you share your favorite routes, crowdsources day tripping
Are you driving to get somewhere, or are you driving to drive? That's the fundamental question behind BMW's Ultimate Drive -- a new app that allows iPhone and Android users to share and rate their most enjoyable routes. With this arrow in your smartphone's quiver, you can create and upload your favorite paths using Google Maps, while evaluating other user submissions based on traffic, scenery and that ever-elusive thrill factor. As CNET points out, the app won't let you upload maps from your computer, nor does it allow for Yelp-style ratings of locations along the way, though those features may only be an update away. Check out the source links to download the free app and enjoy the journey. Full PR after the break.
Tesla Roadster 2.5 gets 119 MPGe rating from EPA, still as expensive as ever (updated)
Move over, Nissan, because there's a new MPGe king in town. Yesterday, the EPA anointed Tesla scored its Roadster 2.5 with an MPGe rating of 119, which would make it the most fuel-efficient car on the market. That places the plug-in ahead of both the Nissan Leaf (99 MPGe) and Chevy Volt (93 MPGe). According to the government-approved mock-up window sticker, Tesla's EV can last for up to 245 miles on a single, eight-hour charge, while getting the equivalent of 112 miles per gallon on the highway and 124 in the city. The original Roadster, meanwhile, received an MPGe score of 111 yesterday, with ratings of 105 on the open road and 116 in the city. Both models scored a perfect 10 for their greenhouse gas and smog emissions, though those ratings probably didn't factor in all the cash you'd have to burn to actually buy one. Update: We just heard from the EPA, which clarified that this is not their official rating for the Roadster 2.5. These numbers are Tesla's, and the window sticker itself is a mockup - not a legitimate sticker from the EPA. Still, if you'd like to see it, it's down after the break.
Metacritic drops individual developer ratings for good
Though Metacritic's recent policy of not only applying scores to video games, but also the individual people who created those games, drew some ire from the site's users, we thought it was a masterstroke. Assigning people arbitrary scores based on their past achievements? Seriously, the person who came up with that had to be, like, at least a 93. Sadly, the ratings were short-lived, and in a recent GamesIndustry interview, Metacritic founder Marc Doyle (a known 77) said, "We have no plans to bring it back." Ultimately, Mr. 77 said the site isn't meant to "fuel some larger discussion over what person is more worthy than some other person." That's actually kind of a nice sentiment, but it's that lack of bloodthirstiness that's keeping Mr. Doyle from breaking into the low 80s.
Opera browser gets an over-17 rating in Mac App Store, reacts in good humor
You might not yet be aware of this, but Apple's policy towards web browsers is to treat the entire internet as their content. As a result, all browsers on the iOS App Store come with a minimum age requirement of 17 and the same rule will apply to them on the Mac App Store. Opera, the first non-native web explorer to make it in Apple's new desktop app repository, is taking a humorous approach to things, with VP Jan Standal saying he's "not sure if, at that age, people are ready to use such an application. It's very fast, you know, and it has a lot of features." All that said, Opera's willing to be reckless if you are, and will totally let you download its Mac software through its homepage -- no age or credit card checks required, though you might want to ask for your parents' permission first. [Thanks, Ian]
'Sega Rally Online Arcade' rated in Korea
If a new listing by the Korean Game Rating Board is any indication, we could be kicking up some dust on PSN soon. The board posted a rating entry for "Sega Rally Online Arcade," a title that doesn't really require much interpretation. It's Sega Rally -- the classic arcade rally racing series originally created by Tetsuya Mizuguchi -- online. The title was submitted by Sony Computer Entertainment Korea, which would suggest a release on a PlayStation system; and we'll just go out on a limb and guess that would be PS3. The previous "Online Arcade" game, OutRun Online Arcade, was released on PSN and XBLA ... and then removed (due to an expiring contract with Ferrari). Since this Sega Rally game has yet to even be officially announced, it'll be long before we have to worry about that game being over (yeaaah).
Android Market adding content ratings to all apps, past, present, and future
Mandatory content ratings were added to Apple's App Store back in iPhone OS 3.0, and now it's Google's turn on news that they'll become obligatory for Android developers "in a few weeks" (at least, those that want their content in the Market). The company teases the fact that they'll be showing the ratings for all apps along with other "Android Market upgrades in the coming weeks" -- presumably timed to coincide with the release of Gingerbread -- and that any dev that fails to specify a rating level for their existing apps will have their content automatically listed as "Mature" (that is, the most restrictive level) until they take care of the problem. In addition to Mature, available ratings will include Pre-teen, Teen, and naturally, an "All" option for apps guaranteed not to offend even the most sensitive of young minds. Definitely good news for parents whose young'uns are demanding Android phones this holiday season, though it's still basically on the honor system for devs to correctly tag their content... and an All-rated app is probably going to sell better than a Mature one for the same reason R-rated movies outsell NC-17 ones. At any rate, sounds like Google intends to evolve the Market pretty rapidly with the next release or two, so we'll have to see how this shakes out. [Thanks, Paul]
