Duke Nukem Forever PR Agency Threatens Sites Over Bad Reviews - UPDATED

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Duke Nukem Forever PR Agency Threatens Sites Over Bad Reviews - UPDATED


A PR agency has apologized for publicly threatening to blacklist videogame review sites that "went too far" with their negative reviews of Duke Nukem Forever [http://www.amazon.com/Duke-Nukem-Forever-Pc/dp/B002I0JAJ2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1308150246&sr=8-2].

Things are not going well for Duke Nukem Forever. After nearly a decade and a half "in development," the game was finally finished by Gearbox and turned loose to reviewers, who wasted no time in savaging it as a half-baked mess. Some reviewers were more or less harsh than others - our own Russ Pitts recommended that "if you are stuck on a deserted island with only this game to play, The Redner Group [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/8949-Duke-Nukem-Forever-Review], the PR agency handling the game, over the edge.

"too many went too far with their reviews...we r reviewing who gets games next time and who doesn't based on today's venom," he wrote on the official Redner Group Twitter feed [http://twitter.com/TheRednerGroup]. "It's one thing to not like a game, it's an entirely different thing to rate it a 2 & b completely mean spirited."

In other words, if you were too hard on the Duke in your review, which is by any definition an entirely subjective measure, you may not be getting any more games or coverage support from the Redner Group in the future. It's a pretty shocking admission to make publicly, and the agency quickly deleted the tweets and apologized for "acting out of pure emotion." A separate apology to numerous individual game journalists was also sent out, admitting that the outburst was a "juvenile act" and also stating that 2K Games had absolutely nothing to do with it.

"Though I didn't name names, I did say that I thought some reviews had gone too far in tone," Redner wrote. "I respect the scores, it had to deal with the tone. I was unable to properly convey that in 140 characters. But that it beside the point."

"We are all entitled to our opinions regardless of score, tone or meaning. My response was a juvenile act on my part. I know better and my emotion got the best of me. I have worked very hard on this project. I want it to succeed. I just got upset and acted out," he continued. "I believe we are all allowed to voice our opinions and that opinions by their very nature are correct. Many of you quickly pointed out my error in judgment. For that I thank you and apologize."

UPDATE: 2K Games has now commented and it's bad, if not entirely surprising, news for The Redner Group, which is no longer employed by the company.

"2K Games does not endorse the comments made by Jim Redner and we can confirm that The Redner Group no longer represents our products," 2K said in a statement. "We have always maintained a mutually-respectful working relationship with the press and do not condone his actions in any way."


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sunburst

Media Snob
Mar 19, 2010
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Is throwing a big temper tantrum when people don't like your game the new it thing for the industry? It's been happening quite often recently.
 

linkvegeta

New member
Dec 18, 2010
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IM pretty sure the developers half expected bad reviews due to the many years of hype.
 

Logic Sword

New member
Jun 8, 2010
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I thought Duke Nukem was a game that took great joy in going too far? Surely reviewers should be able to give it the same treatment.
 

TheIronRuler

New member
Mar 18, 2011
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This is very bad.
The reviewers forgot to kiss their asses so they won't be able to get the copies of the game before the release... just like the witcher 2.... which is selling great.....
Where was I going with this?
Ah, yes. Buy the witcher 2....
 

yoshiru

New member
Mar 7, 2011
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Yeah, you can't tell people what they want. If people don't like your game, ohwell. Start making good ones.
 

Not G. Ivingname

New member
Nov 18, 2009
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-_-

Oh Gearbox... what did you think you were getting into.

You should of figured out the game you decided to finish was the combined mess of ten years of many developers.

Don't blame the reviewers and don't say you will not support the sites that gave it a bad reviews, who are basically half your marketing (as shown by Duke sticking his gun in our face over to your left). People haven't forgotten about Kane and Lynch and Gamespot, doing that against the entire internet won't make you friends.
 

PrinceofPersia

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Sep 17, 2010
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The main problem here is that taste, whether in food or entertainment, is entirely subjective. That said Duke's latest game is not to my taste in entertainment. I also like the option of renting games first before you buy them, took a whole lot of stress off my back.
 

lacktheknack

Je suis joined jewels.
Jan 19, 2009
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What the hell did they expect!?

They DO realize that having a game basically sit in stasis for a decade is NOT a point in its favor, right? In fact, it's the biggest problem your game could ever have!
 

Char-Nobyl

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May 8, 2009
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"...unable to properly convey that in 140 characters"? Yeah, that's true for a lot of things...and when it's the case, don't try to do it.
 

lacktheknack

Je suis joined jewels.
Jan 19, 2009
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Not G. Ivingname said:
-_-

Oh Gearbox... what did you think you were getting into.

You should of figured out the game you decided to finish was the combined mess of ten years of many developers.

Don't blame the reviewers and don't say you will not support the sites that gave it a bad reviews, who are basically half your marketing (as shown by Duke sticking his gun in our face over to your left). People haven't forgotten about Kane and Lynch and Gamespot, doing that against the entire internet won't make you friends.
It wasn't Gearbox... That was the Redner Group. Which is related to 2K. Randy Pitchford hasn't stuck his oar in yet, as far as I know.
 

RedEyesBlackGamer

The Killjoy Detective returns!
Jan 23, 2011
4,701
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Andy Chalk said:
Duke Nukem Forever PR Agency Threatens Sites Over Bad Reviews
This is one of the reasons why the video game industry isn't taken seriously. Publishers and developers act like 3 year olds when their games aren't received well. And threatening reviewers for being honest? Fuck you.
I'll end with this:
 

Justin Amirkhani

Does Video Game Stuff
Jan 31, 2011
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It was an error in judgement for certain, but one that's going to cost the man a lot of business. It's a shame and I hate seeing it happen for any reason, deserved or not.
 

unacomn

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Mar 3, 2008
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I don't get my games from Render Group, so I should be fine when I tear DNF a new one next week. Unless the levels that are left are actually good.
 

Woodsey

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Aug 9, 2009
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""It's one thing to not like a game, it's an entirely different thing to rate it a 2 & b completely mean spirited.""

Yeah, its called liking it even less than just not liking it, moron.
 

RedEyesBlackGamer

The Killjoy Detective returns!
Jan 23, 2011
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lacktheknack said:
Not G. Ivingname said:
-_-

Oh Gearbox... what did you think you were getting into.

You should of figured out the game you decided to finish was the combined mess of ten years of many developers.

Don't blame the reviewers and don't say you will not support the sites that gave it a bad reviews, who are basically half your marketing (as shown by Duke sticking his gun in our face over to your left). People haven't forgotten about Kane and Lynch and Gamespot, doing that against the entire internet won't make you friends.
It wasn't Gearbox... That was the Redner Group. Which is related to 2K. Randy Pitchford hasn't stuck his oar in yet, as far as I know.
O Rly? [http://www.gamefront.com/gearboxs-randy-pitchford-reviewers-who-dont-like-duke-nukem-forever-will-be-held-accountable/]
No one involved with the game is acting very maturely. It is disgraceful.