Take-Two Interactive, the gaming giant, expressed severe concerns about the rising issue of review bombing, specifically the potential impact on the highly anticipated release ofย Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6).
In a recent SEC filing (spotted by GameFile and Dexerto), the publisher of the popular GTA game and Red Dead Redemption emphasized the negative impact of review bombing on the video game industry. This manipulative activity involves teamwork to flood online platforms with negative reviews, often unrelated to the product’s quality, to reduce its ratings artificially.
This negative trend has grown more common in the game, film, and television industries. Earlier in July 2024, Dexerto reported how Apex Legends review-bombing pushed the game to its lowest-ever Steam rating. This incident is not isolated, with titles such as Helldivers 2 also undergoing similar treatment for various reasons. The trend is not limited to games; TV shows and films like Rings of Power and The Last of Us have also been victims of review bombing, highlighting the widespread nature of this issue.
“If the ratings of any of our games decline or if we receive significant negative reviews that result in a decrease in our ratings, our games could be more difficult for players to find or recommend,” Take-Two stated.
The filing further added, โWe may be subject to negative review campaigns or defamation campaigns intended to harm our ratings. Any such decline may lead to loss of players and revenues, additional advertising and marketing costs, and reputation harm.โ
Take-Two underlined the necessity of maintaining good ratings on third-party platforms toย attract new players and increase revenue. The company warned that a drop in ratings due to review bombing could hamper game discoverability and negatively impact revenue.
The imminent release of GTA 6 in 2025 caused Take-Two’s worries. The game has already sparked heated controversy within the gaming community, owing to the inclusion of the franchise’s first female protagonist. The controversy surrounding this judgment has sparked worries of a review bombing targeting the game.
Review bombing has a negative influence not only on individual games, but also on the industry as a whole. Developers and publishers have to handle the challenges provided by this trend to guarantee that their games are treatedย fairly and maintain their integrity in the eyes of gamers.
As the industry grows, platforms and communities must devise measures to reduce the impact of review bombing and encourage constructive criticism.
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