He's been taking questions:
http://twitter.com/RichStantonThis is the same guy who had a rant about CVG the other day BTW:
http://www.grcade.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32006Some stuff he's said so far:
Let’s have a story about the kind of behaviour Future indulge in. I once went to Valve. Seattle! Gabe! Exciting!
PC Gamer asked me to take some photos of something very specific. A wall of concept art. I asked permission, and did so.
Valve went nuts. This wasn’t approved! Do you know what PC Gamer’s editor, Tim Edwards, did?
He denied I had ever been asked to do it. Said PCG were merely the innocent recipient. Lied, in other words. banana split.
That is the kind of behaviour Future encourages in its staff.
Thankfully, most of them avoid it. But if you’re a guy like Tim, happy to throw anyone under the bus, Future is the place to be.
Future’s a tragedy. The best editors and writers, people like Dan Dawkins, Andy Kelly, Matt Castle. All labouring under a yoke of cuntness.
this is a company that’s had a five year pay freeze on its junior staff, while increasing the pay of its top people by 10% this year
I should make clear that Future’s staff, the people who work for them, are 95% awesome. But the company has a strawberry floated culture.
Is there anywhere you would recommend?
Eurogamer, great people.
Ever had your arm lent on to up or down a score?
Yes
have you witnessed any dodgy deals?
Yes. Future will do anything to accommodate advertisers.
who actually runs future? Are they journalist types? Money types? Videogames types?
Ads dictate most things.
was that gooseberry fool common, or was that a one off? Review scores linked to ads in any way?
Totally
worst games mag/site?
CVG. They deliberately misquote devs, and claim it’s a mistake after the hits
have you ever seen deliberate, calculated twisting of facts in order to get hits? Name and shame!
Yes. CVG. Jaffe.
Probably not the man to ask, but anyway - who/what killed off Nintendo Gamer?
Lee Nutter. Genuine moron.
Did Future think the EDGE forum community was a waste of time?
Yes. Then lost 2/3rds of their traffic! Idiots.
What are the best websites?
Eurogamer is the best IMHO
Who were the dodgiest PRs for doing deals (review scores etc)?
Rockstar, without question.
What’s the hardest commission you’ve ever had.
Writing about bullshit F2P games that advertised eg Allods
game that got most obviously dodgy reviews?
Homefront, less obviously. Most is Driv3rgate
I learned everything I know at Future, surrounded by people smarter and funnier than I am. The company sucks. The people are grade A.
Worth mentioning that after CVG's crass misconduct Future sent around an internal email. But me? The actual freelancer? Who gives a gooseberry fool.
Which of Future's mags you reckon will be next to get the chop ?
PSM3 and XBOX World. No question.
Most loathsome banana split in the games industry/Future?
Hmm. I hate Crossley, obv. The most bent? Damian Butt
Worst game to get a 9/90+ score due to 'pressure'?
Probably LA Noire
Do publishers/platform holders 'pay' for covers? In either ad spend or access.
They control everything
You said Rockstar were dodgy. How, specifically?
Direct intimidation plus massive ad budget. Simple.
Basically, whenever someone at Future tells you they don’t sell scores, they’re lying. I’ve seen it. They do.
Do scores get pushed up, or do publishers with similar games push rivals down?
No, only care about their own
Just give us the worst story on Future you have and get some rest!
Edge gave GTA IV [10] but the review didn’t
Bent as strawberry float. That’s Future for you
are official mags like opm under more pressure? Hence most launch titles used to end up 10/10?
Yep, internal joke
Any info to spill on Cod reviews/ad pressure?
Actually, no. COD always earned the reviews, good series
I’m genuinely amazed that nobody has picked up on the fact that GTA4 got a 9 which became Rockstar’s much sought-after [10] in Edge.
I did wonder about GTA. But you said they left Edge alone? Did R* buy the [10]
Yep. With the Sam H cover
Was the EDGE 6/10 for GTA III really a mistake?
Not my time, but apparently it was genuine - should’ve been 8
If Rockstar was the dodgiest, who else is up there?
2K bitch a lot. EA/Acti are numbers-driven.
any other Edge [10]'s not earn it?
Nope, the rest are kosher. GTAIV was bent