PC Gamer Sweden-no review

[The Monkey]

I'm a subscriber on PC Gamer Sweden, and it came today, of course I expected a review, but there was none. All I got was this message. (I hope I'm not breaking any news). This took a long time to translate, so you better enjoy it.

What? No Half-Life 2? No Medal of Honour: Pacific Assault? No Battle for Middle Earth? Has PCG gone mad and hidden the games between the pages? No, unfortunately these reviews are missing in action. Mrs Fortunas evil sister has done her work.

Vi apologize of course this, but we hope and think that you still find our November-number to be of high class. That Half-Life 2 is not review is because, not all surprisingly, Valve Softwares has an amazing ability to **** things up. After many years of development an huga amount og mistakes and trouble during the “end period” (that lasted 1½ years), they now sit there with a finished game that they wont let anyone review! A few magazines have been allowed to print their reviews in October, after have signed a treaty that Valve’s artwork is on the front page in the same number. For that is how it works -“journalists” sell themselves for “the highest bidder”, and do it with a big smile, without any thoughts on those that they actually writes for in the end.
Anyhow, Swedish PC Gamer, where, after much trouble message, that sure; fly over to Seattle and we’ll fix so that you can review the game to your November-number, without limitations. Said and done we put, just before deadline, a Nylund with acute teeth ace on the plane to USA and forced him to spend a whole weekend on hotel just to, when it was time, get a message from Mr Doug Lombardi at Valve that there weren’t going to be a meeting after all. Why remains a mystery, but that’s how thing works in the duck pound. The head(Valve) don’t know where the tail(Vivendi) are doing, and it’s all a big mess. And it’s you readers that in the end is the ones that suffers.
So if you still lives under the illusion that Valve is a company on the gamer’s side- forget it They’ve had hubris combined with paranoid and is probably worried that some evil idiot are going to write the “cell code” between the lines in the magazine. So the review comes when it comes, and then you can count on that the score is not coloured by different signed treaties and “back-slapping” between game-journalists and developer.

 

[KurtCobain]

That Half-Life 2 is not review is because, not all surprisingly, Valve Softwares has an amazing ability to **** things up.

Lol thats a quote from the Mag.

Hehe at least there honest about how they feel in this magazine.

 

[Sharrd]

I'm a subscriber on PC Gamer Sweden, and it came today, of course I expected a review, but there was none. All I got was this message. (I hope I'm not breaking any news). This took a long time to translate, so you better enjoy it.

What? No Half-Life 2? No Medal of Honour: Pacific Assault? No Battle for Middle Earth? Has PCG gone mad and hidden the games between the pages? No, unfortunately these reviews are missing in action. Mrs Fortunas evil sister has done her work.

Vi apologize of course this, but we hope and think that you still find our November-number to be of high class. That Half-Life 2 is not review is because, not all surprisingly, Valve Softwares has an amazing ability to **** things up. After many years of development an huga amount og mistakes and trouble during the “end period” (that lasted 1½ years), they now sit there with a finished game that they wont let anyone review! A few magazines have been allowed to print their reviews in October, after have signed a treaty that Valve’s artwork is on the front page in the same number. For that is how it works -“journalists” sell themselves for “the highest bidder”, and do it with a big smile, without any thoughts on those that they actually writes for in the end.
Anyhow, Swedish PC Gamer, where, after much trouble message, that sure; fly over to Seattle and we’ll fix so that you can review the game to your November-number, without limitations. Said and done we put, just before deadline, a Nylund with acute teeth ace on the plane to USA and forced him to spend a whole weekend on hotel just to, when it was time, get a message from Mr Doug Lombardi at Valve that there weren’t going to be a meeting after all. Why remains a mystery, but that’s how thing works in the duck pound. The head(Valve) don’t know where the tail(Vivendi) are doing, and it’s all a big mess. And it’s you readers that in the end is the ones that suffers.
So if you still lives under the illusion that Valve is a company on the gamer’s side- forget it They’ve had hubris combined with paranoid and is probably worried that some evil idiot are going to write the “cell code” between the lines in the magazine. So the review comes when it comes, and then you can count on that the score is not coloured by different signed treaties and “back-slapping” between game-journalists and developer.

I think they forgot something: *sob*. They obviously don't know about the situation with Vivendi and VALVe.

 

[lans]

I'm a subscriber on PC Gamer Sweden, and it came today, of course I expected a review, but there was none. All I got was this message. (I hope I'm not breaking any news). This took a long time to translate, so you better enjoy it.

What? No Half-Life 2? No Medal of Honour: Pacific Assault? No Battle for Middle Earth? Has PCG gone mad and hidden the games between the pages? No, unfortunately these reviews are missing in action. Mrs Fortunas evil sister has done her work.

Vi apologize of course this, but we hope and think that you still find our November-number to be of high class. That Half-Life 2 is not review is because, not all surprisingly, Valve Softwares has an amazing ability to **** things up. After many years of development an huga amount og mistakes and trouble during the “end period” (that lasted 1½ years), they now sit there with a finished game that they wont let anyone review! A few magazines have been allowed to print their reviews in October, after have signed a treaty that Valve’s artwork is on the front page in the same number. For that is how it works -“journalists” sell themselves for “the highest bidder”, and do it with a big smile, without any thoughts on those that they actually writes for in the end.
Anyhow, Swedish PC Gamer, where, after much trouble message, that sure; fly over to Seattle and we’ll fix so that you can review the game to your November-number, without limitations. Said and done we put, just before deadline, a Nylund with acute teeth ace on the plane to USA and forced him to spend a whole weekend on hotel just to, when it was time, get a message from Mr Doug Lombardi at Valve that there weren’t going to be a meeting after all. Why remains a mystery, but that’s how thing works in the duck pound. The head(Valve) don’t know where the tail(Vivendi) are doing, and it’s all a big mess. And it’s you readers that in the end is the ones that suffers.
So if you still lives under the illusion that Valve is a company on the gamer’s side- forget it They’ve had hubris combined with paranoid and is probably worried that some evil idiot are going to write the “cell code” between the lines in the magazine. So the review comes when it comes, and then you can count on that the score is not coloured by different signed treaties and “back-slapping” between game-journalists and developer.

Seriously, that's BS. PC game mags are mostly civil, they don't post whining rants like that.

 

[Kongo]

I wouldn't be surprised if they did. I stopped subscribing to it long ago, there's no info in those mags that i can't find online anyway..

 

[The Monkey]

Lol thats a quote from the Mag.

Hehe at least there honest about how they feel in this magazine.

Well,acctaully they used "f*ck" in swedish too, even though it's not a swedish word. They don't use to whine like that, but maybe they were just so disappointed.

 

[liPillON]

A few magazines have been allowed to print their reviews in October, after have signed a treaty that Valve’s artwork is on the front page in the same number.

edge has nintendo DS

 

[Sharrd]

And didn't even write the "Half-Life 2 review" text on the frontpage in bold, while Tribes: Vengeance and some others were in bold.

 

[The Monkey]

Seriously, that's BS. PC game mags are mostly civil, they don't post whining rants like that.

What is BS? What they wrote or what I wrote? I can tell you you that it is 100% true, but I guess you just have to wait untill another swede confirmes it.

 

[BlackMesaDude]

this sucks...............

 

[Dead-Inside]

Seriously, that's BS. PC game mags are mostly civil, they don't post whining rants like that.

Actually, I'm holding the magazine in my hands right now, and even though the translation sucks, it's the real deal. They basically state that VALVe "Isn't as Player-side-minded as people might think".

If you want I'll translate the whole article correctly... just tell me and I will.

What is BS? What they wrote or what I wrote? I can tell you you that it is 100% true, but I guess you just have to wait untill another swede confirmes it.

Concider it confirmed.

 

[lans]

Alright then, if you say so.

 

[Raz]

Sounds like they're just pissed they didn't get to review the game. If Valve had just sent review versions all over the place HL2 would be on the net now.

 

[raipekass]

whiners...
Like movie scene, or music industry there are STARS. This include also game-scene. Comon, PC Gamer SWE, its not year 1998. Things have changed... If you want a top actor or musican to be interviewed in your mag you have get your legs out of your ass. Stop whining, your job is to please your readers, and if you fail - its your, and your, and i repeat - your only fault.

 

[nutcrackr]

Hmm that does not bode well at all.

 

[Zerox]

Nothing but a bunch of whiners.

 

[The Monkey]

Actually, I'm holding the magazine in my hands right now, and even though the translation sucks, it's the real deal. They basically state that VALVe "Isn't as Player-side-minded as people might think".

Sorry if the translation is bad, but I'm only 15. And I did that on 15 minutes. But I still they got the point.

And yeah, you can translate it if you wanna.

 

[Dead-Inside]

What? No Half-Life 2? No Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault? No Battle for Middle-Earth? Has PCG gone beserk and hidden them inbetween pages somewhere? No, unfortunately these reviews are missing in action. Miss Fortuna’s evil sister has been at it again.

We obviously regret this, but we hope that you’ll still find many gameing articles of high grade in our novemberissue. The reason why a Half-Life 2 article isn’t included is because Valve Software has an amazing ability to **** things up. After many years of development and a neverending mess of trouble with the ”finalphase” (Which lasted for a year and a half) they are done with the game but won’t let anyone review it! A few magazines got a review [Of HL2] printed in October after they sold the frontpage to Valve Artwork in the same issue via a contract. Because that’s how it’s done in the gaming industry – ”Journalists” sellout and do it with a smile, not thinking about what they get out of the article at the end.
However Swedish PCG did eventually get a go and were told to fly to Seattle to test the game for the november issue, without interventions. Said and done, a toothaching Nylund [One of the reporters] got on the plane to Seattle and had to endure a weekend at the hotell before the said appointment just to get rejected at the last minute and told there won’t be a meeting after all. Why is still a mystery to us, but that’s what happens in the duck-pond. The head (The developer Valve) doesn’t know what the tail’s doing (The publisher Vivendi) is doing, and it all results in one big mess. And in the end it’s you, the readers, who suffer.
So you who’re still under the impression that Valve is a company that’s on the gamer’s side – Forget that. They have gotten hybris combined with paranoia and are worried that some evil-minded moul will type in the source-code inbetween lines in the review. So the review will come when it comes, and when it does be sure to know that it won’t be scored depending on different agreements and deals and backpats between us gamingjournalists and publishers.
Only in the gamingindustry, dear friends. Only in the gamingindustry.

Regards
Joakim Bennet (Chief editor)

------

You should update the first post with the text above instead.

 

[Harryz]

What complete wankers.

The reason they're not giving copies before release is not end up in the same dilemma as last year. If they can't understand that, then they're complete wankers I'm sorry to say. If their that desperate to review it, why don't they fly other to Seattle and review it. Other magazines have reviewed it, I don't see why the can't do it.

"And it’s you readers that in the end is the ones that suffers."

Erm, no. Many have read most of the reviews and are just anticipating for the game to be released.

Thanks for the info Monkey, I appreciate it.

 

[Dead-Inside]

whiners...
Like movie scene, or music industry there are STARS. This include also game-scene. Comon, PC Gamer SWE, its not year 1998. Things have changed... If you want a top actor or musican to be interviewed in your mag you have get your legs out of your ass. Stop whining, your job is to please your readers, and if you fail - its your, and your, and i repeat - your only fault.

Look, I (and most of the genuine gamers, their main auidience) love their "We don't sellout" policies. They would definently have put HL2 on the magazine front, but they won't let themselves be forced to do it.

They review games, they don't advertise them. There's a great difference in those two. That's why I read PCG Swe, and not one of the many other... lame... gaming magazines (Which actually don't get a lot of respect in the gaming industry either)

Regards
Dead-Inside

What complete wankers.

The reason they're not giving copies before release is not end up in the same dilemma as last year. If they can't understand that, then they're complete wankers I'm sorry to say. If their that desperate to review it, why don't they fly other to Seattle and review it. Other magazines have reviewed it, I don't see why the can't do it.

"And it’s you readers that in the end is the ones that suffers."

Erm, no. Many have read most of the reviews and are just anticipating for the game to be released.

Thanks for the info Monkey, I appreciate it.

They DID fly over to Seattle to review it, you ****ing goon. Sorry but stuff like that pisses me off. Anyway, we haven't had a good review and I was hoping for a fair HL2 review in the november issue of PCG Swe.

It's still the readers of the magazine that suffers. I don't see your logic in "People have already read other reviews". What does that have to do with anything?

I'll get off you back anyway.
Regards
Dead-Inside

 

[Harryz]

Lol, sorry. I scanned through it and found it hard to read most of it, since it wasn't perfect translation. So did they fly over to seattle and then it was called off for no apparent reason?

 

[The Monkey]

What? No Half-Life 2? No Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault? No Battle for Middle-Earth? Has PCG gone beserk and hidden them inbetween pages somewhere? No, unfortunately these reviews are missing in action. Miss Fortuna’s evil sister has been at it again.

We obviously regret this, but we hope that you’ll still find many gameing articles of high grade in our novemberissue. The reason why a Half-Life 2 article isn’t included is because Valve Software has an amazing ability to **** things up. After many years of development and a neverending mess of trouble with the ”finalphase” (Which lasted for a year and a half) they are done with the game but won’t let anyone review it! A few magazines got a review [Of HL2] printed in October after they sold the frontpage to Valve Artwork in the same issue via a contract. Because that’s how it’s done in the gaming industry – ”Journalists” sellout and do it with a smile, not thinking about what they get out of the article at the end.
However Swedish PCG did eventually get a go and were told to fly to Seattle to test the game for the november issue, without interventions. Said and done, a toothaching Nylund [One of the reporters] got on the plane to Seattle and had to endure a weekend at the hotell before the said appointment just to get rejected at the last minute and told there won’t be a meeting after all. Why is still a mystery to us, but that’s what happens in the duck-pond. The head (The developer Valve) doesn’t know what the tail’s doing (The publisher Vivendi) is doing, and it all results in one big mess. And in the end it’s you, the readers, who suffer.
So you who’re still under the impression that Valve is a company that’s on the gamer’s side – Forget that. They have gotten hybris combined with paranoia and are worried that some evil-minded moul will type in the source-code inbetween lines in the review. So the review will come when it comes, and when it does be sure to know that it won’t be scored depending on different agreements and deals and backpats between us gamingjournalists and publishers.
Only in the gamingindustry, dear friends. Only in the gamingindustry.

Regards
Joakim Bennet (Chief editor)

------

You should update the first post with the text above instead.

Yeah, that was a much better translation. Do you mind if I put that insteed of mine in the first post?

 

[Dead-Inside]

Lol, sorry. I scanned through it and found it hard to read most of it, since it wasn't perfect translation. So did they fly over to seattle and then it was called off for no apparent reason?

That's exactly what happened.

 

[She]

A few magazines got a review [Of HL2] printed in October after they sold the frontpage to Valve Artwork in the same issue via a contract.

sad. but true.. sellout is key if you want to survive.. :|

However Swedish PCG did eventually get a go and were told to fly to Seattle to test the game for the november issue, without interventions. Said and done, a toothaching Nylund [One of the reporters] got on the plane to Seattle and had to endure a weekend at the hotell before the said appointment just to get rejected at the last minute and told there won’t be a meeting after all.

I just loled.. sorry, but this would not have happened if they singed the damn "frontcover-contract"..

 

[Majestic XII]

Im not suprised... its valve afterall.

Edit: Why didnt i get my copy today? Argh, need to wait another day for the mag

 

[Tamer17]

A few reviews? There are 10+ reviews already from magazines all around the world.

Edge didn't have the HL2 review as the cover .

 

[The Monkey]

I can't edit my first post, but as soon as I can, I will but your translation insteed, Dead-Inside.

 

[Mountain Man]

Sour grapes. I wonder if this mindset will have any impact on their eventual review?

 

[Dead-Inside]

I can't edit my first post, but as soon as I can, I will but your translation insteed, Dead-Inside.

Do that.

Sour grapes. I wonder if this mindset will have any impact on their eventual review?

It won't, never has before and it won't happen anytime soon. They're known to be a fair reviewing magazine. I've never once seen a good game (For "most" people) get a bad score because they though the developer were crap or stuff like that. They do talk warmly about BioWare though, when it comes to RPGs, but then again I can't do anything else but agree.

sad. but true.. sellout is key if you want to survive.. :|

Actually, PCG Swe is, by far, the biggest (and best) gaming magazine in Sweden. They "rule" the market. There's been gaming magazines popping up every now and then, a few of them stay for a while, most of the go away or change their working names rather quickly... Wonder why.

You don't HAVE TO sell out to sell issues. If you use quality as your trade, you'll do just aswell (Saying that the masses know about it).

 

[Lazlow]

(Magazine quote) Only in the gamingindustry, dear friends. Only in the gamingindustry.

lol, well, it's nice to know that the television, film, and music industries don't operate that way...

 

[Dead-Inside]

lol, well, it's nice to know that the television, film, and music industries don't operate that way...

I don't think that was his point.

A few reviews? There are 10+ reviews already from magazines all around the world.

Edge didn't have the HL2 review as the cover .

Well... There hasn't been one in swedish, and it definently hasn't been one in PCG Swe.

Edge might not have had HL2 on the front cover, but it's been said they never do have reviewed games on the frontpage but they prefer to have previews and upcoming games. They also might have had a very similar senario, flying to Seattle and all that, but actually getting the review. It's not even been stated WHY PCG Swe didn't get to play and review the game, they had already flown to Seattle, if you are to believe the article.

 

[Lazlow]

It just seemed a little melodramatic there at the end, as if only those in the games industry have to suffer such indignitites. However, I'd be just as p'd off by the situation.

 

[rrm]

just another **** up from valve

doug lombardi is a slimball

 

[Camajlen]

I just wanted to say that I agree with Dead-Inside, PCG Swe is a very good magazine with lots of well-written and fair reviews. I'm not reading it anymore cause I kinda lost my interest but anyway while I had a subscription it was simply the best mag in Sweden.

I would not think that they still will hold a grudge against Valve when they review HL2, but it seems like Valve has big problems in communicating with the community and different magazines, in short PR in general.

 

[PvtRyan]

LOL, what bullshit. I can't remember Edge having a HL2 cover (it just said Reviews: Half-Life 2 - Rome Total War and some other games) or a forced 12344 page review of HL2 (it was just 2 pages), yet they got to review it too.

 

[The Monkey]

Why can't I edit? Maybe some mod could put in Dead-Inside's translation insteed of mine?

 

[rrm]

valve did a great job with hl2 but suck at public relations and that sort of things

 

[Tamer17]

I don't know why PC Gamer Sweden didn't want to put HL2 in the cover , if you say is right about them posting fair reviews , then what does it matter if they put the game on the cover ? Just put it , it doesn't indicate that the review will be biased.

HL2 is the most antipicated PC game of all time . Why not put it on the cover when you are reviewing it? It got nothing to do with "selling out".

 

[Harryz]

LOL, what bullshit. I can't remember Edge having a HL2 cover (it just said Reviews: Half-Life 2 - Rome Total War and some other games) or a forced 12344 page review of HL2 (it was just 2 pages), yet they got to review it too.

Wait, it was only 2 pages and they give it a ten?

 

[She]

HL2 is the most antipicated PC game of all time . Why not put it on the cover when you are reviewing it?

Beacuse it's against their policy?
It should be a choise..