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Why do press kits exist?

T

thequickandthedead

Member
The recent Last Guardian thread reminded me of the lavish and extravagant press kits I'd seen over the years. Kinda sad how these press kits, which are so far superior to collector's editions sold for an exorbitant amount, are given away free to major reviewing publications. How do these publications justify covering their own accommodation and travel costs to review events while still accepting these blatant attempts at bribery?

Another thing that baffles me is developers writing this heartfelt, sentimental message seemingly addressed to all players and only including it in the press kit. Wouldn't they want their message to reach as many players as possible instead of supporting this shitty practice?
 
C

Com_Raven

Member
thequickandthedead said:
Another thing that baffles me is developers writing this heartfelt, sentimental message seemingly addressed to all players and only including it in the press kit. Wouldn't they want their message to reach as many players as possible instead of supporting this shitty practice?
Click to expand...

How do you know that it is not also somehow included in all copies, be it in print or digital in the game/ credits?
 
W

Weebos

Banned
I want to see the press kits you have seen OP, because in my understanding most press kits are ZIP files.
 
S

stilgar

Member
Let's not exaggerate here.
A lot of companies send goodies to journalists when they've something new to sell. It doesn't work (except if you're a manbaby), but it doesn't hurt.
It's far from being bribery.
 
P

Podge293

Member
Publishers don't wanna piss off a gaming site as much as gaming sites don't wanna piss off publishers. Doesn't hurt to give them a little token of appreciation.

Most gaming sites now disclose what they get be it goodies or an all expense paid trip.
 
J

jschreier

Member
I can't remember the last time we got a crazy lavish press kit for a big game. Most companies have stopped doing that over the past few years.
 
L

lobdale

3 ft, coiled to the sky
To you press kits might be some coveted treasure, but to much of the press I can assure you they fall into piles and piles of crap along with every single other press kit containing tips on how to beat the first three levels of Imagine Babiez to be maybe checked on when some time is available.
 
Pagusas

Pagusas

Elden Member
thequickandthedead said:
Another thing that baffles me is developers writing this heartfelt, sentimental message seemingly addressed to all players and only including it in the press kit. Wouldn't they want their message to reach as many players as possible instead of supporting this shitty practice?
Click to expand...

You heard about the message didnt you? It succeeded.
 
I

Inferno313

Banned
You know the exact reason these things exist, for the publisher to get a little bit of goodwill from the journalist before they sit down to write their reviews. Now, that's not to say this is some example of massive corruption or anything, I think most critics know their shit enough to laugh this stuff off and ignore it, but I think it's fairly obvious as to why publishers send this stuff.

It's not exclusively a games issue either, film press and music press tend to get the same kind of swag sent to them in the lead-up to a film or album release.
 
L

Lights and Waves

Member
lobdale said:
To you press kits might be some coveted treasure, but to much of the press I can assure you they fall into piles and piles of crap along with every single other press kit containing tips on how to beat the first three levels of Imagine Babiez to be maybe checked on when some time is available.
Click to expand...

Exactly.
 
P

PrivateRyan

Member
thequickandthedead said:
How do these publications justify covering their own accommodation and travel costs to review events while still accepting these blatant attempts at bribery?
Click to expand...

Because one is a decision made by the publication and the other is a decision made by the games publisher.

If you don't understand the difference between the two, I honestly don't know what to tell you.
 
The Elite

The Elite

BOSS
I have found them invaluable in the past. The good ones will detail character details, world building information and back story that is useful when sitting down to write an article or a review. A lot of journalists don't necessarily have the time to follow a certain game, movie, television show or product like those who may be eagerly awaiting it. They haven't consumed every bit of information leading up to release.

I don't necessarily need all the collectable extras. That stuff ends up as junk. An online press kit will do me just fine. I just need the details.
 
sublimit

sublimit

Banned
lobdale said:
To you press kits might be some coveted treasure, but to much of the press I can assure you they fall into piles and piles of crap along with every single other press kit containing tips on how to beat the first three levels of Imagine Babiez to be maybe checked on when some time is available.
Click to expand...

Lol yeah sure.
 
R

redcrayon

Member
thequickandthedead said:
The recent Last Guardian thread reminded me of the lavish and extravagant press kits I'd seen over the years. Kinda sad how these press kits, which are so far superior to collector's editions sold for an exorbitant amount, are given away free to major reviewing publications. How do these publications justify covering their own accommodation and travel costs to review events while still accepting these blatant attempts at bribery?

Another thing that baffles me is developers writing this heartfelt, sentimental message seemingly addressed to all players and only including it in the press kit. Wouldn't they want their message to reach as many players as possible instead of supporting this shitty practice?
Click to expand...
This approach is representative of a tiny minority of the press kits sent out, which can be anything from a disc in a blank box to a download. A friend of mine used to review for a major site and has a box crammed with press copies that are little more than unmarked, slimline CD boxes with a game disc that has something like 'review code only' written on it.

Agree that they aren't necessary and attempts to charm the press rather than the players with presentation feels a bit off, but hey, that's PR departments. A lot of that paper isn't so much collectibles but background material for a journalist that might not have played the first two games. It's on nice paper but it's far more common to get a PDF file on email or a USB stick, or a few sheets of paper folded up with a disc.
 
O

Ordinaryundone

Member
Because that's what it is; Bribery. Most consumer journalism has little to no "ethical" oversight in regards to bribery and bribery technically isn't illegal if it doesn't involve the government. However, just giving straight up money to review outlets is a bad look if it comes to light and can ruin the reputation of the reviewer. So they give out innocuous "gifts" and complimentary services to compensate. It's a pretty time tested practice in the corporate world; it's why drug companies give out tons of free merch to doctors offices and hospitals (more likely to recommend product). Odds are if you have a job in any sort of managerial or logistics position you've likely been bribed at some point, even if you didn't realize it at the time.
 
C

Chairmanchuck

Member
jschreier said:
I can't remember the last time we got a crazy lavish press kit for a big game. Most companies have stopped doing that over the past few years.
Click to expand...

What I am wondering is whether publishers still send those "how to write a review for our game" stuff if they send press kits?

When I was reviewing games before, like 15 years ago or so, we always got almost already "written reviews" that you could change it a bit and you are done. A lot of sites had those same catchphrases straight from these pre-written "reviews".
 
Z

Zukkoyaki

Member
Depends on what you mean by presskit and the particular presskit. In my experience it's merely an assortment of marketing materials like screenshots and trailers along with a little write-up of basic questions/answers. Sometimes it includes a review disc/code.
 
A

Architechnophile

Member
Weebos said:
I want to see the press kits you have seen OP, because in my understanding most press kits are ZIP files.
Click to expand...

That's all that ever came my way, freelancing reviews for Gamespot a couple years ago. Download key, maybe a "media kit" involving some screenshots and an about page. Once in a while, a guideline that may mention some "known issue" with the review build, etc.
 
M

megarockexe

Member
They must still be presentable, I'd imagine, even if not lavish. I've seen a lot of "For Your Consideration" kits from TV networks. They're usually custom-made for the submission with elaborate kits to hold all the discs.
 
C

Com_Raven

Member
jett said:
So rare two of them are for 2016 games. And that's just me randomly searching for press kits on Youtube.
Click to expand...

Yes- 2 out of hundreds if not thousands of games released in 2016. Which is not very much, is it?

Most press kits are a folder with some information and a disc. Only rarely do companies something really fancy, and then only for big games and usually their tier 1 press contacts.
 
B

benzopil

Member
Occam said:
Good. There really shouldn't be any.
Bribes are never a good thing.
Click to expand...

A bribe would be a Horizon press kit with PS4 Pro and 4K TV.

If publisher adds random stuff like postcards, fancy steelbook and other cheap but beautiful things, it's not a bribe.
 
R

redcrayon

Member
jett said:
So rare two of them are for 2016 games. And that's just me randomly searching for press kits on Youtube.
Click to expand...
Thousands of games were released this year. Funnily enough, people don't make videos about three sheets of folded a4 and a USB stick with a marketing agency logo on it.

All this stuff seems valuable to fans who have an attachment to a game series. If you aren't interested in it, it's mostly just cheaply made clutter, which describes the vast majority of gaming 'collectibles'.

I've thrown away boxes of PR crap I've received over nearly two decades of working in publishing (not games), some of it was probably of interest to various niche audiences but to me it was just rubbish. The most useful things I've gained over the years are an endless supply of cheap pens and memory sticks from marketing agencies, plus a few nice packets of bathroom stuff for the wife in the goody bags provided by sponsors at media awards dos.

Most magazines I've worked on required me to declare any 'gift' given by a PR company worth over about £20, which we then either tried to return, or, if that wasn't feasible, ran a competition or raffled it off for charity.
 
C

Chairmanchuck

Member
benzopil said:
A bribe would be a Horizon press kit with PS4 Pro and 4K TV.

If publisher adds random stuff like postcards, fancy steelbook and other cheap but beautiful things, it's not a bribe.
Click to expand...

The thing is, some of those journalists make quite a nice deal on ebay with those. I remember some sold the "press exclusive" AC edition on ebay.

In the end it still MIGHT influence the reviewer, when he writes the review.
 
F

Fuchsdh

Member
People talk about bribery and all, but the bigger advantage for those sending out press kits is banking on the reporters being lazy. It's always easier to regurgitate press releases and promotional material than it is to do original reporting, so it can only help you to produce the content yourself and have it get chewed up and distributed. For the physical boxes and such, it's another chance for someone to post an unboxing video or other free press.
 
K

Kinyou

Member
benzopil said:
A bribe would be a Horizon press kit with PS4 Pro and 4K TV.

If publisher adds random stuff like postcards, fancy steelbook and other cheap but beautiful things, it's not a bribe.
Click to expand...
They're usually worth something through exclusivity alone. I think people would feel less bothered if it was just the collectors edition
 
J

jschreier

Member
Chairmanchuck said:
What I am wondering is whether publishers still send those "how to write a review for our game" stuff if they send press kits?

When I was reviewing games before, like 15 years ago or so, we always got almost already "written reviews" that you could change it a bit and you are done. A lot of sites had those same catchphrases straight from these pre-written "reviews".
Click to expand...
I've never gotten that, no. What companies like doing is giving you lists of things they don't want you to talk about. Nintendo is especially bad about this - they'll send you a big list of plot points and ask you not to spoil them in your review, apparently not realizing that they just sent you a giant list of spoilers before you started playing the game.
 
B

BTA

Member
jett said:
So rare two of them are for 2016 games. And that's just me randomly searching for press kits on Youtube.
Click to expand...

2 games in all of 2016 having them would be an extremely low amount, so yes, that would be pretty rare.
 
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