Popular review aggregator Metacritic has implemented a new waiting period for newly released games before fans can submit their reviews and ratings.
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The 36-hour waiting period, which is already in effect, has been implemented to combat review-bombing for newly released games such as Ghost Of Tsushima or Paper Mario: The Origami King. Review-bombing refers to when a large group of gamers leave negative user scores on review aggregators like Metacritic or storefronts like Steam.
Upon visiting the review page for a newly released title, users will now be met with a message that reads: “Please spend some time playing the game,” as well as a specific date and time for the user to return to post their thoughts on the game.
“We recently implemented the 36-hour waiting period for all user reviews in our games section to ensure our gamers have time to play these games before writing their reviews,” a Metacritic spokesperson told Gamespot. “This new waiting period for user reviews has been rolled out across Metacritic’s Games section and was based on data-driven research and with the input of critics and industry experts.”
The most prolific instance of review bombing over the last few months was faced by The Last Of Us Part II. Upon its release, the game was immediately flooded with negative fan reviews due to narrative decisions.
Several cast and crew members also received death threats, prompting Naughty Dog to release a statement: “Although we welcome critical discussion, we condemn any form of harassment or threats directed towards our team and cast. Their safety is our top priority, but we must all work together to root out this type of behaviour and maintain a constructive and compassionate discourse.”