Ethics & Transparency
You deserve to know exactly how we operate. No hidden agendas. No corporate pressure. Just honest people trying to help you make informed decisions about games.
Editorial Independence
Our reviews are never influenced by advertisers, publishers, or platform holders. Period.
Full Transparency
Every review discloses how we obtained the game, potential conflicts, and our methodology.
Reader First
We exist to serve you, not publishers. Your trust is more valuable than any business relationship.
How We Obtain Games
We believe in transparency about how we get the games we review:
- Purchased: Whenever possible, we buy games ourselves. This is clearly marked in reviews.
- Review Codes: When we accept publisher codes, we disclose this prominently. Accepting a code NEVER guarantees a positive review.
- Subscription Services: Games accessed via Game Pass, PS Plus, etc. are noted as such.
Our Policy: If a publisher threatens to withhold future review copies based on our scores, we will publicly disclose this and continue covering their games through purchased copies.
What We Will NEVER Do
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
We proactively disclose any situation that could affect our objectivity:
- •Personal relationships with developers or publishers
- •Previous employment in the gaming industry
- •Financial investments in gaming companies
- •Kickstarter/crowdfunding backing
- •Gifts or promotional items received (we don't keep these)
If a potential conflict exists, we either assign a different reviewer or prominently disclose the relationship at the top of the review.
How We Review Games
Minimum Playtime Standards
We complete main campaigns before reviewing. For open-world and live-service games, we specify exactly how many hours we played and what content we experienced. We never review games based on trailers, previews, or early impressions alone.
Post-Launch Updates
If a game significantly changes after launch (major patches, added content), we may update our review with a clearly dated addendum. Original scores and text are preserved for historical accuracy.
Technical Testing
We test games on standard consumer hardware, not high-end review units. We disclose our testing setup and note any performance issues encountered.
No Review-in-Progress for Scores
We don't assign scores to games we haven't finished. If we publish early impressions, they're clearly labeled as such without a numerical score.
Advertising & Editorial Separation
Our business and editorial teams operate independently:
- ✓Advertisers have zero input on review scores or content
- ✓We label all sponsored content clearly and obviously
- ✓Affiliate links are disclosed and don't affect recommendations
- ✓We will reject advertising that conflicts with our values
If we ever run ads for a game we've reviewed, the review remains unchanged. Business relationships never influence editorial judgment.
Corrections & Accountability
We're human. We make mistakes. Here's how we handle them:
- •Factual Errors: Corrected immediately with a visible correction notice
- •Opinion Changes: We don't change scores retroactively based on popular opinion
- •Disputed Claims: We investigate reader concerns and respond publicly when warranted
Our full correction history is available upon request. We believe accountability builds trust.
Your Rights as a Reader
You have the right to:
Questions About Our Ethics?
We welcome scrutiny. If you ever have concerns about our practices, conflicts of interest, or anything else, please reach out. Transparency only works if you hold us accountable.
Contact Our Ethics Team