Reason #434 to move to Oz: Aussie game journos offered sex for bonzer reviews

Oh, how I love the Land Down Under! The country itself is populated almost entirely by deadly, poisonous animals and pretty blonde girls, and apparently game journalists are the equivalent of Bono or Herve Villachaize down there. Oz is like some kind of sun-drenched paradise where you're always a moment away from catching a stinger through the heart or a handjob from a hooker with an adorable accent; it's a total crapshoot! 

Richie Young, the former editor of Australian PlayStation 2 Magazine, has gone on record to reveal the darker side of the industry, and the darker side looks utterly f***ing sweet! Here's a quote;

1)Fact: games reviewers have been offered either sex or money to change a review score. To quote the PR person I am referring to: “I will do ANYTHING if you can change the score. Just tell me what it will take…”

2)Fact: be careful when you read an “exclusive” review. You probably already know this, but they are much-more-often-than-not tied to agreements about coverage or minimum scores.

3)Fact: PR companies identify journalists they want to impress… and go about in unashamedly. This includes campaigning them for better coverage by using elaborate gifts like dinners, overseas trips…

4)Fact: small media operators hold and use the power of balance over their editorial staff. When all is said and done, it means that advertising agreements do help sway final game review scores.

5)Fact: most game reviewers get paid little, which increases the likelihood that they will fall into the trap of temptation. This is not their fault, but a reality of the industry. 

Ok, so the solution is ... pay game journos more? There is simply no way to remove the temptation of hot sex from the minds of primarily male writers. With a few exceptions, everyone I've met in this industry is always only a few moments away from cutting off their own arms just to get close enough to smell a girl's hair. Yeah, it's a stereotype, but, in this case, it's a valid stereotype.

Hit the jump for more from Richie.