PSA: Starfield Streams Will Reportedly Go Live Ahead Of Early Access

As you guys are UK based have they given you a review copy? And will your review be out tomorrow??

@ArmoredMore it's a shame PX didn't get it earlier. I get why bgs might have beef with Eurogamer or Metro but this site is generally very Xbox positive and don't do the first to the punch get to the top of the of Google type reviews. (I'm sure SEO is important like any online business though)

I can't wait to play this, but I haven't bothered with early access. How-ever, depending on how I feel after the reviews, I might change my mind 🤷‍♀️

From what I understand Bethesda are handing out reviews to publications deliberately aiming to keep their review score as high as possible for the initial release. Despicable but understandable - although no idea why that would affect PX as you gave Deathloop 10/10, Hi-fi rush 9/10 (recent Bethesda published), Fallout 4 9/10 so not exactly a bad option to send the review codes out to?
Also hear loads of tiny streamers/influencers receiving review codes as they are more easily 'manipulated' and whatever their score it won't affect metacritic but will help hype up the game. It's clever PR really.
Not going to make a difference to me as will be playing this whatever the reviews are like - and secretly hoping its a hilarious bug fest as often enjoy the humorous bugs (not game breaking ones mind) - but I was really looking forward to the review on PX just to help me get hyped up. Everywhere else I will be avoiding as I don't trust them like I trust PX not to ruin the game in their review.

When will Purexbox review drop? I'm already all in but I'm very excited.

The way Xbox games seem to get unfairly bashed (I really do think there is a Playstation bias across the industry) I don’t necessarily blame their thinking. But it’s bold to actually act on it! Not that I have been keeping up with who has review code yet etc. only really interested in Paris Lilly’s review and Pure Xbox.

Also I can’t believe i’m having to pause my Starfield pre-install just to make sure i don’t freeze on work calls in 2023.

@K1LLEGAL I'd be interested in what games got unfairly bashed versus the PS games? I can only think of Redfall being bashed (deservedly so). Comparing the Sea of Stars review between PX (10/10) and PS (8/10) I'd say the Xbox version of the same game is higher praised than the PS version?
And are you meaning unfairly bashed by the one youtube commenter or a specific publication?
I noticed Deathloop (a 1 year PS exclusiveon) on PS got 8/10 while PX gave it 10/10?

In fact I challenge you to give me a recommendation for an Xbox game that was unfairly bashed. Hopefully I won't have played it and I'll promise to give it a bash (ha see what I did there )

@themightyant I don't think your take is quite justified.

BGS gave reviewers 2 WEEKS to play the game to form their review. They are also lifting the embargo 5 days prior to the official release, and even before the early access.

And having an early access to begin with is a ballsy move. People who have spent extra money to play the game early, are more likely to be more disappointed should the game be buggy or unplayable. Those unhappy early access-ers are then more likely to voice their negative opinions resulting in cancelled preorders and lower sales from people waiting until the 6th.

The fact that BGS has given us access to reviews and an early access, is actually a good sign of the stability and confidence that have in the game.

@StonyKL Kind of hard to prove when a game has been knocked down; though as an example there is the Quake II review on Push Square. Though I actually wasn’t talking about Multiplats (if it’s the same game on Xbox and Playstation then it’s the same game - the bias isn’t going to be that blatant!).

More just that if 2 games of the same quality were released, one on Xbox and one on Playstation, the Playstation game would get the higher reviews and praise. Like how Stray (exclusive at the time) was ridden high. Not a bad game of course but bigged up because it was a playstation release. Plus looking at the metacritic scores of Playstation exclusives I just don’t think they deserve them (again not bad games and well produced but… where is the fun?). My opinion of course.

I don’t watch every youtuber or influencer so i’m seeing it from my perspective. I mean I do listen to Kinda Funny and even they would find it hard to deny they skew blue overall.

Anyway the one that comes to mind that is a fair match-up would be Psychonauts 2 vs Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart. In my opinion the former blows the latter out the water but the reviews didn’t show that.

@themightyant But that's the thing. Despite the early access being a marketing strategy, the public release is still Sept 6th.

Still holding the point I made of the people spending extra money to gain access on the 1st are going to be riled if the game is a POS. Meaning less sales on the 6th.

They wouldn't take that risk if they weren't confident.

@themightyant "So review embargo is just 8 hours before it releases to buy? (5pm embargo -> 1am release in the UK) I know Bethesda has history with this, but that's not cool and deserves push back."

The game has been available for buying for a long time now.
If the reviews happened to be negative, Xbox and Steam both have very generous refund policies.
Also disagree on your take of "early access" being the same as when the game is out. I understand some don't like the practice of early access, but that's not the street date. You wont be able to walk into a store and buy a physical copy until the 6th, and you cant pay $70 and expect to pay it today.

Paying for early access might feel frustrating, but honestly, I find it more frustrating that many youtubers, even some with relatively low sub counts, happen to get access to review codes when sites like this one didn't get the codes until rather late.

Streams have ruined gaming as a whole.

Only 15mins to go... who's posting their review first 😬

@themightyant we will have to agree to disagree.

I don't know your history, but this form of early access (get to play the game a week or so before anyone else) has been going on for years now from multiple publishers as a means to incentivize premium digital editions of games. If you always complained about it before, fair. If not, this is an oddly selective time to start.

Honestly, the early access is not even tied to just "pay more". It's tied to buying the season pass. That upgrade will continue to be available post launch with the only benefit being the season pass, and some cosmetic extras. Game Pass has never included DLC, so its not like anyone paying for the upgrade is only getting early access, they are also getting premium content that was never going to be included with game pass anyways.

@ArmoredMore I didn’t say anyone was bashing Starfield.

@K1LLEGAL o think you misread dude. Chill 👍

@ArmoredMore lovely how you have now edited your comment… not my fault you misread.

@themightyant 87/88 is a very good score.

The problem is, so far it’s only out of 50 reviewers. Why? Because ms/BGS hand picked who they wanted to review their game.

It’s technically already below 87 for Xbox on metacritic because the now infamous IGN 7 review isn’t included for some reason. That will bring it to an 85 at least I reckon .

And then when all the reviews from EG and everyone that got left out of the review copies, the meta score will tumble even further.

Ms and BGS basically tried to manufacture a high meta score so that as MANY people as possible would pay for early access.