As the launch of Crimson Desert approaches, the timing of its review embargo has sparked a wave of apprehension within the gaming community. Critics are permitted to share their evaluations just 24 hours before the game debuts—a move that many players perceive as a red flag, as delayed reviews are often associated with attempts to obscure technical or gameplay flaws.
However, historical trends suggest that such a narrow window is a routine procedure for major blockbusters and does not necessarily serve as an indictment of a game’s quality.
This strategy has been employed by several of the industry’s most successful titles. For instance, both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Red Dead Redemption 2 saw their review embargoes lift a mere day before they hit the shelves. Even Elden Ring, one of the most critically acclaimed releases in recent memory, had its reviews go live only 48 hours before launch.
Similar approaches have been adopted by other notable projects, such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This indicates that the 24-hour lead time has become a standard marketing tactic used to manage the release cycle.
Pearl Abyss’s decision to hold back reviews until the final moments is likely a calculated effort to concentrate public attention precisely at the time of launch. This approach helps mitigate the risk of early spoilers while ensuring that the hype reaches its peak exactly when the game becomes available to the public.
Source: iXBT.games