Forspoken’s Limited Review Code Distribution Might Be Concerning

As Forspoken draws closer to release, many are excited to play the latest release from Square Enix. However, Forspoken has not convinced everyone yet, and many curious consumers are likely looking forward to reviews before making their decisions.

Forspoken’s review embargo is set to lift on January 23, just one day before the game’s release. While this might sound concerning, Square Enix has also withheld review codes from various major reviewers, adding more reason to be concerned about the game.

Have now heard from (or about) 7 major outlets/reviewers who did not get review code for this. As always, no outlet is entitled to code but this ‘limited code’ is a huge red flag. I also haven’t heard of any outlet having access to PC code yet (but can’t confirm this). https://t.co/XXAs3MYgxE

— Skill Up (@SkillUpYT) January 20, 2023

As seen above, major publications like VGC have been entirely left out. Youtube reviewers like Skill Up have also claimed that they have not received a review code for Forspoken.

Furthermore, Skill Up states that Square Enix has skipped at least seven major review outlets. This also includes the likes of Windows Central. While some fans have already been skeptical about the upcoming release, this raises even more alarms for Forspoken.

Recently, Square Enix revealed the official PC System Requirements for the game. The requirements were met with criticism for extremely demanding hardware, despite Forspoken’s lack of ground-breaking visuals.

Furthermore, Forspoken also saw mixed reception after the playable demo. The developers have recently addressed some criticism with updates like button mapping, but many users are likely to wait for more opinions before pulling the trigger on a $70 purchase.

However, this move from Square Enix means that many consumers cannot go to their favorite reviewers for opinions before release. A Youtube channel like Skill Up has nearly a million subscribers with a dedicated audience, but viewers will not be able to consider Skill Up’s opinions if they want to play Forspoken on release.

Previously, games like Doom 2016 have turned out to be excellent releases, despite practices like late review embargos. Forspoken appears to be following a similar pattern before release, but this could also be a sign of concern for Forspoken. 

Despite the situation, Forspoken appears to be selling very well. The game is currently third on the list of Amazon best-sellers for PS5 games. However, a cautious approach seems the best option for consumers looking to make an informed decision. 

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