Bethesda has announced their decision to hold off on sending out early review copies of Dishonored 2 and Skyrim: Special Edition to press prior to the game's release.
When a developer announces that they won't be sending out early copies of their game to review, everyone gets a bit nervous. This was the case when Bethesda decided to do the same thing with DOOM and when 2K did it with Mafia 3.
When developers hold off on review copies, the fear is that the game will suck and the developer knows it. When it comes to the two games mentioned above, Mafia 3 ended up with mixed reviews, while DOOM ended up with mostly positive reviews – so the fears aren't always founded.
Bethesda took to their blog to explain the reasoning behind the decision to send Dishonored 2 and Skyrim: Special Edition to review sites a day before release:
"With the upcoming launches of Skyrim Special Edition and Dishonored 2, we will continue our policy of sending media review copies one day before release. While we will continue to work with media, streamers, and YouTubers to support their coverage – both before and after release – we want everyone, including those in the media, to experience our games at the same time.
"We also understand that some of you want to read reviews before you make your decision, and if that’s the case, we encourage you to wait for your favorite reviewers to share their thoughts."
Skyrim Special Edition is set to release Friday, October 28 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC with Dishonored 2 following on November 11 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
