Pirated Games Get Awful Reviews?

Atari is on a headhunt for pre-release reviews of their upcoming game Alone in the Dark, leaving us in the dark as to why their asking them to be pulled offline. They’re cause for action is based on the fact that these companies must have pirated the game and reviewed it illegally because it’s not out yet.

Consequently these “pirated” games always received less than fabulous reviews, ranging from a 50% or lower (star ratings of 5/10 in some of the better cases). These review sites have been told to rip down their reviews immediatly, stated by Atari themselves, or risk the consequences.

Of course, many of the press sites just hand them the finger as if to dare, while others comply to avoid any additional conflict. Some sites have received copies of the game legally through purchasing from retail outlets breaking street date, is this the fault of the reviewer?

It seems to me a few illegal copies of a game can be overlooked for additional publication about your title… unless, of course, the publications are saying your game sucks. Perhaps the pirated copies just have some bad game design which isn’t found in a legal copy, or, perhaps the game reallys sucks.

Is Atari doing the right thing here? If the copies are indeed illegal then persuing action is in their right but if they’re doing it to remove the scars of a bad review the negative press might hurt more than the negative game review ever could.

(Thanks, ShackNews)