Fact check: Games Journalists game review are far less useful to gamers than user reviews. The user reviews will be more accurate, are far less likely to be bought by AAA studios, and don't feel the need to pander to their own tribal group.

1. Summary of the results

The relationship between professional game reviews and user reviews is more complex than the original statement suggests. While there are legitimate concerns about paid reviews potentially compromising integrity ^[1], and ethical issues in developer-reviewer relationships ^[2], the reality is that bias exists in all forms of review systems ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual factors are missing from the original statement:

• Professional game journalists often work under significant time pressure and strict deadlines, which affects their review process differently than user reviewers ^[4]
• There have been documented cases, such as the Cyberpunk 2077 review by Kallie Plagge, where professional reviewers' initial criticisms were initially dismissed by users but later proved accurate ^[4]
• The current state of games journalism is affected by problematic recruitment and content creation models that prioritize quantity over quality ^[5]
• The solution may lie in transparency and disclosure rather than dismissing entire review systems ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement contains several oversimplifications and potential biases:

• It presents a false dichotomy between "corrupt" professional reviews and "pure" user reviews, ignoring that bias is inherent in any review process ^[3]
• It fails to acknowledge that user reviews can also be manipulated or driven by tribal thinking ^[2]
• The statement ignores the structural issues in modern games journalism, such as demanding multiple rapid reviews, which is more complex than simple "pandering" ^[5]

Who benefits:

• Game developers benefit from positive professional reviews due to established marketing relationships ^[2]
• Media companies benefit from rapid content creation, even at the expense of quality ^[5]
• Users benefit from having access to both professional and user reviews, each with their own strengths and limitations, rather than relying exclusively on one source ^[3]