PR firm The Redner Group has been fired by 2K Games after threatening to blacklist those reviewers deemed too “venomous” in their appraisal of Duke Nukem Forever. It later transpired that the threat was an unplanned and rash statement, not approved by 2K.
Redner later apologized on Twitter and sent out personal emails to companies, Destructoid included.
“Many went too far with their reviews,” wrote Redner on his company’s official Twitter account. “we r reviewing who gets games next time and who doesn’t based on today’s venom. too many went too far with their reviews…we r reviewing who gets games next time and who doesn’t based on today’s venom.
“It’s one thing to not like a game, it’s an entirely different thing to rate it a 2 & b completely mean spirited It’s cool to not like something…no need to be mean about it. But, it shows u…it’s easier to b funny when being mean Fair is great. Even if the score is poor, as long as the review is fair…I’ve got zero complaints. Bad scores are fine. Venom filled reviews…that’s completely different.”
Redner would later apologize, but it was too late to save face. 2K Games officially stated that it did not endorse the threats and confirmed that The Redner Group would no longer represent its products. As far as I know, 2K Games has not threatened us or anyone else over our review.
I think the most offensive thing was the accusation that anybody was trying to be “funny” with their DNF criticism. I can tell you right now that I was deadly serious about that terrible, terrible thing.
