There's no question that game reviewers can be cruel, but it tends to be limited to games that aren't produced by major publishers, because they can strike back

There's no question that game reviewers can be cruel, but it tends to be limited to games that aren't produced by major publishers, because they can strike back by withholding review copies. Blackballing isn't about cost; (which is trivial) it's about early access to the game so that the review comes out immediately after the press embargo lifts. Gamers want to read reviews before the game hits shelves in the same way moviegoers want to see the reviews before heading out on Friday night. In exchange, game publishers get free publicity. It should be a symbiotic relationship, but the publisher has more power than the reviewers, and in my experience the bias is almost always toward over-kind reviews.