So there's been a lot of buzz recently about writing pre-release previews. I know we all "off-topic" them, but is there a legitimate place in the member center that people can post previews, first-impressions, etc for unreleased titles?

There's this spot for voicing your opinion on consoles in general:

http://www.epinions.com/game-topic-Hardware-Consoles-Background_Info-What_Should_You_Know_About-Set_Top_Consoles

For games, there's also this general area available:

http://www.epinions.com/game-topic-Software-All-Buying_Guides-How_To_Choose-Miscellaneous

So those sections seem to be impossible to find unless you have a direct link. Regardless, how do we go about creating a game previews section in the member center? That way when someone writes a preview review, we can put it directly in the comments and avoid any arguments.

It's not like those reviews are completely invisible. The reviews in those section can be externally googled as long as they're rated helpful or very helpful. I have 4 articles in those sections, two of which are in the top 350 in total hits among game reviews. Another one is rather outdated, and the last one doesn't get many hits for some reason.

However, I can understand where you're coming from. I think those areas would be a great way to manage previews of the upcoming console releases if they had more visible links. Still, I'd rather have previewers rely on having a high page ranking on google than to have the console section filled with outdated and sometimes factually wrong previews.

I mean, if the site was able to obtain legitimate preview copies for TRs along with me and 32_footsteps, with the understanding that the preview goes down within a week after the game is released or within a week after they've collected IS on it or something reasonable, then it's more manageable. But the thing is that it's just too tempting for new members to just throw something up there that contains recycled bits of info from big name sites along with the latest rumor mill to add spice. And the fact is since most of the hatted members in the section, especially among the advisors, aren't privvy to advanced copies of popular games or game consoles, there's no way to hold these people accountable when they're just making stuff up. And it's pretty unreasonable to expect the Advisors to go through and vertically rate products just released to verify their factual integrity.

I understand both sides of the issue here. I mean, previews at least legitimate ones, would greatly enhance this category and would provide a lot of traffic for people looking to get a jump on the holiday season or to determine whether to get a product the day it's released or wait until it drops in price. However, I also don't want to lose the external readership we already have because someone threw up a highly rated review that turned out to be completely heresay. And even worse if it continues to be one of the most highly ranked reviews on a product long after the game is released. So until we can figure out a way of making sure the previews are legit, I'd rather just play it safe for now.

Yeah, I think the main issue is that most people can't fact check "previews", so something that is factually incorrect could get high ratings, and generally the first few VH reviews on a product tend to stay at the top.

I've been thinking about writing a console preview with info on all three upcoming consoles, but I'm not sure if I want to do it yet. The focus would be on whether or not the 360 is a good holiday buy. Problem is, I feel like I would be opening the doors for everyone else to go out and cut information from other sites and paste it here. That doesn't help anyone. There's a fine line between a really valuable preview and recycled garbage, and it's really hard to defend that line -- it's like pornography: "I know it when I see it."

The simplest answer is a hard and fast rule: no previews. But I don't know. The "advice" sections don't pay much. When someone uses the site search, it searches by product and not titles so those "advice" sections won't show up. I see that as fairly harmless.

I'm sorry for dredging up this old topic, however I was considering doing a write-up for both the PS3 and Wii. A preview of what's to come to be exact. If I was to do them, they would both be published in the member advice section.

I was just wondering if anyone would recommend against doing it.

Go for it.

I have no problem with that.

Look forward to reading that one.

I may just steal that idea myself, I never got around to doing the 360 holiday comparison.

I would suggest that the key is to provide some kind of buying guide, instead of just listing the latest stats and figures for the upcoming consoles.

Oh if any of you have any problems writing reviews in this area, because it's reported as being "locked", let me know. I have a way to get around that restriction.

Yeah, looks like either one is fine. It depends on the context of what you're trying to cover, I suppose. Either you're telling people how to choose these games or what they should know.