Editor's blog: EG scoring policy
We've given it a haircut.
One of the things we've been thinking about recently at Eurogamer is our often-overlooked scoring policy document.
There's nothing wrong with what we wrote several years ago, but to ensure absolute clarity, I've decided to boil each definition down to one or two words that everybody can understand, and then gone over it with the rest of the Eurogamer gang.
I've posted it on the scoring policy page and included it below.
For those of you who would like to compare and contrast, I've also saved the original for posterity. If you have any more questions about the new version, feel free to pop them in the comments.
Eurogamer Scoring Policy
Eurogamer marks games out of ten. We believe this is specific enough to identify the differences in quality between the majority of games, and that with these guidelines in hand the benefits of the ten-point scale outweigh the potential for inconsistency across a range of writers. Here's what the marks represent:
- 10/10 - Phenomenal
- 9/10 - Excellent
- 8/10 - Very good
- 7/10 - Good
- 6/10 - Above average
- 5/10 - Average
- 4/10 - Below average
- 3/10 - Bad
- 2/10 - Atrocious
- 1/10 - Bloody atrocious
Frequently Asked Questions/Frequently Hurled Insults
Eurogamer selects games for review on the basis of what interests us - whether that's in terms of quality, profile or your anticipation.
No. However, a 10/10 score does mean that we recommend a game to everyone.
Sometimes we discuss scores with reviewers before publication to make sure they're applying the scale properly, or if the text seems to disagree with the score, but nothing is changed without the agreement of the author.
We don't change scores after publication. Well, unless the idiot publishing the feature has put the wrong number on the end. It has been known to happen! If it does, we acknowledge it in the comments.
Yes, although it is unusual. This may happen if we first review a game on import and decide it has changed substantially before its PAL release. We may also revisit a game if there are other unique circumstances.
Sharp eyes on you! I refer you to MMO Editor Oli Welsh's introduction to our first MMO re-review, of World of Warcraft: "Unlike most other games, MMOs change over time. Audiences grow or shrink, features are changed, interfaces are overhauled, game balance is adjusted, new content and play styles are added, communities thrive or die. A review of an MMO can't be set in stone. So, on Eurogamer's new MMO channel, we'll be regularly re-reviewing the games to let you know the current state of play, and to help you decide whether it's time to jump in - or time to leave."
We've never used 0/10, although presumably we could do if a game is literally unplayable. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it (and realise we can't cross it).
You can contact the editor through our exciting contact form! We can't guarantee we will review something, but we consider all submissions.