When gamers are vetting their options for new games, the guiding factor common in the decision making process is how much value a game offers. In seeking an answer to the question of whether or not a game offers a great value, reviews are often a useful metric. User reviews in particular have increased in popularity over the years, so much so that no popular online platform is without a section devoted to consumer feedback for products and services. Consequently, this means that word of mouth diffuses expeditiously and can adversely affect public reception of a product very early on. Content producers are very aware of this fact and many have been caught engaging in all manner of unethical behavior, from deleting negative comments about their products, to banning users from games and services.
