[citation][nom]hellwig[/nom]Ok, so the game isn't going to be released for a couple weeks, but they'll let you pay (a lot) to review it today? If the game were ready to play, it would be released today. Nothing like paying to review a pre-release version of a product.Besides, this seems to go against normal review policy? Don't most companies wait until they get a free copy to review something? I'm pretty sure that's the only reason we haven't seen a Starcraft II review here at Tom's (because I don't think Blizzard can legally keep Tom's from just purchasing a retail copy and playing it).That's why agencies like Consumer Reports are the only ones with any real integrity. They don't accept free products for review, nor would they pay for early access like this. They purchase retail products from retail stores and test those, to make sure what they review is what the public gets.[/citation]
Having such a high price kind of sidelines all the not so serious reviews, leaving it to larger media outlets. It also limits access some. Like Prince_Porter said, they have to come up with a few release candidate versions, and once its good, time is running out, they code freeze it and send to manufacturing.
As for reviews, a company can ask that no one review it before its release with NDAs, or ask only certain aspects released.
Afterwards, it would be silly to restrict. I don't think Toms is not reviewing it because of anything blizzard says, just that toms doesn't have a history of reviewing too many games that I recall. Mostly hardware. (Hence: Toms HARDWARE).
Even if a company asked for no one to review it afterwards, you could violate that all you want, but don't expect to be invited to any "Pre-Release Sneak Peek" events in the future.