Ubisoft Not Sending Out The Crew For Early Reviews, Open Beta Today

The fact that several video game sites agreed to post-release review embargoes for Assassin’s Creed Unity caused a bit of a stink recently. Ubisoft is sidestepping this issues entirely with The Crew, by not sending out early review copies at all.

Nope, if reviewers want to weigh in on the final version of The Crew, they’ll have to start writing on its Dec. 2 launch day.

Of course, “not screened for critics” is the biggest red flag any piece of media can wave, but Ubisoft explained the policy in blog post. The online component of The Crew is too integral to the experience for it to be reviewed without populated servers, it said.

“The Crew was built from the beginning to be a living playground full of driving fans, so it’s only possible to assess our game in its entirety with other real players in the world. And by other, we mean thousands and thousands and thousands of players – something that can’t be simulated with a handful of devs playing alongside the press,” Ubisoft said in its blog.

Ubisoft also took a pre-emptive shot at those that might publish day one reviews largely based on beta or preview experiences.

“While we fully anticipate that you might see some reviews immediately at launch – largely built around the preview sessions we facilitated during the past months or the limited content of the closed and open betas – they won’t be based on optimal conditions or reflect the finished game,” the blog says.

If you want to get a taste of a limited slice of The Crew’s gameplay before buying, you can try The Crew’s open console beta, which starts today on PS4 and Xbox One. Just check your respective digital storefronts after they update.

The Crew will be out on PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PS4.