TopWare Interactive, publisher of Two Worlds II, is in a heap of controversy surrounding the game’s reception. According to various sources the company is threatening to blacklist UK outlets for unsatisfactory reviews.
One source states that TopWare threatened to remove a publication from their press list if their review score for Two Worlds II was not raised to a 7/10. That means the publication would no longer receive review copies of the company’s future titles.
TopWare eventually responded to this particular incident, stating:
"After reading your article I can say that we did not ask for a review score to be increased. The site you mention said that they consider a 5 average out of 10 and we feel that this is far from what the rest of the world would consider average. The rest of the world on a grading system would consider a 5 a failure and that is our only concern. That the site’s review of the game is their opinion, but that their scoring system is, in our opinion, flawed."
Amidst the ongoing controversy it looks like a new Two Worlds game has been confirmed. In the comments section of Destructoid’s blacklisting news story, TopWare marketing director James Seaman (under the username Jimmyz66) made the reveal.
While defending his company he said, "We are trying to do a better job every time and have brought in a brand new 3D modeling, animation and CG team for the next Two Worlds game coming out in 2012."
Considering the accusations of blacklisting, that’s an interesting time to reveal a new Two Worlds game. Hopefully it won’t find itself in the middle of a similar situation in 2012.
[Beefjack]
