Paid previews vs. reviews

The board game media world draws a firm line between previews and reviews. A preview covers a pre-production game, usually before or during a crowdfunding campaign, and by convention avoids final judgments because components and rules may still change. A review evaluates a finished, published game and renders a verdict. Muddying this line is the fastest way to anger both creators and their audiences.

Many established preview channels charge for previews, and this is normal and openly practiced. The fee, which commonly runs from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars depending on the channel's reach and the format, pays for the considerable work of learning, playing, filming, and editing coverage of an unpublished game on your deadline. Reputable channels disclose that previews are paid and stipulate that the fee buys coverage, not a positive opinion. What you are buying is guaranteed, scheduled exposure to their audience, which is precisely what a launch needs.

Reviews are different. Paying for a positive review, or for a review at all in most creators' codes of ethics, crosses a line, and audiences treat undisclosed paid opinions as scandal when they surface. What you can do is send finished copies to reviewers with no strings attached and accept that some reviews will be mixed. Honest post-release reviews matter more for retail sales and reprints than for the campaign itself.

Budget for a mix. A typical campaign might pay for two or three previews from channels that match the game's audience, send free preview copies to another handful of smaller creators who cover games at no charge, and reserve some finished copies for post-delivery reviews. Always confirm disclosure practices before paying anyone, because their compliance reflects on your campaign.