History shows, however, that for major releases this is standard practice and does not necessarily indicate low game quality.
A similar approach has already been used for a number of well-known projects. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Red Dead Redemption 2 received reviews just one day before release. And reviews for Elden Ring, one of the highest-rated games of recent years, appeared only two days before launch.
A similar strategy was used for other projects as well — among them Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Expedition 33. This shows that a 24-hour window has become standard marketing practice.
Pearl Abyss's decision to lift the embargo so late is likely connected with a desire to focus the audience's attention directly before launch. This helps avoid early spoilers and maintain the highest possible level of interest.
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