Quoted from SLCpunk2113:They are using influencers. Cary Hardy just isn’t one of them. Deadflip, SDTM, Bowen, all these guys get the treatment y’all are talking about because they aren’t toxic.
Lol. You don't get to decide who is or isn't an influencer and neither does Stern. Cary is a content creator and influencer in the small media group covering pinball. You can dislike it, but you don't get to choose how media and culture evolves.
The interweb and YouTube have changed the way companies need to interact with media. Stern should reach out to Cary. "Hey, saw your video about stranger things. We have new code coming that we think you'll be excited about. We hope you'll give the game another chance. Also, would you be interested in joining our Stern media Insider group? We'll be sending out early info for content creators like yourself."
This EARNS positivity, even in the form of slightly softer critical reviews. Pretty simple... Cary would likely say something like, "as much as I love Stern, I'm not so sure about the bang for buck on this topper."
Leaks are never going to stop with their current model, and aiming for absolute secrecy in this age is just stupid. Leaks are working at least as well as their "kids drink beer and play a new game" releases. Compare this to the music industry, where it is a real problem.