How do the screenshots and videos influence the score or impression from playing the actual game? How does the embargo affect anything about the review content? At worst, the players would just see the same review on the release day.
Even if everybody pre-orders, platforms like Steam do not count the pre-order period towards their two weeks policy, so you still get two weeks or two gameplay hours to decide.
Everything I've listed is a non-exhaustive list of things CD Project did to get raving reviews for Cyberpunk on release. People may have forgotten about it but they did not allow gameplay videos, only allowed screenshots from promotional material and also promised reviewers that all the bugs and performance problems would be fixed by a day one patch.
So yes, they can and do influence reviews, even if not by literally sending money.
How do the screenshots and videos influence the score or impression from playing the actual game? How does the embargo affect anything about the review content? At worst, the players would just see the same review on the release day.
Even if everybody pre-orders, platforms like Steam do not count the pre-order period towards their two weeks policy, so you still get two weeks or two gameplay hours to decide.
Everything I've listed is a non-exhaustive list of things CD Project did to get raving reviews for Cyberpunk on release. People may have forgotten about it but they did not allow gameplay videos, only allowed screenshots from promotional material and also promised reviewers that all the bugs and performance problems would be fixed by a day one patch.
So yes, they can and do influence reviews, even if not by literally sending money.