The request comes suddenly, without too many ceremonies: "Would you be available next week for a presentation of Red Dead Redemption 2?". One of those moments when you would like to have a secretary to say "Janine, cancel all my appointments that day".
- Instead, the first question you ask is "Can I play with it?"
"No, the developer will play it, you just look at it" or what in jargon is called "Lapdance Presentation" (It's not true, there is no jargon, but if there was it would be so).
The days go by and the idea of seeing the most anticipated game of recent years is watered down in your retrocranium like a lion in the shade. Also because until the last second there is always the risk that everything will be canceled because there is a bug to be corrected, for a leak of news or simply because life is horrible. But not a day goes by that you don't at least think about it, at lunch, while writing something else, while you're about to fall asleep.
It may seem stupid to you, but to do this job you need that extra pinch of fanaticism that hides inside the closet like a lover caught on the fact when she asks you "What's wrong with you? You look distracted" and you say "I haven't been paid an invoice" but you mean "Look, I've been thinking about Red Dead Redemption 2 for days and how I'd like to call my horse".
Here come the embargoes to sign. For those who do not know, the embargo is a document that prohibits you from saying anything publicly before a certain date. They are legal contracts that if broken can potentially ruin your career and tend to be scrupulously respected. However, it is clear that commentary in chat or among friends always escapes.
That's why one day before the fateful date they write to me on Facebook "I've tried a game...", with the same air as children who come out of a toy store with the Greyskull Castle box.
"Oh, yeah, I'll try it tomorrow too," you respond with a relaxed air, while inside I think, "How did you feel about that? But you could not just look, but I cry a mess, but that balls, there is always the favorite one, now enough, it is undoubtedly the fault of the youtubers".
Finally the big day comes, the event is held in a luxury hotel in the area of the dock in Milan. You arrive early, very early, just enough time to have a chat and have a coffee while the developers prepare the demo. In your head you pointed the butter knife at the throat of the PR threatening to make you try the game SEDIATELY but in reality you're stalling by drinking orange juice. Your hand shakes slightly when you grab the glass.
"But in short, can I try the game or not?", the hand leaves the glass and approaches the saucer of butter.
"But yes, of course, in the end we decided it was better this way. Satisfied, take a sip. The seeds inside the juice usually suck, this time you don't even notice.