Metacritic will no longer allow users to publish reviews for new releases immediately after their launch, a move that seemingly aims to protect games on its platform from negative ‘review bombs’ that unjustly tank score averages.

Users hoping to post their thoughts to a game’s Metacritic will now have to wait until the game has been out for a full 36 hours before their review can be published whereas previously reviews could be posted immediately.

This change follows the recent release and subsequent user review bombing of The Last of Us Part 2 but, as Metacritic tells GameSpot, the change isn’t a reaction to any one particular title. 

"We recently implemented the 36 hour waiting period for all user reviews in our games section to ensure our gamers have time to play these games before writing their reviews," a Metacritic representative tells GameSpot. "This new waiting period for user reviews has been rolled out across Metacritic's Games section and was based on data-driven research and with the input of critics and industry experts."