SI: Code of Ethics
The Sakura Index Code of Ethics (SI:CoE) provides a guideline for every writer who contributes to Sakura index to ensure fair, impartial, and honest journalism.
Though we try to be as complete as possible, we may not cover every single instance or situation in our code. If in the case this happens, we will defer to a decision by the editorial team however partial to the interests of the readers and the public.
CONDUCT:
We don’t accept travel or accommodations (including rental cars, flights or hotel rooms) from companies we cover. If we review a game at a publisher-sponsored event, we’ll disclose it in the review. In the event we do accept travel and accommodation from a company we cover, we will disclose this and highlight it in the review.
Our writers will not accept gifts (including food and drinks) in excess of ₱5,000.00 in value. In the event we accepted gifts from a company we cover, we will disclose this and highlight it in the review.
SI staff are permitted to back video game Kickstarter campaigns at the minimum level necessary to acquire the game or hardware. No disclosure is needed.
REVIEW SCORES:
We may score reviews, nor do we discuss review scores or opinions with publishers or developers prior to the review being published. SI awards the Recommended label or a 80%-90% score to games it believes its readers should watch or play.
SI will regularly adjust its assessment of games and hardware over the life of those products. These changes will always be explained and transparent. This is done completely at the discretion of CI writers and editors.
Regardless of source for where the review item has come from, writers, editors, and publishers will do their utmost courtesy in writing the most balanced, fair, and unbiased opinions in their reviews.
CONFLICT:
Unless specifically on a writer’s profile page, SI staffers do not cover companies (1) in which they have a financial investment, (2) that have employed them previously or (3) employ the writer’s spouse, partner or someone else with whom the writer has a close relationship. When a SI contributor has affiliations of prior employment experience that would represent a material conflict of interest with their reporting, that information will be disclosed in context or footnotes of that piece.
SI staff are permitted to contribute to Patreon/Kickstarter/Indiegogo campaigns for members of the video game industry, but need to disclose the details of those contributions on their staff page as well as on any related coverage they publish on the site.
SOURCES:
It is our policy not to pay sources. On rare occasions, we may contract with a source as a co-creator of content. Anonymous sources must prove their identity to Sakura Index to be cited in a story. We protect the identity of our sources.
CORRECTIONS:
SI makes every effort for stories to be completely accurate upon publication. Inaccurate stories will be corrected but not removed.
ADVERTISING:
We will have advertisements on our site, and they are our main source of revenue. Our group has its own advertising team responsible for selling ad space on our site. We do not accept money or other consideration from entities as a condition or incentive to write a review or story, whether favorable or unfavorable, on SI. All reviews and other editorial material on the SI site are based on our editorial discretion, and not based on the desire of any company, advertiser or PR firm. Advertisers don’t ask us to cover their products, and we don’t comment about their ads. Our policies permit placements of advertorial on SI. We will endeavor to clearly mark any advertisement or “infomercial” (videos, Flash animations, etc.) shown on SI as an advertisement.
Our website may also contain affiliate marketing links, which means we may be paid commission on sales of those products or services we write about. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships.
GIVEAWAYS:
From time to time, SI will conduct contests and giveaways for readers on the site. We will post rules for each contest, which will be binding on contestants who decide to participate. Giveaways of products are not, and should never be considered, endorsements of the companies involved or their products.
PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCES:
Our editors and writers are often asked to appear in a professional capacity as experts on various television, news, radio, or other media. These appearances do not constitute endorsement of any products, companies, or services discussed; it is possible that we may accept reimbursement for our travel expenses associated with one of these professional appearances (as long as the media outlet is not affiliated with any game company or other company we cover).
PRODUCT SAMPLES FOR REVIEWS:
Companies may send games or other products or samples to our editors in order for our staff to review such samples and determine whether we will provide a review of the product on SI. We do not accept any samples on any preconditions, such as, that we will agree to provide a review simply because the company sent us a sample. Please note that companies may provide these samples before the product is commercially available, in which case, we may agree to an embargo with the company or its PR firm. This means we agree not to publish the review or associated news until a given time.
Occasionally, we decide to review something which has not been provided to us by a company. In this case, an editor will either purchase the product for themselves (we buy a lot of games), or SG Research will purchase the product for the team.