Statement of Autonomy

Pha Dao functions with a small, collaborative team without specific editorial or sales departments. This arrangement still guarantees unbiased decision-making for all content types, such as reviews, news, features, and more across all platforms. They ensure independence from external influences or financial factors. Any externally sponsored content is clearly indicated, irrespective of its platform.

NDAs and Embargoes

Pha Dao is committed to delivering content that is current, thorough, and trustworthy. Often, this means entering into non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and embargoes with the creators of games, movies, technologies, and other entertainment that we cover, before they're publicly released. This widespread practice enables us to prepare superior content ahead of a product's announcement or launch. We resist any embargo timings that do not benefit our audience and team, and we never compromise our opinions or content tone as a bargaining tool. We wouldn't modify our viewpoint on a product merely to negotiate an earlier embargo or exclusive access.

Reviews

Pha Dao's team offers diverse, personal perspectives on covered subjects, and we publish scored reviews in both text and video formats. Our editorial team fully manages the specifics of review production such as assignment, timing, and the breadth of production and promotion. The scores and overall editorial opinion are decided by the reviewer and a Reviews Editor or overseeing editor. Advertising, exclusive access, or maintaining good relations with the publishers we cover do not factor into our considerations. Information about sponsorships isn't shared with the review team. When external reviewers are used, we ensure that they haven't contributed to any sponsored content related to the product in question.

Reviewers

Reviewers are selected based on various factors such as their interest in the particular movie, show, comic, game, or franchise, as well as their understanding of similar genre works. If a potential reviewer has significant personal or professional ties to a product's studio, developer, or publisher, they are excluded from the review. Pha Dao's editorial team alone decides on the reviewer, without any external influence or approval. Reviewers receive a salary or a set payment for their work. They do not get bonuses based on review traffic, thus eliminating any motivation to manipulate reviews or scores to provoke controversy or dissent intentionally.

Review Scores

Review scores at Pha Dao are strictly based on our assessment of the product's quality and are in no way influenced by external factors. Scores aren't for sale, exchange, barter, or manipulation in any way. Whenever Pha Dao has exclusively published reviews before other outlets, these reviews have always been conducted without any conditions. We never commit to a minimum score, nor do we tie the timing of our review to a score threshold. Publishers, studios, and developers are not privy to our review scores or the text of the review before it's posted, although we may provide a courtesy heads-up shortly before posting if our opinion is particularly positive or negative. This policy protects us from potential attempts by publishers to pressure us into changing a score before its release.