WarZ outrage is one, huge hypocrisy

So, a hot story right now is how WarZ's description lied, how features listed on Steam are not included in the game (yet), how it's basically a paid beta, how Steam is now pulling the game off the store. Etcetera.

I can't help but laugh.

Allow me to start off by saying this: the outrage is justified. WarZ IS a huge joke. The developers totally dropped the ball by misleading their fans, and now they are paying the price.

But I still can't help but laugh.

Remember a big-name open world game from a little while back that promised greatly improved combat and animations? It promised a more polished (less glitchy) product. Remember how a lot of gamers got burned on that game? That game is Skyrim. But when Skyrim came out, upset fans were labelled as "haters" while the big videogame journalists high-fived one another and handed it Game of the Year awards. Yeah, despite the fact that the game was borderline broken on all three platforms, despite the fact that it's STILL borderline broken on the PS3, despite the fact that Bethesda failed to deliver on many of its promised improvements and added features. But of course, we can't talk ill of Skyrim. That would be unjustified. We'd just be "haters", right?

Remember a big-name sci-fi adventure from a little while back that promised to make your choices matter? It promised that each player's outcome would be greatly affected by each player's choices from previous games as well. Remember the "choose your explosion color" ending? That game is Mass Effect 3. But when ME3 came out, upset fans were labelled as "haters" while countless journalists rushed to defend the game's so-called artistic vision and - shock and awe - hand it Game of the Year awards. Yeah, despite the fact that the game was a straight-up shooter with barely any of the RPG elements that fans had been asking Bioware to bring back. Despite the completely lame and short and generic ending that Bioware ended up "fixing" with a Director's Cut after several months of fan outcry. But once again, it would be rather hater-ish to hate on ME3, wouldn't it?

I could go on with countless examples of big-name, big-publisher games getting a free pass for these issues. Halo 4's "free maps" debacle. The numerous botches in Dragon Age II (and it still won GotY from some outlets. Haha!). Skyward Sword's "improved" combat and overworld and everything else ended up being incredibly mediocre. Max Payne 3's unplayable status on PC. The countless online server issues with Diablo III. Resident Evil 6...okay, that game got pretty slammed. And of course, the BIG ONE: ever notice how all year long gamers and game journalists complain about how the series is "just the same thing" and yet when launch time comes around everyone plays it and everyone gives it 9/10 and 10/10 scores? Yeah, way to be consistent, gamers. These are just a few examples. I'm sure you could think of many more.

But WarZ gets slammed for doing the same thing. I can't help but laugh. It's funny because we are so brainwashed by advertising and hype that we rush to the defense of these games, but when a smaller, ambitious, no-name dev screws the pooch, we ALL jump on the bandwagon, shake our fists, and demand it be fixed. I'd certainly be proud of my fellow gamers if we did this for EVERY game, not just the ones that are easy to pick on. But instead, we're too afraid to pick apart the "sacred cow" games. You know, the ones backed by millions of dollars of advertisement and its own Mountain Dew flavor? And let me say it again: I'm not defending WarZ. The game sucks, and it's a crying shame the devs deceived their fans like this. However, I'd like to see just a tiny bit of this same passion (and outrage) toward the AAA, massive-budget games that come out every year.

Our beloved game journalist watchdogs aren't doing us any favors. Y'know, the people who get paid to go to the conventions we could only dream of going to? Y'know, the people who get paid to preview games for us and let us know how development is coming along? Y'know, the people who get paid to review games and warn us of unforseen issues with a game (and also point us in the direction of underhyped gems). These journalists are all so willing and eager to jump on the bandwagon and rag on WarZ, but where are these journalists in regards to...oh, I don't know...Skyrim's current status on the PS3? When did they attempt to call out Microsoft for the "free map" crap they pulled? Were these game journalists playing the same Mass Effect 3 that I did when they claimed it concluded the series in the most brilliant way possible? I wonder, but NOW they sure are rushing to our defense to make sure we don't buy that evil, deceptive game called WarZ, aren't they?

Gamers, we've shown that we can demand improvement when it comes to WarZ. When will we demand the same from Activision, Nintendo, Sony, EA, Ubisoft, Rockstar, etc.?

[GSpartan777]

"It's funny because we are so brainwashed by advertising and hype that we rush to the defense of these games"

If there is anything I hate the most out of this whole WarZ debacle it is this and honestly it's becoming an incredibly annoying here on N4G as well. People rushing out to defend a game they have not even played previous versions, copies, inspirations of, just for the sake of playing online warrior. Or at all for that matter

It's reasons like this why the industry is going down. We let publishers abuse us by releasing games that looked also it had no quality control what so ever and people just consume anything to look nice to developers while those with legitimate complaint automatically get shoved aside as being haters.

Journalist are the worst to be honest. Instead of doing their job, they are doing the developers job by marketing their game for them just at the exchange of a goddamn beta key and fight their battles. Instead of the developers reassuring us that their games will be good by showing us gameplay, giving us details on somethings and answering our question, we get a 2 page article from Random Joe from zBlogger after getting a beta key or being invited to the developers offices, on why fanboys need to stfu and stop being haters, this is the best game ever. Then you get WarZ.

To be honest. I'm glad this debacle happen. Everyone who bought the game with the reason being, "You are just a hater this game is better than DayZ" and defended it religiously absolutely deserves this. And if it means this company shutting down and disappearing, then by all means.

Great blog by the way + Approved.

[SilentNegotiator]

Hypocrisy?
ME3 definitely had MORE controversy than WarZ, so......no.
It's not like EA would ever recall it, unlike Steam and WarZ.

Diablo 3 didn't LIE about how it was going to work, Skyrim got plenty of flack for it's Ps3 version (and despite some quest bugs and flying horses...the PC version at least was playable), and Skyward Sword "being mediocre" isn't anywhere near the same as a game with a giant boring world hyped up with lies.

These "examples" of yours DO NOT compare (other than ME3, though to a lesser extent).

[Godmars290]

This game is getting blasted by gamers and the industry both whereas something like ME3 there was obvious division between reviewers and hardcore fans. Nevermind that the series narrative flaws were present throughout its run.

Hell, you counter-argument fails because you agree that the PC version of Skyrim, working or not, still had bugs in it. Bugs that should have been considered in reviews but weren't. Bugs which some gamers shouldn't have defended from other gamers but did.

You're part of the problem for the simple fact you can't admit there is one.

[SilentNegotiator]

It's a fair enough point that the reviewers failed to report bugs in their reviews, but we can't control the media which suckles at the breast of publisher advertisement and approval (for early copies, interviews, etc) for its existence/pay. Even if they had, look at DNF; it sold a million freaking copies despite reviewing like crap and getting general bad feedback (except the goofs that thought the clearly post-Halo shooter was some sort of throw-back to true old school PC shooters).

GAMERS still gave ME3 and Skyrim the verbal thrashing they deserved. We could never expect those publishers to take the same action as Valve, though - the issues WERE more minor than lying about basic gameplay mechanics, plus those publishers are frankly not on the same level as Valve and had have infinitely more to lose from such an action.

Don't call me part of the problem for being able to distinguish between basic lies in gameplay mechanics and story short-comings/some glitches, bucko.

[SeraphimBlade]

I agree with you and I think it comes down to this. With D3 and Skyward Sword, people made assumptions and had lofty expectations the final product didn't live up to. ME3's problem is similar, but the assumptions are more reasonable, (considering BioWare did a fine job telling the EXACT SAME STORY in Dragon Age: Origins. Think about it) As with buggy games, they get fixed eventually, usually. The merits of them are still apparent even with bugs. (And yes, I DO remember Skyrim getting a good amount of flak from PS3-centric sources) Those kind of failures are forgivable. There should have been more effort, but the effort was at least honest.

WarZ's problem stems of a lack of effort AND dishonesty. It's one thing to say "the ending fine. Trust us," and another thing to say "we have features like X and Y, and maps as big as Z" when none of that is objectively true, including the implication you have multiple maps. THAT'S my problem anyway. Hell, I'm willing to forgive it for pretending DayZ doesn't exist. I'm USED to that BS.

As with bad PR, like banning critical forum members, with companies as big as EA, that can feasibly be chalked up to one or two people, lower down the chain, making rash decisions. With WarZ, the person in charge has made it very clear how little of a crap he gives.

I'm not saying big developers/publishers should not be called out for BS, but this is not even in the same field as stuff people get mad at EA for.

[Nicaragua]

One of the main reasons WarZ is getting so much shit over the games you mention is down to the responses to the critics by the game developers.

All the guys you mention above at least acknowledge that people have a right to be pissed off whereas the WarZ devs have insulted people, censored ALL critiscism on the games forums, and basically tried to cover things to keep on selling their game - its some of the shittiest customer service i have ever seen.

I hope the game dissapears up its own arse but my concern is that it will taint the perception of the game it is trying to immitate.

[caseh]

What Nicaragua said, look over the forums and you've got people who are afraid to post due to mods going crazy and banning everyone with an opinion no matter how constructive it is.

People can bring up ME3 and Skyrim all they like. ME3 wasn't flawed at ALL except for sketchy endings. Skyrim had bugs but it wasn't unplayable, admittedly i've only put about 40 hours into Skyrim on PS3 but have encountered no issues.

Now look at DayZ, half of the content advertised isn't present. It looks like sh*t, players are getting banned with the response of 'its 100% certain you are using 3rd party hacks' and little else. Oh and the genius description of '100 player server' actually being a 50 player server, but the funny part is the main guy said 'people must have misread it..how do you misread 50 as 100?

Check its Metacritic score, as much as ME3 and Skyrim got flak it is nothing in comparison to DayZ. F*ck, it even makes RE6 look awesome.

[Godmars290]

I pretty much gave up on the series as a story after the shuttle scene. The reason we got the original ending in ME3 was because Bioware was given a pass for narrative flubs done throughout the series.

Then there's ME3 side-quest management and how that was(n't) worked into the story as hearsay events. And no one even bothers to mention the utterly pointless thing with the Normandy being chased by Reaper ships which have no real impact on the game. The general arbitrary value and randomness of war assets.

@dedicatedtogamers:
And what about Bioware still giving players the middle finger with the fourth ending in the extended cut?

@Nicaragua:
But Bioware didn't admit to any problems. Not until there was an unprecedented level of complaint as most of the review community continued to support them. Same with Bethesda; once it became clear that their bottom line was on the line, they caved. But only so much as the minimum amount of damage control allowed while the press backed them up.

If Hammerpoint had covered their asses with the media better we'd be having a whole different argument about how once again how the review community sold out.

[cyril sneer]

@caseh you need to replace dayz with warz i think your getting confused

[caseh]

@Cyril

you are indeed correct, I meant WarZ lol.

[dedicatedtogamers]

Hold the phone. Are you telling me that people WEREN'T banned on the Halo forums for complaining about the map pack? Because they were. Are you telling me the Bioware devs WEREN'T giving their fans the middle finger in regards to the ending (which they fixed later anyway)? Because they were. Are you telling me that Bethesda DIDN'T ship Skyrim in an unfinished state?

There isn't a single thing the WarZ devs did that hasn't already been done a dozen times over by bigger developers. The only difference is that WarZ didn't have a massive marketing campaign (with eager game journalists on a leash following behind) to hype up the game. So when SHTF, the game was attacked.

[Nicaragua]

No thats not what im saying, read it again and try to keep up.

All the other developers acknowledge the issue, apologise, work towards a resolution.

Hammerpoint lies about its product, censors the critcs, and then literally insults its customers - that why everyone is pissed off.

[ZombieNinjaPanda]

While it's not excusable for the other companies to do this, you have to look at it this way. Hammerpoint Interactive was some company that was founded the day after DayZ was said to be made as a standalone title. They copied everything off of DayZ, and then claimed to be working on the title years before.

The difference in this situation is that this is some new company that came along and immediately started botching everything up. Lying, banning people, advertising a scam.

Again, it doesn't excuse the other developers. I'm personally happy about this though. I'm hoping this will be a wake up call to the shitty developers out there who think they can constantly pull crap like this on the consumer and get away with it. I hope they realize that this can and will happen to them if they decide to eff over the consumer and I hope that Hammerpoint Interactive and WarZ will stay as a huge example to other developers.

[kane_1371]

HammerPoint Fucking threatened me to black list me, you know what that is?

That is you, being black listed in the list of all their partners that sell content and not being able to purchase shit becuz you are in the "Black list"

have you played the game, have you seen it?
have you seen the "Screen Shots?"
it literally looks like a DAYz while screen shots look like gta fucking 5!!!!

you are pulling crap out of your ass!

Bethesda is known for making buggy games, but instead the gameplay and story is so good that you have nothing left to say.

Bioware had an ending in mind for an epic story, you being the hero that sacrificed him/her self for the sake of people.
correct, it is not like the me1 and 2's diverse endings, but the rest of the things they promised was there, the choices i made in games before were effecting me.

WAR z is a mod of war inc and is a ripp off for the way it works.

I bought a knife to fucking lose it in less than 5 minutes?

wtf is that?

Go play your warz if you like it, why are you here?

[WeskerChildReborned]

People are hating on DayZ since the devs are unloyal and are dicks, they banned people who wanted a refund, they mislead people into buying paid betas, and basically screwing the fanbase.

The devs get what they deserve IMO.

[ZombieNinjaPanda]

The WarZ, not DayZ.

[WeskerChildReborned]

Yes i meant WarZ, just a bit tired, i wrote this at around 10am lol

[Th3 Chr0nic]

skyrim wasnt broken on all platforms, i had it on PC from the start and it was fine. no broken anything, just the usualy hiccups any software has but far from broken

[zgoldenlionz]

Great blog.

[landog]

almost every ps3/360 game lies right on the box when it says 1080p

I think all games should have to, BY LAW, list the NATIVE RESOLUTION they are rendered at, this is totally annoying...and it misleads 100's of 1000's of customers

yes, people like us that come to video game forums, generally understand that is means upscaled to 1080p, but even some here, and the vast majority of the general populace is completely unaware.

[Onehandband1t]

Agreed, I have always been a PC gamer at heart and dabbled with consoles from time to time, I have so many friends that's say "What's the difference from console to PC, they both run at 1080p" -_- Oh dear, please don't make me explain lol