Gearbox and Marketing Honesty - Do You Believe In Life After Lies?

Mike writes, "This isn't the first time video game publishers and developers have been under fire for delivering a product that is not what was described at trade shows and promotional events. Let's look at a few examples of this from the past and make some purely non-legally binding speculation about what this might mean."

[sway_z]

Yeah, Aliens did suck, but people should have waited for reviews. Agreed a 'Monumental FKUP', but it should not damn this company to hell...if so, Capcom/EA/Activision and Deep Silver should have been buried already...

[jagstatboy]

Agreed. Remember, these are the devs that gave us 2 Borderlands games.

[Jek_Porkins]

And Duke Nuken Forever, so it's tough knowing which developer you'll end up with.

[PopRocks359]

@Jek_Porkins

Keep in mind, Gearbox did not develop DNF. It was mostly developed by 3D Realms. All Gearbox did was buy the IP, finish the code and release the game. That was it. They didn't come up with the design, art style or anything. I think the only thing that actually was their doing outside of finishing the game was promotional material.

[oof46]

@Jek_Porkins: Pitchford stated that he wanted to keep the game as faithful as he could to it's original vision to honor his friends at 3D Realms. Now that Gearbox owns the license, any reboot/sequel that sucks is on them.

But, they are an uneven game developer. They don't seem to have a middle ground. Either the game is great or crap.

[Soldierone]

So what if they "didn't do Duke Nukem." They are still the ones that released it for 60 dollars to cash in on it....

The least they could have done is update the jokes and change the gameplay a bit. Couldn't help but notice, they cashed in and haven't returned..... Then Aliens had the same issues.

If it wasn't their fault, why not return to it and make a better game then?

[zerocrossing]

I'm not a fan of Borderlands, but even if I was I wouldn't see having actually made two good games as justification for lying to their consumer base and scamming everyone out of their cash.

[MikeEaton]

I agree with Soldierone. They are definitely much more responsible for the Aliens mess, but when you choose to put your name on a game you are taking responsibility for it whether you like it or not. If they'd sold it as a $20 title, it would have still been a crappy game but at least their would have been some kind of tacit acknowlegement that it's a subpar game and more of a curiosity.

[Soldierone]

The thing you can do is not forget. You don't go "oh well, they messed up, move on." No, you make them realize "Hey you made me waste my money on this absolutely terrible game you said was good!"

If you let it blow over, then they do it again.... and again.... and become EA or Activision. "We made a crappy game? Oh well, look at our next great thing!"

[VTKC]

whats the point in a demonstration when it doesn't actually reflect the final product accurately? we are not looking at concept cars.
Just because they made successful game borderlands. it doesn't mean the public will take anything old piece a shit game they churn out. Capcom is another one who does this by abusing the DLC.

[WUTCHUGUNNADO]

Well... I tell all the ladies I'm 12" down there but when I whip out my 3 1/2" of lovin they tend to get disappointed. Same situation really...