Why Do Some Game Developers Get Away with Buggy Games?

Bugs in games like Assassin's Creed might be funny, but Rey Rufo says we shouldn't let them off the hook.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

Because gamers let them. A majority forgets how much they've been screwed over when a shiny new trailer rear its head. Another factor is that major reviewers don't reveal these horrible problems before release. Sometimes, I give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that they receive a more polished copy to evaluate than it's retail counterpart but most of the time its good old bribery.

[Tankbusta40]

Exactly, no other industry has so many sympathizers like the gaming industry. If you bought a brand new car and it's wheel fell off while driving nobody would be like "ho hum I know those guy's at Ford have it rough... They will fix it is in due time"

Edit:the guy under me is the reason why games are shipped broken... Games have the ability to evolve?? That just gives devs an excuse to not ship a game in the best shape possible... Obviously it's not an expectation for the game to be shipped in perfect shape but for a large developer and publisher to ship a game in a sub standard shape should be not be tolerated by anyone

[Mikefizzled]

To be fair gaming as an industry has positioned itself in a unique place. With other industries, the product you get on day 1 is the same as the product you'd get on day 100. Games have the ability to evolve.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

You are right that games do have the ability to become better over the time but very rare do patches feel like a step forward. It's like buying a sandwich however the one given has missing ingredients while those that are actually present could barely stand upright.

A true Sinner's Sandwich.....

[DanteVFenris666]

You guys are stupid. All software has bugs. It is impossible to have software without any. Games are getting huger which means more bugs.

Also cars are completely different and also cost 40 k. You telling me you want to spend 40 K on a game to make sure that all the testing has been perfected to a military grade. That's nonsensical its a game, there's going to be bugs. Even airplanes with all of their testing still have bugs!

Also a car is completely different. I humoured you and tried to compare them but they aren't the same.

[Goldby]

Huger. that made me laugh.

@Mikefizzled - yes the gamign industry can update a product on day 100 while others cant, but that shouldnt mean day 100 is wehn the game is finished. it should be finihsed before being shipped to retailers. like they did 15 years ago.

@DanteVFenris666.
Cars too expensive. ok, let go with a 60$ desk chair. why is that one complete on delivery, when a 60$ game isnt.

bugs are one thing. but games like unity were more than just bugs, crashes, or black screens. that a chair with 1 of the 7 wheels, and a broken back support being pushed out as gold standard and ready for the customer.

last gen, sony charged devs for updates, i think certain companies should have that reistated. if they were only allowed say 3 updates. games would be alot more polished before going gold.

thats my 2 cents

[LamerTamer]

These bugs today are not just a few minor glitches or game crashes, they are many times game breaking. Then you have games that are basically unfinished.

I hear people here saying it is fine because you can just patch the bugs.

There are a few big flaws with that.

You have to wait until the fix is out.

Not everyone is like you, many don't have internet or have slow internet. What, people without an internet connection don't deserve to play working games anymore for their $60.00?

A broken game on disc is broken forever. These patches won't be online forever and can't be backed up. When they are gone you are stuck with a buggy incomplete game disc.

Games being "huger" is a copout. Honestly these days if they released the old game of Pac Man it would come with a day one patch. It is because studios are greedy and rush out a game, working or not (mostly not) to please shareholders and look good on quarterly financial statements, gamers be damned.

[kneon]

There is also a lot of bias. You'll see some reviewers complain about issues in one game, but then totally ignore, or at least downplay similar or worse issues in another game because it comes from one of their favorite developers or franchises.

[nowitzki2004]

"because it comes from one of their favorite developers or franchise"

sometimes... and sometimes its because of money, or free stuff.

Like if IGN consistently get free games and stuff from EA, then I think IGN will think about that when they are reviewing the next EA game.

[DanteVFenris666]

Not just reviewers most people in general. They'll complain that this game has bugs. Than wont for others.

Like example last of us has a ton of bugs. Yet it gets a pass with gamers. Which I agree with because I know the realities of big softwares. But other games won't

[kneon]

@DanteVFenris666
On about half a dozen play throughs I only encountered two significant bugs in TLOU. Once a wall went invisible and another time Ellie fell through the floor. Sure there are bugs, but if the TLOU has a ton of bugs then most games have a megaton of bugs.

Fallout 4 has tons of bugs, and it's one of the least buggy games Bethesda has ever released. I normally don't buy Bethesda games at launch specifically for this reason, I only bought FO4 at launch because I got a really good deal.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

@I'm2Edgy666

We all here acknowledge that games have bugs mind you but it's the severity of the bugs that is in question. Skyrim was given 9 and 10s at release for Playstation 3 yet ways borderline unplayable for many of the gamers who bought it at release.

Customers should get their money's worth at release not 6-12 months down the road. And watch the name-calling, your parents raised you better than that. ;)

[Gwiz]

That's one of the fallacious outcomes of pre-ordering games,i can understand pre-ordering in a supportive manner when the IP has an uncertain future.Why?people do it while it's successful remains a mystery to me.It's not a subject discussed by media outlets either,which strikes me as odd.It's not a hard equation to make.

Kickstarter was not a new concept,it was just community driven.

[Gwiz]

I predicted the same thing would happen to Arkham Knight as it did with Arkham Origins. " You can't possibly know that and YOU ARE what's wrong with this industry and._.... "Well it turns out i was wrong, IT WAS WORSE.... yeah hooray for being wrong.

:Edit IMO i think comparing a car or food is not a valid comparison
They have to follow more strict regulations and rightfully so.

[sullynathan]

Gamers and their selective memories.

[SegaGamer]

It bugs me. SEGA got ripped apart for Sonic 2006 and the game rated terribly. Assassin's Creed is a mess and that game still received high ratings.

This is why i don't listen to other gamers and reviews when it comes to picking games, they are so bias.