170°

Vote With Your Wallet: Anti-Consumer Practices in Gaming

Player 2 takes a look at some of the worst offenders for anti-consumer behaviour in gaming and discusses what players can do to make it loud and clear it isn't acceptable.

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player2.net.au
Tetsujin2477d ago

Complaining on Twitter will only get us so far, a vote with your wallet will make the only type of noise a businessman will listen too (from the article).

Complaining on Social Media is the first step, followed by voting with your wallet. I do get what the author is saying, and even I started to wait out certain games due to improper practices:

-Any game with DLC/Expansion pass prior to release is a no sale
-Loot boxes through real money is a no
-Pay to win means they don't want my money
-Waiting on gaming sales means you're smart enough to go through your back log, as well as waiting patiently to play "the new thing"
-As of late I'm starting to bypass Early Access as well since some games never leave Early Access

nowitzki20042477d ago

Using our brains should be the first step. If not that voting with our wallets should be the first step.

I have yet to buy 1 Loot box or anything. RL was my ONLY exception. I made money on PUBG selling crates tho.

PapaBop2477d ago (Edited 2477d ago )

The problem is though that the "vote with your wallet" crowd only make up a small percentage of the sales. The majority of the sales come from people who don't follow gaming news closely so the complaining on twitter, social media blow ups and ultimately media attention is what raises awareness to the problems and helps them vote with their wallets even if they don't refer to it as doing that. Social media has become so integral to our way of life now that the quickest way to really influence game sales is to focus more on that than simply yelling "vote with your wallets"

Footyspacecadet2477d ago

I think you misread the article, the author states that social media will only get so far, ultimately business heads don't care at all what people are saying as long as the dollars are rolling in.

PapaBop2477d ago (Edited 2477d ago )

Obviously voting with your wallets is the only solution but my point is you can't downplay the significance of social media because it ultimately starts there which informs the masses about the controversy in the first place.Look at Battlefront 2, it all started with the reddit stuff, then the national media started running the stories which in turn meant a lot more people were informed of the controversy.

spicelicka2477d ago

Agree with this. They are both important, public outrage can often sway opinion and eventually influence people to vote with their wallets. Secondly, voting with your wallet doesn't necessarily mean skipping on an gaming experience, there are various alternatives to still play the game without spending full $60 on it.

blawren42477d ago

good direction, but I don't agree totally with your first point. I believe that DLC is what is keeping games at $60 instead of $80 as the standard. The devs original vision can exceed a budget pretty quickly, and something has to be cut to make budget or a deadline. Most publishers/devs make a logical break in the action to have a complete arc before the DLC kicks in. Maybe not the best example, but take the movie series, "The Hobbit". If this were one 6ish hour move, is it fair that it could be viewed for one ticket price? Would people have paid double the price for the full movie with an intermission? The budget and the vision were too big for one film. I see the same with gaming for these big budget titles.

chris2352477d ago (Edited 2477d ago )

there is only one thing that will get them the point delivered: don‘t buy, tell your moms to not buy it as a present and don‘t, i mean, seriously, don‘t buy it months later when there is a sale. they don‘t care where the money comes from
and when, as long as it comes.

i wish people were able to think 2 minutes further, the world would be much different.

aaronaton2477d ago ShowReplies(4)
DevilishSix2477d ago (Edited 2477d ago )

Destiny 2 is by far the worst at the moment. From September 2017 to this upcoming September, they have charged for a full game, a season pass, an expansion, and an annual pass. That is $170 in 12 months Bungie has swindled out of its hardcore fans pockets. On top of that is the Eververse silver currency (purchased with real currency) and loot crate system, plus a $10 Iron banner emote sold separately (lol). The thievery never stops in that game.

Hardiman2477d ago

I've been doing it! It's not hard because there are loads of quality devs who release quality games so I'm not missing a thing!

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260°

Middle-Earth's Nemesis System Was Created Because Gamers Kept Reselling Batman Arkham Asylum CDs

Ex-Warner Bros. executive reveals that the Nemesis system was designed to create a compelling game that would stick with gamers.

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tech4gamers.com
mkis00741d ago

Harry potter could be a great game to use it. The students and the enemies could each have their own seperate tree.

Michiel198941d ago

then kill em and they come back? seems fitting for the universe

mkis00741d ago

I mean you didn't actually kill the orcs that came back in shadow...orcs don't have that power in the LOTR universe. Meanwhile you do kill enemies (human and beast) in hogwarts legacy.

No, you would defeat them and they would come back.

jznrpg41d ago

It was a good idea but with of without it you need to make a good game first

RaidenBlack41d ago

Yep,
Instead of WW, WB could've assigned Monolith for a current gen FEAR game that could've used the Nemesis system as its base. But alas. The WB IP is what supposedly killed them.
Hope Rocksteady gets to use Nemesis in their next Batman 1P game.

Angyobangyo41d ago

Warner bros is so full of it. Usually corporations cry about piracy but this was simply due to the second hand market and they don’t t like that.

Chocoburger41d ago

It was a neat idea, but the game is packed with a lot of repetitive filler grindy stuff, clearly designed to make the game last longer. The sequel went overboard, with the filler as well, in order to nudge players towards micro-trash-actions, which were eventually dropped.

NoDamage41d ago

Thats why I couldn't get into the sequel even though I really liked the first one and so wanted to like the 2nd. Unfortunately twas not meant to be.

joab77741d ago

Need a podcast with nothing but stories like this

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170°

Stop Forcing Multiplayer Into Single Player Games

TIM WHITE WRITES: "Multiplayer or single player? Developers, you can do both, just not willy-nilly."

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growngaming.com
Flawlessmic758d ago

I am in absolute agreement with the OP 👌

shinoff2183758d ago

I hate when I see single player games and see people begging for multi-player. Jeez guys it don't need to be on every game. Latest one I seen was atomic heart.

-Foxtrot758d ago

Multiplayer or even co-op

If it was always a single player game then that's how it is

Inverno757d ago

It's a trend that never really went away. For me multiplayer in a primarily SP focused game was an excuse for DLC. Then there's the mentality gamers had that adding multiplayer makes a game worth the price, otherwise it should be half price for half a game. A way of thinking devs reassured when they started adding multiplayer to their sequels. We see the same with multiplayer focused games getting SP in their sequels.

Flawlessmic757d ago

Tbh multilayer now is a way to add live service and mtx elements, very rarely does it come of well.

What single players game used to be in a lot of cases now require 3 other people for keeping to really enjoy it and I hate having to rely on others to get the maximum from a game.

Sp should be sp, if devs want to add a separate multi mode then that's fine with me, the legends addition to ghost of tshushima was fricking sick but totally separate to the main game. Sick of co op too.

Hofstaderman757d ago

I remember when certain single player games had them as included optional modes that was played on the couch. Had brilliant times with Syphon Filter and Golden Eye. Me and my bro used to used to fight over who would play as Gabe even though it was technically just a skin. Good times.

Dagexon757d ago

I didn't notice your comment before I added mine.
But good times indeed

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250°
Nacho_Z961d ago

What would you say they're missing in particular? I'd say all the ingredients are there, NPCs, sidequests, consequences of actions, level grinding. Fully customisable gear with a lot of depth.

LordoftheCritics961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

Quite a lot is missing. What you listed could be mistaken for an action adventure or any game with few rpg elements.

There's so many aspects, from non combat solutions to conflicts, fully fleshed out character, world role playing rules and elements(justice/crime/law systems etc), companions, story arcs (more than 1), illusion of a liveable/traceable world which means factions, capital, outcomes from choices (diplomacy, or other) etc etc

The story and world is fleshed out and not left to the imagination too much. Of course we still imagine certain things but they are well established and take full part in the story arcs. Which means not just world setting with bosses and lore through tidbits.

There's so so much more to it. I'm just being super brief.
Not many actual RPG's lately.

Dragon Age, Witcher etc are proper rpg games and many many older title.

That does not mean Soul's games are not rpg like, but they are closer to RPG Lite.

MadLad961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

RPGs without player agency, outside of just character build and combat, don't really feel like RPGs for me.
They're just action games.

It's why I don't consider most JRPGs actual RPGs.
I'm just building a character and throwing it into your linear world.

I'm not discounting those games for what they are. I just don't feel they actually fit being called RPGs when player agency over the world is at a minimum.

960d ago
Nacho_Z961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

I'm not sure how much of that is important to a game being a true RPG and how much is just what you personally like, I still think From games very much qualify even if they don't deal in certain clichés.

"Lore through tidbits" is technically accurate but it does the games a disservice. Yes it's delivered uniquely but the lore in their games goes deeper than anything else and shouldn't be underestimated.

LordoftheCritics961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

''Lore through tidbits'' cannot guide you through an orchestrated range of emotions.

RPG will get close to role playing that fictional reality and drop into the world's story and you are usually emotionally affected at every turn, choice, outcome. Your connection with the story, its characters and your mentally constructed version of that reality is a lot deeper and stronger as well due to the depth and breadth of the rpg creations.

Not just fear and awe.

Also its not just what I personally like, I like all kinds of games.
It's the heritage of RPG games and all the foundations of rules and systems whose goal is to create an invisible veil between reality and illusion and allow you to partake in all of that illusions systems.
The thinner the veil, the easier to role play.

CaptainHenry916961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

It's my type of RPG and fun as well. Some RPGs takes the fun factor out of it but I won't name those game's because a lot of fans will think I'm trolling. Witcher 3, Souls games, Final Fantasy, Knights of The old Republic, Mass Effect, Horizon Forbidden West, Persona 5, Tales games, and Oblivion (the best Bethesda game) is my favorite RPG games. I prefer third person RPG games though

MadLad961d ago

I love all of those listed, honestly. But I still think Bethesda peaked with Morrowind and Fallout 3.

I'm hoping Starfield really delivers for me.

CaptainHenry916960d ago

I'm hoping the new Mass Effect delivers and brings back the magic

Nacho_Z961d ago

''Lore through tidbits'' cannot guide you through an orchestrated range of emotions.'

An orchestrated range of emotions sounds like something like Uncharted, which is definitely not an RPG.

The point I'm making is that there is a series of core technical things which makes a game an RPG on a basic level and From games meet all of them. Anything else that people feel is missing is a matter of taste and personal experience.

There's no right answer to what is an RPG. A game can be a legit RPG and have a very different focus to another game in the same genre.

LordoftheCritics961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

''An orchestrated range of emotions sounds like something like Uncharted, which is definitely not an RPG.''

Its not exclusive. Might want to read the rest.
It is not about taste and personal pref,experience etc. The rpg term being coined and used for a long time has a basis. Learn it. Many can fit the rpg spectrum, but there is a spectrum and souls is on the lighter side.

Souls is an rpg but rpg lite, coors light lite.

Nacho_Z961d ago

Here's a definition of an RPG I found which seems fair enough.

"Defining RPGs is very challenging due to the range of hybrid genres that have RPG elements.

Traditional role-playing video games shared five basic elements:

The ability to improve your character over the course of the game by increasing his statistics or levels.

A menu-based combat system with several choices of skills, spells, and active powers as well as an active inventory system with wearable equipment such as armors and weapons.

A central quest that runs throughout the game as a storyline and additional (and usually optional) side quests.

The ability to interact with elements of the environment or storyline through additional abilities (e.g. lockpicking, disarming traps, communication skills, etc.)

The existence of certain character classes that define the characteristics, skills, abilities, and spells of a character (e.g. wizard, thief, warrior, etc.)"

That's a From game whether you like it or not. Not so much the ability to interact with the environment but the depth of lore and world building more than makes up for that.

I think you've got a rigid image of what an RPG is in your head and you can't see past it.

LordoftheCritics961d ago

Yup Soul's games are Coors ultra lite in those asepcts.

While the RPG RPG games are heavily fleshed out on most aspects and beyond on some.

Nacho_Z961d ago

Double RPG hey, you're inventing a new genre. There's nothing light about From's games in fact the opposite is true they're thematically rich and dark and dripping in more interesting lore than any series of games I've played.

If you think From games only touch lightly on the five classic RPG features that I posted then you don't know what you're talking about. There's nothing light and fluffy about their upgrade systems or their storytelling.

Maybe they're not to your taste because you prefer things to be spelled out but their subtlety doesn't make them any less of an RPG.

LordoftheCritics961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

Yup that's what Soul's games are.

RPG Subtle. New genre.

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Nacho_Z960d ago

@LordoftheCritics

Grow up, nobody destroyed anybody and if they did it certainly wasn't you. No, I don't have an alt account never have for any forum I've been in. Thanks for the discussion.

Class_Viceroy960d ago

Funny thing is, I actually don’t enjoy Souls combat at all. The world and exploration is all I really like. It’s not even that it’s too hard, I don’t mind grinding and learning, just like I would do for a JRPG or many other games. Just don’t feel like it’s that fun after 5-10 hours of fighting.

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MadLad961d ago

The lack of Kingdom Come Deliverance is upsetting.

Class_Viceroy960d ago

This is a good choice, although I would argue playing this game on a console or controller completely eliminates it from the discussion.

MadLad960d ago (Edited 960d ago )

Eh.

I have it on both the PC and Xbox. It's better on keyboard/mouse, but I don't think it's bad on a controller.

DVAcme961d ago

Not a bad list at all. The only one I haven't played there is Mortal Shell, but all the other games are great choices, with Shadow Of War and MOTHERFUCKING KING SHIT SUPREME DRAGON'S DOGMA as my personal favorites there.

Ninver960d ago

Off topic: I'm thinking of getting the witcher 3. Do I need to play 1 & 2?

MadLad960d ago

No. They're good at letting you in on the story. If you have it on GoG/Steam some minor stuff carries over, but you don't really need to play the older games to fully enjoy the third.

I do recommend playing the second game in general though. It's really good. I love the original, but it's really antiquated by today's standards. I think you could only fully enjoy it if you played it back when it released. Also has some pacing issues.

Ninver960d ago

Unfortunately I've only got a ps4 and I dont recall TW2 being available on the platform. I guess I could watch story recaps of both 1 & 2 on youtube or entire walkthrough if need be. Thanks for clarifying. You're alright 😁

MadLad960d ago (Edited 960d ago )

I would love to see exactly why I'm getting the downvotes.

I don't actually care about them, I just think it's obnoxious being I didn't say anything I don't find true.

That's why the voting system shouldn't even be. You get a lot more information from actually verbally stating your point, thus actually adding to the conversation, than just hitting a nothing button.

Class_Viceroy960d ago

At this point, don’t bother. Watch a couple YouTube videos to get caught up.

Ninver960d ago

I will do that, thanks

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