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Boycotts fail because no one can get enough people to do them all the same way. It is much easier to have five million people throw tantrums than to have five million people actively impact a company's bottom line.
L4D2 boycott was a pretty huge success, considering Valve flew the leaders to their HQ to hear their concerns and address them. I know most people didn't notice over the media outlets shaming them, but it actually was quite an amazing thing.
The survival-horror genre in the AAA market is destroyed because we didn't boycott their poopy sequels. We whined and bitch, whined and bitched, whined and bitched about Resident Evil 5 and and Silent Hill sequels but we're still being fed, and buying, the same poop.
Sterling wants a Kojima Silent Hill likely because he thinks the core franchise has turned to poop. Most people think the core has turned to poop.
And we still have to play Resident Evil with a poopy partner which kills suspense. The cheesy RE mythos was killed in installment 5 as well. Doh.
Save Survival Horror = Boycott. RE5 was the best selling RE game, so we are getting more of the same fuckers! I bought it too btw.
Sterling wants a Kojima Silent Hill likely because he thinks the core franchise has turned to poop. Most people think the core has turned to poop.
And we still have to play Resident Evil with a poopy partner which kills suspense. The cheesy RE mythos was killed in installment 5 as well. Doh.
Save Survival Horror = Boycott. RE5 was the best selling RE game, so we are getting more of the same fuckers! I bought it too btw.
You've got a point. Gaming boycotts have to my knowledge ever really worked. However major controversy's and endless "fix uR end1ng BIOWARE!" spam on every single thread, post, and picture seems to work.
Great show.
Great show.
Some people will cry and say "nu-uh" but you're pretty much right Jim.
Companies like Activision and EA don't give two fucks about 50.000 units less when they sell millions to the "mainstream jock crowd" anyway.
SAYING something is more useful than just staying mute with arms crossed. Those fuckers invest so much in marketing, bad marketing like this get their jimmies rustled. Great episode.
@Excel Wake up, you can't organize a boycott that big, those kind of numbers are mostly the "CoD" crowd anyway. They don't care about this kind of shit.
Companies like Activision and EA don't give two fucks about 50.000 units less when they sell millions to the "mainstream jock crowd" anyway.
SAYING something is more useful than just staying mute with arms crossed. Those fuckers invest so much in marketing, bad marketing like this get their jimmies rustled. Great episode.
@Excel Wake up, you can't organize a boycott that big, those kind of numbers are mostly the "CoD" crowd anyway. They don't care about this kind of shit.
@Attackbaby:
That sounds pretty illogical. I thought boycott simply means not buying something, it's not some great effort only for worthy causes, it's exactly for simple consumer issues.
That sounds pretty illogical. I thought boycott simply means not buying something, it's not some great effort only for worthy causes, it's exactly for simple consumer issues.
Communism is bad so I didn't watch the video. There go my ad dollars out the window Jim. Hopefully you realize that the quality of your videos is not the reason I stopped watching, but rather because you wore a funny hat.
I just LOVE that the add is about foaming hair highlight product for women.
I am TOTALLY their target market!
I am TOTALLY their target market!
Boycotts can work though, but they have to be vocal tantrums as well. Get picket signs and parade around EA's building, that'll get their attention. Passive "don't buy this thing" boycotts never work though, a clear message is never spread through that.
Oh don't worry I'll let my voice be heard AND vote with my wallet in the process.
If a developer or two or a dozen go under because a great game did poorly because the publisher is a miasmic blight on the gaming industry ..... so be it.
If at some point the publisher(s) in question pull their heads out of their collective asses and reform. Then I am more than happy to start purchasing from them again. Until that happens tho, there are plenty of games devs in the digital sea who deserve my money and I am happy to oblige.
TL:DR
Publishers are dinosaurs fighting to keep their cartel like grip on an industry that for the most part NO LONGER NEEDS THEM.
If a developer or two or a dozen go under because a great game did poorly because the publisher is a miasmic blight on the gaming industry ..... so be it.
If at some point the publisher(s) in question pull their heads out of their collective asses and reform. Then I am more than happy to start purchasing from them again. Until that happens tho, there are plenty of games devs in the digital sea who deserve my money and I am happy to oblige.
TL:DR
Publishers are dinosaurs fighting to keep their cartel like grip on an industry that for the most part NO LONGER NEEDS THEM.
Buy games you like. Don't buy games you don't like. Complain about both. Obviously no one needs MY permission to do any of the above, just pointing out that they're right and proper things to do.
Only thing I've ever really had issue with was the attitude that's sadly pretty pervasive that if you dislike something, you've got to be a bossy overbearing prick about it until I dislike it too. That whole "you're killing gaming because you play games you like" bullshit needs to stop. If I bought a game you don't think I should have bought, clearly you didn't do a good enough job of convincing me not to or convincing someone not to make it. Try harder next time. Blame yourself. Don't get mad at me for liking games.
Only thing I've ever really had issue with was the attitude that's sadly pretty pervasive that if you dislike something, you've got to be a bossy overbearing prick about it until I dislike it too. That whole "you're killing gaming because you play games you like" bullshit needs to stop. If I bought a game you don't think I should have bought, clearly you didn't do a good enough job of convincing me not to or convincing someone not to make it. Try harder next time. Blame yourself. Don't get mad at me for liking games.
There will never be a successful video game company boycott because gamers as a whole have such different tastes and different identities. Also, some people just want to whine and threaten a boycott, but will still pay games from the company anyway.
Do we really want to encourage whining tantrums though? I can see how they'd be useful in the short term, but as time goes by they'll poison the well so completely that discussion boards like ours will become completely useless. Intelligent minds tend to gravitate away from toxic environments, not towards them.
I think Jim is onto something, however I still feel quite thoroughly justified in boycotting the Resident Evil franchise since the original developers aren't involved anymore anyway. On top of that, I do not enjoy Resident Evil now that it's a third person shooter, and if I want to play a game in the franchise I can still play one of the older, survival horror entries that I actually enjoy.
The thing about boycotting though, is that it's really just a fancy way of saying "I'm not buying something." Whining and bitching about something actually sends a message, and I've been quite dilligent about that too. Unfortunately, while Capcom seems like they may have gotten the message in regards to their fighting games, I don't think that Resident Evil fans are nearly as passionate as I am when it comes to what Capcom has done wrong to that franchise. They keep pushing more and more towards "Resident Evil for Call of Duty fans" and further away from the fanbase, because Capcom takes them for granted. Until the fans at large actually pitch a fit, Resident Evil is a lost cause.
The thing about boycotting though, is that it's really just a fancy way of saying "I'm not buying something." Whining and bitching about something actually sends a message, and I've been quite dilligent about that too. Unfortunately, while Capcom seems like they may have gotten the message in regards to their fighting games, I don't think that Resident Evil fans are nearly as passionate as I am when it comes to what Capcom has done wrong to that franchise. They keep pushing more and more towards "Resident Evil for Call of Duty fans" and further away from the fanbase, because Capcom takes them for granted. Until the fans at large actually pitch a fit, Resident Evil is a lost cause.
I actually remembered speaking to a friend of mine about Operation Rainfall and why boycotting would not only not help the cause, but would undermine it. And then Jim Sterling puts out this episode. Nice.
No. Fuck that. I will not buy ANY Ubisoft, EA or Activision game. Not any time soon. Sorry decent developers under their yoke. I'll stay mad and keep put my money towards publishers I do not mind. I do not judge anyone for whatever they choose to spend their money on. Keep on buying whatever and I'll keep on choosing and managing where my pennies go as best as I can.
Boycotting a publisher and all the games under their brand is retarded.
Look at Ubisoft they put out alot of DRM and shovelware,but they also do make and publish great games (Outlander, BGaE, Might & Magic CotH, Rayman Origins.
It gets even worse when its just a publisher handling the distro while the game is made and payed for by a "indie" dev. Ive seen multiple ppl pass up on the Exceed games on steam just because Capcom is the publisher
Look at Ubisoft they put out alot of DRM and shovelware,but they also do make and publish great games (Outlander, BGaE, Might & Magic CotH, Rayman Origins.
It gets even worse when its just a publisher handling the distro while the game is made and payed for by a "indie" dev. Ive seen multiple ppl pass up on the Exceed games on steam just because Capcom is the publisher
I'm maintaining my stance of not buying anything from EA that isn't Mirror's Edge 2, but I agree that moaning has a good track record. It helps that I'm largely disinterested in what EA put out, but I'm not giving them £40 to deal with their bullshit, even if I want to play a game.
Hm, I suppose “We want things this way” sends a louder message than “we won’t buy it if it’s not this way”.
Actually no that doesn’t sound right, maybe it’s because boycotts require organisation, discipline and follow-through, where whining is super easy so way more people can join in and just collectively become a more overwhelming force.
Actually no that doesn’t sound right, maybe it’s because boycotts require organisation, discipline and follow-through, where whining is super easy so way more people can join in and just collectively become a more overwhelming force.
Still not buying any Origin games. Because EA pushes full physical game prices, full invasion of privacy and shoddy integration with social gaming. Thanks but no thanks. As for the developers under EA's umbrella, I DO hope they crumble, and I hope new developing studios are formed from the rubble. What I'd do for Dice to reform away from EA.
DLC is another, if somebody thinks the game is good enough without the DLC buy it and don't buy the DLC its not rocket science
Flat out boycotting a AAA just gives no voice to the issues that are important to that person.
Flat out boycotting a AAA just gives no voice to the issues that are important to that person.
Boycotts can be effective, but it needs to be aimed inward to the fanbase itself. Reaching out to the companies is not the right way. The point of boycotts should be the exclusion of the companies by making them uncomfortable that they are forcibly outed from their consumers' circle of influence.
ME3 is a pretty lousy example.
Bioware was not rocked solely by the backlash regarding ME3's endings, but the bigger blow of SWTOR being an absolute failure. Bioware - whether people want to admit it or not - are in hot water with EA more for SWTOR than a sure thing like ME3 and still would be even if the ME3 endings were done right in the first place. Bioware made the wrong bet and put story above content in an MMO - which was a mistake other MMOs already made and they should have learned from.
SWTOR is a $300 Million MMO. The most expensive game ever produced. That failure is on Bioware's head. Of course they're going to do everything they can to appease fans elsewhere - its now their ass if they don't.
Bioware was not rocked solely by the backlash regarding ME3's endings, but the bigger blow of SWTOR being an absolute failure. Bioware - whether people want to admit it or not - are in hot water with EA more for SWTOR than a sure thing like ME3 and still would be even if the ME3 endings were done right in the first place. Bioware made the wrong bet and put story above content in an MMO - which was a mistake other MMOs already made and they should have learned from.
SWTOR is a $300 Million MMO. The most expensive game ever produced. That failure is on Bioware's head. Of course they're going to do everything they can to appease fans elsewhere - its now their ass if they don't.
Some PS3 fanse claim that Enslaved sold poorly because PS3 fans felt insulted after Ninja Theory suggested that they were disappointed with the sales of their Sony exlcusive Heavenly Sword.
They claim it was a de facto boycott of a developer who made them angry.
They claim it was a de facto boycott of a developer who made them angry.
Some PS3 fans claim that Enslaved sold poorly because PS3 fans felt insulted after Ninja Theory suggested that they were disappointed with the sales of their Sony exlcusive Heavenly Sword.
They claim it was a de facto boycott of a developer who made them angry.
They claim it was a de facto boycott of a developer who made them angry.
@Excel
Specially when you can throw a tantrum and still be a hypocrite, as opposed to really buckling down and sticking to your guns. Totally agreed.
Actually, what you said was pretty much what I was going to say (only, you know.. I'd have droned on about it)
Specially when you can throw a tantrum and still be a hypocrite, as opposed to really buckling down and sticking to your guns. Totally agreed.
Actually, what you said was pretty much what I was going to say (only, you know.. I'd have droned on about it)
boycott or not I do keep to the idea that I will not buy any ubisoft game with its shitty constant online drm even though I have a extremely stable internet connection that is also fast enough to not make it matter at all its still a matter of principle. The idea is the following:If a pirated version of something is clearly superior to the paid version I will not buy the product. This goes for movies with loads of unskippable shit (note netflix is not yet available where I live) audio files if I where to listen to music that are bound to devices and can not be moved around and used like I want. ebooks that have the same problem. Sure piracy is bad but if the pirated product is superior it does seem like a waste to buy something to just download it also or apply a crack because it all makes it better.
This felt like a commercial for Transformers games. *looks around at the current advertising on Destructoid* Ahhh, I get it now.
Buy Transformers: Fall of Cybertron!
Buy Transformers: Fall of Cybertron!
Even though bitching and moaning is more successfull, it still isn't a very strong "game changer" when it comes to these issues. I say more power to the people willing to make boycotts and scream dissapointment on the internet and such, but when I see things like Capcom slowly "mainstreaming" Resident Evil and putting less and less effort in their fighting games, or the continuing decline of the Silent Hill games, I just let things go on knowing I can't change them. We as gamers can and have fixed issues with games before, but some things are simply impossible to stop.
It's times like these that I'm glad I'm not a fan of any games published by EA and Activision.
It's times like these that I'm glad I'm not a fan of any games published by EA and Activision.
I'm still not buying Activision stuff Jim. Radical was...a sacrificial lamb(and made the last Activision game I bought, Prototype 1)
I may, however start whining to make sure companies I don't buy from know why me and perhaps a small segment of other people aren't buying from them.
I may, however start whining to make sure companies I don't buy from know why me and perhaps a small segment of other people aren't buying from them.
While do do agree with you Jim, there is one major force in the gaming world that has seemed pretty immune to whining until recently, Nintendo, who finally did release Xenoblade and The Last Story which likely had at least something to do with the whining of fans. However, it hasn't worked on one of their properties, possibly one of their best properties, Mother 3,
I'm going to whine and bitch some more:
Don't buy RE6. Instead, buy Shinji Mikami's return to survival horror: Zwei.
Don't buy RE6. Instead, buy Shinji Mikami's return to survival horror: Zwei.
I realize that there was a boycott for Diablo 3's art style and not one for the DRM, but the total complaints raised over both issues easily puts DRM far, far ahead, but I don't think Blizzard will ever back down on DRM. Not now, nor in the future. In fact, I have a feeling they're never going to make a game that has a large focus on single-player ever again, which I suppose they think gives them the right to DRM the shit out of everything, if not completely scrap single-player play in the future once they move on to new franchises.
I resolve to not buy Activision published games, though I have felt games like the Transformers Cybertron series and Singularity to challenge my decisions. I actually have a silly feeling of guilt for buying Singularity second-hand as I would like to support Raven, former developer of my beloved Jedi Knight series, current poorly treated step-child of Activision.
Perhaps it would be best to look upon a purchase of desirable game as an encouraging reward for good behavour from a undesirable publisher. Especially if there is no DRM or online pass silliness involved.
Perhaps it would be best to look upon a purchase of desirable game as an encouraging reward for good behavour from a undesirable publisher. Especially if there is no DRM or online pass silliness involved.
Boycott DMC, Capcom won't cancel the series, they'll realize the reboot was FUCKING STUPID and go back to the old one ;)
Also when it comes to acti etc I just buy it preowned
Also when it comes to acti etc I just buy it preowned
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