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Home Utterly pathetic updates

Metacritic: The most pathetic battleground of the console wars

5:03 PM on 11.03.2008, Jim Sterling 111 comments

Metacritic: The most pathetic battleground of the console wars photo
     Utterly pathetic

It never ceases to amaze me how low some pathetic wankers go in order to prove the "superiority" of their favorite videogames machine. I thought the guys who made little YouTube videos about it with Windows Movie Maker were sad enough, but it seems that you can always go just one step further.

Metacritic has become the latest battleground in the fanboy console wars, with user scores allowing the particularly deranged to deliberately score down a videogame. Maybe they think their penis will grow in size as a particular first-party game's score lowers. It will not happen.

Second-party games are being deliberately attacked on Metacritic as people abuse the ability to lend their voice to a game's score. LittleBigPlanet's real Metacritic score is 95/100 -- disproportionately different from the 6.2/10 user score. Similarly. Resistance 2 officially holds a score of 90, while the user reviews have conspired to give it an insulting 5.4. 

The PS3 fanboys have hit back, of course, and Gears of War 2 has had its official score of 96 contrasted by a user score of 3.2. Neither it nor Resistance are even out yet.

Read on for more ...

It was suggested to me once that Destructoid should incorporate a user score into its review system. While a great idea in theory, shit like this proves that such a system can't work. You give power to the people, and the people invariably fuck it up, because they can't seem to handle their own freedom.

This kind of thing is absolutely vile, and shows nothing but disrespect to the videogames industry. If you love games enough to be so passionate, you ought to be able to treat them better. I honestly cannot get over how much of a miserable little shitbag you have to be in order to do something so infantile.  

If you are reading this and you were one of the people who "stuffed the ballot box," I think you really should take heed of this advice: Grow the fuck up, retard. 

LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2 and Gears of War 2 are all going to be excellent holiday hits, and are made by incredibly talented people. I think that each and every one of the guys who worked on these games would be disappointed and disgusted by the puerile garbage currently going on at Metacritic. You really have not impressed Media Molecule, Insomniac or Epic with that shit. All you've done is make gamers look like their stereotype. The stereotype of the idiot with no life and no dignity.

I'm not sure what, exactly, you think will be accomplished by this. It's not like you are going to damage the console that you are attacking, or somehow improve the prestige of the one that you jerk off over every night. Each one of those games will generate millions of dollars in sales and will be huge successes.

All you've done is prove how good the titles actually are. It's going to get to a point where the lower the Metacritic user score is, the better the game must be. Thanks for merely highlighting which exclusive games are the best ones for each console, you morons.  

And why are you even doing this? Because you are threatened, that's why. You feel threatened by a videogame because you are scared of a different console having something better than the one you own. You are frightened ... of a videogame. That really is something else. It may, in fact, mark a new low for the entire human race. So I guess you actually have accomplished something. Well done on concentrating your stupidity enough to actively devolve the human race a step.  

Real gamers should be absolutely ashamed to count you among their ranks. You are what is wrong with the gaming community, and this industry would be better off without you. I really cannot comprehend what must be going through your minds, and the fact that thousands of you exist just makes me want to retch.

Why do gamers want to do shit like this? Why are people like Chad Warden actually real? Why do people get so defensive over a piece of machinery? Why do people try and hurt videogames when they claim to love them? These are the games that are helping the industry grow, either creatively or financially, but some people are so blinkered that all they can see is a "My console is better than your console" playground fight.

People wonder why publishers and developers don't listen to "hardcore" gamers enough. I think this proves why. If this is the level of maturity and intelligence that we are promoting, then I wouldn't blame any developer for saying "Man, fuck those guys" and working only to please themselves. I almost can't blame Nintendo for looking like it's "abandoning" the hardcore gamer. Is it any wonder that Nintendo of America would want to distance itself from twatishness like this? Many among us don't deserve even the slightest bit of consideration from a professional organization.

Seriously, console fanboys? Get the fuck out of this community. You are not welcome here.


Next page: More Fanboys stories




KMCC's Avatar
KMCC at 11/03/2008 17:05
It's like arguing one heroin needle is superior to another. Nope, it's the herion, kids. That is what's important.
PhazonYoshi's Avatar
PhazonYoshi at 11/03/2008 17:09
Hear Hear, Good sir!
Uther's Avatar
Uther at 11/03/2008 17:10
Oh noooo.
MrSadistic's Avatar
MrSadistic at 11/03/2008 17:11
Oh come on. Those games deserved those scores. The people have spoken, and they are never wrong. Never.
wfolse1's Avatar
wfolse1 at 11/03/2008 17:12
Thank you Jim. I really wish that this write-up could actually do something because I agree 100% with everything that you have said. I cannot understand what makes these cretins align themselves so absolutely with one specific console. Anyway, thanks again Jim.
Face's Avatar
Face at 11/03/2008 17:13
Wow. I can't even imagine getting angry at this. Even if the "real" metacritic score for my favorite game was low I wouldn't care. It is literally meaningless.
SnakeDude4Life's Avatar
SnakeDude4Life at 11/03/2008 17:15
I wonder how Sony Defense Force is taking this?
Dead Movie Star's Avatar
Dead Movie Star at 11/03/2008 17:16
Gametrailers comments always cheer me up because of that same reason.
wfolse1's Avatar
wfolse1 at 11/03/2008 17:17
@Face

This is annoying because people like this prevent the formation and propagation of varied, interesting, and dynamic video game communities.
DanlHaas's Avatar
DanlHaas at 11/03/2008 17:19
I support this message.
CarlCastello's Avatar
CarlCastello at 11/03/2008 17:20
Although I do agree with some of the principles you're writing about, I don't like the way you've written this article. It's pretty immature in itself, Jim.
NotAZombie's Avatar
NotAZombie at 11/03/2008 17:21
Fuck fanboys. Preference is absolutely fine and necessary but being retarded and thinking your opinion is more important than anyone else is just that, retarded. I think editors should remember this at times too.
Methos's Avatar
Methos at 11/03/2008 17:22
Good piece Jim. The answer you seek is obvious. These men have no dick.
Dexter345's Avatar
Dexter345 at 11/03/2008 17:24
I've said this same thing since G-Phoria and the SpikeTV video game awards were entirely voiced by the people. You can't give a vote on what's the best game, or how good a game is to the masses, because:

1. They haven't played all of the games on all of the consoles.
2. They're retarded.

It's why I've never trusted the user rating on IGN, and now I will continue to not trust the user rating on Metacritic.
Count Grishnack's Avatar
Count Grishnack at 11/03/2008 17:24
I never looked at those anyway, so who cares. Not sure this rant is really newsworthy.
AngelsDontBurn's Avatar
AngelsDontBurn at 11/03/2008 17:25
Lolololololol.
Danmartigan's Avatar
Danmartigan at 11/03/2008 17:26
this is why the internet can't have nice things.
luvmysegadc's Avatar
luvmysegadc at 11/03/2008 17:26
Think this bad, Jim? Wait until tomorrow -- Election Day in the U.S. Somebody, somewhere, is going to fuck up by voting for all the wrong reasons!
Samit Sarkar's Avatar
Samit Sarkar at 11/03/2008 17:28
User ratings are, for the most part, completely worthless -- and this is why. Thanks for putting this out there, Jim.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 11/03/2008 17:30
In case some people haven't read it yet, read this cblog and laugh along with us.
AlienGuy18's Avatar
AlienGuy18 at 11/03/2008 17:33
This is the internet equivilant of drawing a penis on a Burger King Drive-Thru Menu if you think McDonalds is better. Pathetic.
nicojay's Avatar
nicojay at 11/03/2008 17:33
And the best part is when these type of people are unable to voice their "opinion" they consider it an affront to them.
Dan CiTi's Avatar
Dan CiTi at 11/03/2008 17:35
lol. LittleBigPlanet and Gears 2 are fucking great games, despite their flaws. I had lots of fun with them, and I know I will continue to.
JihadJoe's Avatar
JihadJoe at 11/03/2008 17:39
I don't associate with anyone who plays ngage games. It's a fact that ngage players vagina's with penises inside them. All ngage games are the worst ever made and so are the shitheads that play them. Gross!!!
DemonEyes23's Avatar
DemonEyes23 at 11/03/2008 17:40
i love my system (PSTriple) like most and by most accounts i'm probably a fanboy but really people need to stop this BS it just makes metacritic look bad. Honestly i dont know why they even put user ratings up. They aren't often useful and generally just show a slightly higher score than journalist reviews.
Tombstone's Avatar
Tombstone at 11/03/2008 17:42
You make an awesome point Jim. I'm really sick of fanboys, all of them. Especially PC supremacists.

I own all 3 consoles and an okay PC myself, so the fanboys, just piss me of horribly, Why can't we all just share our common love of video games. D=

Some of the Gamer community is just so immature. Go to Game Politics and look at comments about Jack Thompson disbarred. People calling JT gay and such in the comments. I hate them so much for sinking down to his level, and more or less, proving his point.

And I'm just rambling now.
taterchimp's Avatar
taterchimp at 11/03/2008 17:44
Have to agree. Content is good, but maturity is seriously lacking. I rate this post a 1.0.
falinter's Avatar
falinter at 11/03/2008 17:46
WONT SOMEONE THINK OF THE GAMING COMPANIES!
Citizen Erased's Avatar
Citizen Erased at 11/03/2008 17:47
Nintendo may have left the "Hardcore" market behind somewhat...but at least they're out there making people happy...
These kind of "Hardcore" gamers are NEVER fucking happy.
So you certainly can't blame Nintendo for going in another direction.
My little sister has FUN when she plays video games on the Wii and the DS...she doesn't care about the quality of the games and she doesn't care about the console war.
And to be honest if I was choosing a market that is gratifying to sell to...well that's the one I'd go for.
Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 11/03/2008 17:47
See, democracy sucks!
dgschrei's Avatar
dgschrei at 11/03/2008 17:52
If only the User rating would actually affect the overall rating on Metacritic. That would be a one time chance to finally get rid of the fucked up scoring system.
PhazonYoshi's Avatar
PhazonYoshi at 11/03/2008 17:52
Tombstone, we don't need to act supreme, console 'tards all know it anyway.

Err, I mean, good point. <_<;
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 11/03/2008 18:00
Fantastic rant Jim. I agree with this so hard.
aborto thefetus's Avatar
aborto thefetus at 11/03/2008 18:03
This is why I never pay attention to user reviews.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 11/03/2008 18:03
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 11/03/2008 18:04
also, I agree so hard
Corak's Avatar
Corak at 11/03/2008 18:04
This is exactly why I don't pay attention to user reviews on gaming websites. Because any little twit can say anything and lower the score of an otherwise great game. I'd much rather read and think about a professional review than what some half-wit with a keyboard has to think. But I agree Jim this kind of crap has to stop or we might never see the games we really want to have. As Danmartigan said "this is why the internet can't have nice things." Ever wonder why opinions on the internet are taken with a grain of salt? Its because of shit like this.
Joe Burling's Avatar
Joe Burling at 11/03/2008 18:11
I use the user-generated Metacritic score to determine how good a game is.

If it's an exclusive game and gets a really low user score, it's GOTTA be good!
saxiums's Avatar
saxiums at 11/03/2008 18:12
I love all consoles equally, except the Atari, that is my king.
luvmysegadc's Avatar
luvmysegadc at 11/03/2008 18:17
[Sarcasm OFF]

Now that I'm done being sarcastic, I have a suggestion to get the true pulse of the gamers:

1) The creation of an international organization broken into separate regions of the world (e.g. N. America, S. America, Europe, Far East, Pacific Rim, etc.) and observed by software arms based in that region (e.g. Sega of Japan for the Far East, Rockstar North for Europe, etc.) for the sole purpose of using gamers for proper polling, focus groups and pre-release product testing and feedback (after paid testers hired by the software companies have finished their responsibility to their respective employer. This way, it lessens the likelihood of influencing the results.)

In an extremely raw and general terms, think back to when the software companies finally settled (read: forced) in to forming the ESRB, then combining what any consumer goods company does, market research! This organization will need to be a nonpartisan, nonprofit "consumer advocate".

2) The key to getting unbiased, hardcore gamers to actually offer critical scoring is to force anyone interested in doing so to go through an application process. Long story short, the process would need to be 2-3 steps to properly "weed out" undesirables. Once approved, the terms to serve would be between 6mo.-2yrs. Service would be compensated, but through a central "fund" created by all software companies agreeing to use the organization. By "fund" I mean gift cards that can be used at retailers that would sell games from any companies involved. Software companies that offer any type of compensation directly would be fined heavily.

[Sarcasm back on]
AKK's Avatar
AKK at 11/03/2008 18:30
Hint: Chad Warden's not real.

I think. Based on his other video where his voice is completely different, it's pretty clear it was an act.
Wheeliedude's Avatar
Wheeliedude at 11/03/2008 18:31
>Chad Warden
>actually read
Wheeliedude's Avatar
Wheeliedude at 11/03/2008 18:31
>Chad Warden
>actually real
Coltronathon5000's Avatar
Coltronathon5000 at 11/03/2008 18:40
yo chad-daddy would totally rate this thread A.B.A.P

I think it boils down to people wanting to justify their $XXX purchase. No one wants to be left with the "failure" console (used loosely of course). So we get a bunch of raging hard-ons picking out every little flaw or poor business decision when all 3 companies are guilty of sucking at one point or another.

Of course maybe having all 3 makes me biased.
Wexx's Avatar
Wexx at 11/03/2008 18:41
The only way to make a decision on something: experience it yourself. While reviews are not pointless (they allow those curious about something to find out if it will be relevant to their interests), the only way to make a decision on a game is to play it yourself. Someone shouldn't be able to say 'Hey, this game sucks because it's on this console, it would be better on that one.'. Fuck fanboys, and those who rate without experience. That's the only downside to the openness of the internet, if there was a way to verify if someone has played the game before allowing them to vote on it (achievements/trophies come to mind...) I would be all for it. However, currently, there is not. Ah well. Good read Jim, as usual.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 11/03/2008 18:48
You know, I had no idea the problem was this widespread on Metacritic. I just checked the 360 port of Left 4 Dead (which obviously isn't out yet) and it has a user rating of 2.5. That's a game by the people who have made several of the best-reviewed games of all time, and dumbasses are voting it down because... Why? Because it's not the PC version? Because it's not on the PS3?

You know, I generally use the user ratings to help inform some of my decisions about a game. Thanks to the stupidity of a few asswipe fanboys, it looks like I'll be trusting the pros for a change.
Tombstone's Avatar
Tombstone at 11/03/2008 18:48
Yeah, I know about the goodness of PC PhazonYoshi, it's just the supremacists that piss me off. Like saying a control stick takes a trillion years so you'll be able to turn around and such.

They exist, I've seen them, and they are retarded. @_@
BHACKNEY's Avatar
BHACKNEY at 11/03/2008 18:51
Can't we all just get along?
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