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I decided a while ago not to buy this game and am feeling better than ever about the decision. In their quest for greater profits these game companies are going to kill the cash cow they have. Keeping a game fresh with DLC is nice and can be done with both artistic and revenue merits. But it seems more often than not these companies want to release incomplete experiences and then further fragment the players with inconsistent experiences.
At this point I'm shying away from any competitive game that seems to have everything but the kitchen sink thrown into it between DLC and multiple modes. I just see it as as a messy less fun experience. It's like playing chess where the board keeps moving and your opponent may or may not have access to a "Super King" that can move 2 spaces. The competitive aspects are dumbed down with randomness.
At this point I'm shying away from any competitive game that seems to have everything but the kitchen sink thrown into it between DLC and multiple modes. I just see it as as a messy less fun experience. It's like playing chess where the board keeps moving and your opponent may or may not have access to a "Super King" that can move 2 spaces. The competitive aspects are dumbed down with randomness.
I know it sounds crazy... but what if, just what if Capcom made fighting games free to play? SOE(?) profits jumped 700% when DCUO went free to play. LOL is essentially Riot's cash cow. TF2 went free to play, money started rolling in. Valve is working on DOTA 2 and making it free to play. Make a good product, and people will pay you good money. Imagine if MVC3 were free to download on xbl and psn but came with 3 characters. Price other characters at 2.99 and costumes at 1.99 (add a shitload of costumes). You've lowered the price of entry and will get so much more in sales. You only need to buy the characters you want. Instead, we buy a game for full price... then pay for dlc that was already done and on disc before the game got released.
Nobody would feel cheated and you would rake money in! There, I just fixed your business model. I'll be awaiting payment for that MARVELous idea.
Nobody would feel cheated and you would rake money in! There, I just fixed your business model. I'll be awaiting payment for that MARVELous idea.
Protip: Leave the code off the disc. Wait 6 months. Distribute. No one would know for sure. Then you are giving people content, instead of taking it away.
Its funny because we would never know....
Its funny because we would never know....
Following this topic as it was developing on pretty much any message board resulted in the following progression of defenses:
"It's just the character endings, the actual content isn't on the disc"
"the character models may be on the disc, but they don't have textures"
"the character models and textures may be complete, but they aren't voiced"
"The characters may be complete, but they aren't fully balanced"
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO!!!"
I love how the white knights literally ran out of excuses as hackers took this game apart. Now I really am curious on the legality of this situation though. Is it technically illegal to withhold content from consumers when they have purchased the game? Would it be illegal for people to hack the game and access the characters and content themselves?
"It's just the character endings, the actual content isn't on the disc"
"the character models may be on the disc, but they don't have textures"
"the character models and textures may be complete, but they aren't voiced"
"The characters may be complete, but they aren't fully balanced"
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO!!!"
I love how the white knights literally ran out of excuses as hackers took this game apart. Now I really am curious on the legality of this situation though. Is it technically illegal to withhold content from consumers when they have purchased the game? Would it be illegal for people to hack the game and access the characters and content themselves?
@Flowen
That wouldn't work because of tournaments.
Nobody would be on a level playing field, not too mention how much of a nightmare it would be for a tourney organiser.
That wouldn't work because of tournaments.
Nobody would be on a level playing field, not too mention how much of a nightmare it would be for a tourney organiser.
To Capcom,
Topic: How to fix this
Release the PS Vita version of the game. On the following day, release the characters on the console versions for free.
Say this was the plan all along.
Topic: How to fix this
Release the PS Vita version of the game. On the following day, release the characters on the console versions for free.
Say this was the plan all along.
I'm just going to wait for this whole thing to sort itself out. In a year, I figure Capcom will have gotten all it's DLC out and decided as to wether or not they release another version, which I'm almost sure they will, regardless of what they tell us today. Then I'll think about buying the game.
I just can't trust Capcom to not make the business decision anymore. Every action has pretty much been "Fuck the fans" for the past year or two.
I just can't trust Capcom to not make the business decision anymore. Every action has pretty much been "Fuck the fans" for the past year or two.
@Zantetsuken I don't see the problem, LOL has collectors edition that comes with all that jazz. Free to play, buy disc based version with everything for 49.99, all characters unlocked, no extra costumes. Call it a day.
They should just not let anyone have the content. Seriously, it's their shit to do what they want with. They could just as easily not have included it at all. Why do people CARE so much?
And for "incomplete experiences": if they didn't include it and they didn't tell anyone about it, does that make the non-DLC experience any more complete? If so, why? There's no hard limit to code; games (and software in general) can be expanded ad nauseum, and so there's no such thing as a "complete" game. Quit whining and make decisions based on what you're getting rather than what you're not getting.
And for "incomplete experiences": if they didn't include it and they didn't tell anyone about it, does that make the non-DLC experience any more complete? If so, why? There's no hard limit to code; games (and software in general) can be expanded ad nauseum, and so there's no such thing as a "complete" game. Quit whining and make decisions based on what you're getting rather than what you're not getting.
I'm going to sell you an eggroll. You're going to pay full price for the eggroll. Everything is in the eggroll, but the only part you can eat is the shell. You have to pay me extra to be able to enjoy the eggroll properly, and if you would like soy sauce or plum sauce, you've got to pay extra for that too. Quit whining and make decisions on the fact that you're getting the eggroll shell.
Capcom's statement explicitly states "allowing players who choose not to purchase the content". "Purchase", right there. They'll be charging money for it.
So it's really very simple: Capcom are locking away extensive content on the disc and while be charging players an additional fee after an arbitrary length of time to unlock that. If you don't pay them more money, you don't get it. It's not stuff they've worked hard on after dveelopment, it's not stuff that is separate from the core game. It is right there, in a completed form, on the disc but they still expect you to not only buy the game at launch, I'm sure, but also expect you to then buy a 16kb unlock later.
Many other publishers have locked content away on the disc before and it's always scummy, but doing it and being so brazen about it makes this by far the worst instance yet. Suffice to say Capcom shall not be getting a single penny of my money, neither for this nor any other title they release. They have some serious, serious sucking up to do.
So it's really very simple: Capcom are locking away extensive content on the disc and while be charging players an additional fee after an arbitrary length of time to unlock that. If you don't pay them more money, you don't get it. It's not stuff they've worked hard on after dveelopment, it's not stuff that is separate from the core game. It is right there, in a completed form, on the disc but they still expect you to not only buy the game at launch, I'm sure, but also expect you to then buy a 16kb unlock later.
Many other publishers have locked content away on the disc before and it's always scummy, but doing it and being so brazen about it makes this by far the worst instance yet. Suffice to say Capcom shall not be getting a single penny of my money, neither for this nor any other title they release. They have some serious, serious sucking up to do.
Just as troubling as any of this are the "Colour Packs" and Gems that will presumably be released as paid content. Why is nobody up in arms over those?
with LoL, people aren't running ad-hoc local tourneys for fun/practice. Making it f2p wouldn't effect EVO, but it would destroy local communities and the "casual" competitive scene.
360 players pay 50 a year just to play online, and only now do they realize theyre sheep? Where was all this angst about equality when rockstar sided with for exclusive content, or the slew of others? It doesnt matter if its on the disk, the disk is just a medium to play the game you purchased. Youre not entitled to proprietary code. Dont like it, dont buy it. Thw fighting game scene on 360 is pathetic by comparison anyway.
No, I'm pretty sure there's still a crisis and nothing has been resolved yet. Until they announce that all this on-disc content which was produced with the time and money from the original development which was subsidized with your $60 purchase is actually free and not premium, you're still compelled not to buy this game.
Unless of course you like getting fucked in the ass by the companies who sell you products. In which case, carry on.
Unless of course you like getting fucked in the ass by the companies who sell you products. In which case, carry on.
@llort
That seems to be what it always boils down to. "You don't have to buy it!"
That's it? That's all you got for me? Just look the other way or bury my head in the sand? Awesome argument, tell me another cool story bro.
@tater
I have thought that many, many times before myself.
That seems to be what it always boils down to. "You don't have to buy it!"
That's it? That's all you got for me? Just look the other way or bury my head in the sand? Awesome argument, tell me another cool story bro.
@tater
I have thought that many, many times before myself.
jesus christ.. i can't believe the entitlement issues some people have. you would rather have a game that relies heavily on the multiplayer be fragmented to hell when you can't play with people who own dlc that you don't have, just because you don't like that the assets are on the disc and you can't come to grips that they didn't "steal" something from you?
and yet people bitch when they have to stop playing call of duty games because they can't find matches on vanilla maps.
you can't have it both ways.
and yet people bitch when they have to stop playing call of duty games because they can't find matches on vanilla maps.
you can't have it both ways.
@gogglezombie
People are up in arms over those, this is just worse because this is hugely important content as opposed to the gems which only slightly change the base gameplay.
People are up in arms over those, this is just worse because this is hugely important content as opposed to the gems which only slightly change the base gameplay.
I don't know why anyone would buy this anyways. Just wait 6mo to a year and get the Infinite SF x Tekken game with all DLC and "incompatable" added characters on disc.
@smoger
The whole problem of fragmenting the online multiplayer community is a problem that is 100 percent created by Capcom. They could have just made the characters unlocked from the outset and POOF no more fragmented online community. Not to mention when they come out with super hyper ultimate HD editions of their games, that definitely doesn't help. I'd say Capcom is the one who is wanting it both ways.
The whole problem of fragmenting the online multiplayer community is a problem that is 100 percent created by Capcom. They could have just made the characters unlocked from the outset and POOF no more fragmented online community. Not to mention when they come out with super hyper ultimate HD editions of their games, that definitely doesn't help. I'd say Capcom is the one who is wanting it both ways.
@llort het
so now they have no right whatsoever to pad their development costs with DLC? do we want to go back to $85 (plus inflation) game prices?
because thats what i paid for the "complete" version of Street Fighter 2 in 1991 or whenever it came out(and then again two more times for turbo and super SF2)
so now they have no right whatsoever to pad their development costs with DLC? do we want to go back to $85 (plus inflation) game prices?
because thats what i paid for the "complete" version of Street Fighter 2 in 1991 or whenever it came out(and then again two more times for turbo and super SF2)
I feel you, Holmes.This is a load of crap, and I'm glad I heard about this before I ran out and got the game. Gamefly is sending me my.copy tomorrow, and I'll hold onto it to see how this thing plays out
@smoger Apparently you are intentionally forgetting the difference in VOLUME of players. Gaming has become far more acceptable and mainstream over the last decade. If you sell 10,000 copies making 30$ profit on each copy you make $300,000 but if you sell 50,000 copies making 20$ profit on each copy you make $1,000,000
@smoger
They have a right, but when their business practices border on abuse, we have a right to criticize them/refuse to purchase their games, especially when you can't even technically call it DOWNLOADABLE content. I obviously don't have facts to back this up, but I have a hunch that if they never released any DLC or any other supplementary content, they still would have made a profit. If smaller game companies can survive without ripping people off with DLC, I bet a big name game like this would still survive without having to resort to their usual crap.
I can only hope that the money capcom loses from people who decide to buy this game used, balances out the money gained from DLC character sales.
They have a right, but when their business practices border on abuse, we have a right to criticize them/refuse to purchase their games, especially when you can't even technically call it DOWNLOADABLE content. I obviously don't have facts to back this up, but I have a hunch that if they never released any DLC or any other supplementary content, they still would have made a profit. If smaller game companies can survive without ripping people off with DLC, I bet a big name game like this would still survive without having to resort to their usual crap.
I can only hope that the money capcom loses from people who decide to buy this game used, balances out the money gained from DLC character sales.
@llort het
I don't think it would work that way for future games. If they're funding a separate team to create extra content, then they're not just going to leave it unlocked and charge nothing for it. What they're going to do, if the backlash is big enough, is just stop making extra content.
It cost Capcom extra money, thus it will cost consumers extra money. If consumers don't want that, Capcom won't do it anymore.
I don't think it would work that way for future games. If they're funding a separate team to create extra content, then they're not just going to leave it unlocked and charge nothing for it. What they're going to do, if the backlash is big enough, is just stop making extra content.
It cost Capcom extra money, thus it will cost consumers extra money. If consumers don't want that, Capcom won't do it anymore.
@smog
... but with dlc, the games end up costing up to 85 dollars... soooo... yeah.
PS, citing that capcom has overcharged for games in the past doesn't help your argument.
... but with dlc, the games end up costing up to 85 dollars... soooo... yeah.
PS, citing that capcom has overcharged for games in the past doesn't help your argument.
Someone should just find a method to unlock the content, and distribute it. I'm sure it's possible (with some finagling, of course). Capcom would just love that; people should screw them over for once.
I wish there were better laws regarding video game content. It absolutely should be illegal to sell content and then withhold it from someone. It's just like if you bought a fridge and paid full MSRP, but then had to pay extra for lights, shelves and the motor. It's insane.
None of this shit would pass in the retail world, so why are video games getting away with it? The sad thing is, this isn't going to bury Capcom. Everyone will still buy the game, so why even fight it?
None of this shit would pass in the retail world, so why are video games getting away with it? The sad thing is, this isn't going to bury Capcom. Everyone will still buy the game, so why even fight it?
What I find bad is that there are people out there not only playing as these characters before the game is even out, but that they are the winners. They paid $60 for the game, if they paid for it all, and got the full package day one. We pay for the game and wait for some trickle down DLC, which may be free or may not be free.
Paid or not, I think thats the worst part. Consumers have lost, over and over and over in the last few years, and hackers (thieves) win. Instead of being rewarded for buying the game new or buying it at all, we get punished, enter this code, wait 30 minutes for this shit to download, jump through 10 fucking hoops to play the full game. They are making it harder and harder to justify spending full price on any game.
I can understand the bitterness of having system exclusive DLC, as I will be getting Raccoon city on PS3 because that is my preferred Resident Evil system, but I'll still pick up my special edition, day one, because I love the hobby, but they are making it harder to enjoy it with all this stuff. Its a business, and I accept that, so I'll accept timed exclusives, and in some cases system exclusives but its beginning to become too much business not enough game.
Paid or not, I think thats the worst part. Consumers have lost, over and over and over in the last few years, and hackers (thieves) win. Instead of being rewarded for buying the game new or buying it at all, we get punished, enter this code, wait 30 minutes for this shit to download, jump through 10 fucking hoops to play the full game. They are making it harder and harder to justify spending full price on any game.
I can understand the bitterness of having system exclusive DLC, as I will be getting Raccoon city on PS3 because that is my preferred Resident Evil system, but I'll still pick up my special edition, day one, because I love the hobby, but they are making it harder to enjoy it with all this stuff. Its a business, and I accept that, so I'll accept timed exclusives, and in some cases system exclusives but its beginning to become too much business not enough game.
Meh and meh, really. We let it get this far to begin with. Maybe if there wasn't this wave of "they won't abuse it" apologist sentiment 4-5 years ago, things like this would have ended up a non issue, as they'd be non existent.
That's why this "benefit of the doubt", and "just don't buy it" mumbo jumbo is nonsense. There were people who warned this was the path the industry was gonna go down years ago, and it was drowned out by the people calling them crazy.
What I'm saying is that it's not like this is the beginning of this shit, the beginning was many years ago. Why people insist on completely disregarding 5 years of history when forming an opinion in the now is beyond me.
That's why this "benefit of the doubt", and "just don't buy it" mumbo jumbo is nonsense. There were people who warned this was the path the industry was gonna go down years ago, and it was drowned out by the people calling them crazy.
What I'm saying is that it's not like this is the beginning of this shit, the beginning was many years ago. Why people insist on completely disregarding 5 years of history when forming an opinion in the now is beyond me.
The separate budget argument is so lame. How do people regurgitate it without choking?
We're going to go on one side of the lake and fill a bucket full of water. We're now going to go to the other side of the lake, pour the bucket in, and we are now adding water to the lake. For this, we demand payment.
It's a shell game. "Oh no, you see, this little pile of money? It's special. See, we separated it in its own little corner. This is strictly for DLC. We can't mix it with the other money, then that would be morally wrong."
Capcom pays for the game with a $20 out of the right pocket, and because it pays off the rest with a $5 from the left, suddenly they're two very separate and equal portions of the game despite being designed right next to each other and funded by the same exact person.
If you want to do on-disc DLC, fine. If you want to strip out content of a game and charge extra for it, fine. Nobody has to buy it.
Just don't insult my intelligence with some weak ass bullshit.
We're going to go on one side of the lake and fill a bucket full of water. We're now going to go to the other side of the lake, pour the bucket in, and we are now adding water to the lake. For this, we demand payment.
It's a shell game. "Oh no, you see, this little pile of money? It's special. See, we separated it in its own little corner. This is strictly for DLC. We can't mix it with the other money, then that would be morally wrong."
Capcom pays for the game with a $20 out of the right pocket, and because it pays off the rest with a $5 from the left, suddenly they're two very separate and equal portions of the game despite being designed right next to each other and funded by the same exact person.
If you want to do on-disc DLC, fine. If you want to strip out content of a game and charge extra for it, fine. Nobody has to buy it.
Just don't insult my intelligence with some weak ass bullshit.
@tekbunny - yes the game will cost about that with the dlc - for those who like the enough to buy it.
(as in , you have a choice to pay only $60(or less) if you just like the game enough for the core characters). can we not agree that that's better than forcing everyone to pay that money *or* not having the content at all?
$85 wasn't "overpriced" back then. the sf games were a *little* higher than other games because they kept needing bigger carts than what most games had.. so they were like $10 more than average games.. which made average games $50-60, bigger games like SF2 were $65-70. even that $50 mark is way more than we pay for games today(considering inflation)
(as in , you have a choice to pay only $60(or less) if you just like the game enough for the core characters). can we not agree that that's better than forcing everyone to pay that money *or* not having the content at all?
$85 wasn't "overpriced" back then. the sf games were a *little* higher than other games because they kept needing bigger carts than what most games had.. so they were like $10 more than average games.. which made average games $50-60, bigger games like SF2 were $65-70. even that $50 mark is way more than we pay for games today(considering inflation)
Here's my question to people that get pissed about this: Do they realize that computer hardware manufacturers quite often make ONE board for several models of a part, and just fuse off the more expensive features?
To me, that is more offensive than any on disc DLC could ever be. Intel, for example, sells three versions of their newest CPU (the sandy bridge E line), with a price range of $400 to $1000 - the only difference you get is where the fused off solder point is. So essentially, you always get the same thing, but depending on where they decide to limit the performance, you just pay more.
Video cards are the same way, sometimes with even just a dip-switch and firmware change to define which model you've purchased. It's a fact that many OEM parts have extra 'features' onboard that you'll never access.
Do you feel ripped off by this just as you do by Capcom? or is it just part of the process of manufacturing that just feels scheme-y to gamers?
To me, that is more offensive than any on disc DLC could ever be. Intel, for example, sells three versions of their newest CPU (the sandy bridge E line), with a price range of $400 to $1000 - the only difference you get is where the fused off solder point is. So essentially, you always get the same thing, but depending on where they decide to limit the performance, you just pay more.
Video cards are the same way, sometimes with even just a dip-switch and firmware change to define which model you've purchased. It's a fact that many OEM parts have extra 'features' onboard that you'll never access.
Do you feel ripped off by this just as you do by Capcom? or is it just part of the process of manufacturing that just feels scheme-y to gamers?
Also finally, two of the defenses towards Capcom seem to be contradictory. One defense is that "game development budgets are increasing, so game developers have to sell DLC to make up for it" while the other defense is that "DLC is okay because it was made with a seperate budget." If a game's development costs really were so high, I don't think the answer would be to throw MORE money at it to create an alleged DLC fund and I just don't trust companies enough to believe that the supposed DLC budget wasn't part of the main game's budget. But unfortunately this is all just conjecture because only Capcom knows for sure, but just to be safe, I'll just not have any part of it at all.
@KingSigy
Trust me I keep hoping that some consumer rights watchdog group (or gamers themselves) get it together and make Bullshit like this illegal.
They want to pull the "herp derp dlc is budgeted separately from the game and oh noes we needz to do this for teh shareholderz" then fine whatever but they better be budgeting the bandwidth to push that DLC because its disgusting that they sell it to you on the retail disk then ransom it to you later.
Trust me I keep hoping that some consumer rights watchdog group (or gamers themselves) get it together and make Bullshit like this illegal.
They want to pull the "herp derp dlc is budgeted separately from the game and oh noes we needz to do this for teh shareholderz" then fine whatever but they better be budgeting the bandwidth to push that DLC because its disgusting that they sell it to you on the retail disk then ransom it to you later.
@Sir Tobbii No, it's from Capcom's statement about the SFxT characters. No mention of SSF4:
"Capcom has confirmed that 12 new fan-favorite characters will be available as Downloadable Content (DLC) on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC versions of Street Fighter X Tekken later this year. The playable characters will make their debut on the PS Vita system when the game is released this fall, with the console and PC versions receiving them as DLC soon after. The character information and files were intentionally included on retail versions of the PS3 and Xbox 360 game to save hard drive space and to ensure for a smooth transition when the DLC is available, allowing players who choose not to purchase the content the ability to play against players that did. "
They're charging money for them and being completely brazen about it all being there ready to go.
"Capcom has confirmed that 12 new fan-favorite characters will be available as Downloadable Content (DLC) on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC versions of Street Fighter X Tekken later this year. The playable characters will make their debut on the PS Vita system when the game is released this fall, with the console and PC versions receiving them as DLC soon after. The character information and files were intentionally included on retail versions of the PS3 and Xbox 360 game to save hard drive space and to ensure for a smooth transition when the DLC is available, allowing players who choose not to purchase the content the ability to play against players that did. "
They're charging money for them and being completely brazen about it all being there ready to go.
i fuckin hate the new art style for SF and MvC and now Tekken has been infected ..... fuck capDLCcom
All Capcom is going to do, eventually, is just keep the DLC files on their servers and dole them out to you (at whatever price point you deem fair) regardless of whether they were done at release time or not.
It's the only way to avoid ruffling the feathers of people that want everything extra for free, regardless of the perception of whether it is really additional or not. That's not my point - the point is as developers see these kind of outcries, this is the most likely change they'll make, and NOT really change their marketing strategies.
It's the only way to avoid ruffling the feathers of people that want everything extra for free, regardless of the perception of whether it is really additional or not. That's not my point - the point is as developers see these kind of outcries, this is the most likely change they'll make, and NOT really change their marketing strategies.
I HAVE THE SPECIAL EDITION PREORDERED AND I'M GOING TO BUY IT TOMORROW AND ENJOY IT
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
@llort het
Exactly, its an endless feedback loop of bullshit that makes no sense. Its an argument based entirely on semantics where the semantics can be changed to suit their liking at any time with argument.
Revuhlooshun hit the nail on the head, its a shell game in simplest terms. They can move the money around anywhere they want and call it anything they want. This is no argument because when you lift up all the shells, you'll only ever end up with the same amount of money beneath them.
It's a failure in logic. It's logic that goes in circles, only allowing for a conclusion when Capcom (or any company) decides exactly how it ends, and they can do that at any time they please. What makes anyone think they'll allow for a conclusion that isn't in their favor?
Exactly, its an endless feedback loop of bullshit that makes no sense. Its an argument based entirely on semantics where the semantics can be changed to suit their liking at any time with argument.
Revuhlooshun hit the nail on the head, its a shell game in simplest terms. They can move the money around anywhere they want and call it anything they want. This is no argument because when you lift up all the shells, you'll only ever end up with the same amount of money beneath them.
It's a failure in logic. It's logic that goes in circles, only allowing for a conclusion when Capcom (or any company) decides exactly how it ends, and they can do that at any time they please. What makes anyone think they'll allow for a conclusion that isn't in their favor?
@smoger
I have for a while now been thinking that games need to start costing more, as awful a thought as it may be. I think back to spending $69.99 on SNES RPGs back in the mid-90s, and even with games being a much higher volume business now than they were 15-20 years ago, there's just no logic that the exponentially smaller, simpler game development cycle of a 16-bit game would retail for more than a modern title, crafted with a gargantuan multi-national team of Hollywood-caliber scope and talent.
So many of the things that infuriate us about the way modern games are sold are the direct result of static pricing and exploding development cost/time: on-disc DLC, online passes, endless pre-order bonuses, every game having an overpriced "Limited Edition", getting screwed 8-12 months post-release with "Ultimate" or GOTY editions, seeing good franchises whored out with superfluous yearly updates. It's evident that publishers are struggling to squeeze every last cent they can out of their product, even when they know that they're alienating a certain segment of their base.
Even beyond these issues with how WE experience games on the front-end, this sort of thing has just as much if not more negative effect on the people behind the scenes. Be it the rampant outsourcing of art and programming work like so many factory jobs, the hellacious schedules workers get stuck with, mass layoffs the moment a game goes gold, and talented developers being shuttered the moment a game fails to meet astronomical sales expectations, regardless of quality.
Gaming has been Wal-Marted, and it's a valid question to ask if the slimy business practices and shitty treatment of customers are worth it just for the sake of low, low prices.
I have for a while now been thinking that games need to start costing more, as awful a thought as it may be. I think back to spending $69.99 on SNES RPGs back in the mid-90s, and even with games being a much higher volume business now than they were 15-20 years ago, there's just no logic that the exponentially smaller, simpler game development cycle of a 16-bit game would retail for more than a modern title, crafted with a gargantuan multi-national team of Hollywood-caliber scope and talent.
So many of the things that infuriate us about the way modern games are sold are the direct result of static pricing and exploding development cost/time: on-disc DLC, online passes, endless pre-order bonuses, every game having an overpriced "Limited Edition", getting screwed 8-12 months post-release with "Ultimate" or GOTY editions, seeing good franchises whored out with superfluous yearly updates. It's evident that publishers are struggling to squeeze every last cent they can out of their product, even when they know that they're alienating a certain segment of their base.
Even beyond these issues with how WE experience games on the front-end, this sort of thing has just as much if not more negative effect on the people behind the scenes. Be it the rampant outsourcing of art and programming work like so many factory jobs, the hellacious schedules workers get stuck with, mass layoffs the moment a game goes gold, and talented developers being shuttered the moment a game fails to meet astronomical sales expectations, regardless of quality.
Gaming has been Wal-Marted, and it's a valid question to ask if the slimy business practices and shitty treatment of customers are worth it just for the sake of low, low prices.
@Chris Todd
The day the parts manufacturers sell me one thing then try to force some software upgrades on me to unlock whatever it is I bought ... then yes.
Until then I get exactly what I pay for and occasionally if I do my homework and find out what SMT resistor they pulled out to cripple my hardware, I'm quite happy to "un-cripple" it.
The day the parts manufacturers sell me one thing then try to force some software upgrades on me to unlock whatever it is I bought ... then yes.
Until then I get exactly what I pay for and occasionally if I do my homework and find out what SMT resistor they pulled out to cripple my hardware, I'm quite happy to "un-cripple" it.
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