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The Jimquisition: BOYCOTT!

3:15 PM on 08.15.2011   |   Jim Sterling


This week, I look at the recent running joke that has become the videogame boycott. I look at why it's joke, why some boycotts are stupid, and why we shouldn't treat the concept with automatic disdain because of the bad ones. 

It took me entirely far too long to draw the ludicrous pictures that accompany this week's video.








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Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize. Likes PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3 Meet the rest of the team



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65 comments | showing # 1 to 50
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cody curry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:17
cody curry
I cant wait to come in this jimsamich!!!
Faux Furry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:26
Faux Furry
We should all boycott frivolous boycotts,including the pointless boycotts of boycotts until we're all to busy trying to get other people to stop doing things that offend us in some way that no one is doing anything other than telling other people to stop doing things that we all disapprove of.

To get off to a head start, why not boycott the proposal to call these video game related boycotts over issues of taste Fanboycotts?
Twosixteen's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:26
Twosixteen
Well said.
I Was A Cactus's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:28
I Was A Cactus
Both crass and eloquent, as expected.
Commandant Oreo's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:30
Commandant Oreo
This Jimquisition was awful. From here on out, I'm boycotting ann future Jimquisitions.
Foggle's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:30
Foggle
One of your better videos! Completely agree with you on all points.
Sat's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:30
Sat
Less and less screen time for Jim and more and more MSPaint art. They are, IMO, a bit less entertaining that way than they did before. And this is why I call for the entire planet earth to boycott Jim Sterling. I can't wait for the next episode!
ManByMyles93's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:31
ManByMyles93
There's still plenty of angry people still planning to boycott Capcom for MegaMan Legends 3...
cody curry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:40
cody curry
in seriousness I bought bionic commando rearmed 2 a few days ago at a friends house because I cant get proper internet where I live (Don't ask) just to find out there's DRM in it and I cant play a OFFLINE ONLY game without being signed into playstation network. 15 dollars wasted. I"m not going to Download anymore capcom games just out protest. Yeah Capcom doesn't know/care but I'm not going to disrespect myself and swallow this bullshit. I'm not a online gamer so this is my first run in with DRM.

So yeah maybe protest/boycott doesn't solve anything and maybe they do. But I think more than anything it matters how you feel if boycotting makes you feel like your being productive to your particular stance then do it. And sorry for ranting there but ITS A OFFLINE GAME LET ME PLAY IT D-bags.
mattrod288's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:41
mattrod288
Insightful. Thank you for doing this video.
TheNephilym's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:45
TheNephilym
I want to boycott fuckwit fanboys. And Lol@Glenn Beck. That was brilliant. :P
flintmech's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:45
flintmech
One of your better ones.
Tristrix's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:47
Tristrix
I'll meet you halfway Jim. As one who things boycotts are fucking stupid, I'll ease up on that and allow that SOME might feel them useful. However, in exchange, I want your guarantee that the boycotters aren't going to go be pushy and preachy about them and suggest that anyone who doesn't participate is contributing to the downfall of gaming, as well as society as a whole.

If you can guarantee me that, then yeah, I'll go along with you on this. Otherwise, they're going to remain fucking stupid.
MugenOh's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:47
MugenOh
@ManbyMyles93

I already quit my boycott of Capcom, since they don't sell anything new that I plan to buy anyway. It was just...redundant. :/
Epic-Kx's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:47
Epic-Kx
@cody
Buy it on eggsbawks, stoopid.
cody curry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:52
cody curry
@Epic-Kx "Buy it on eggsbawks, stoopid."

NO! And your avatar is of a inferior fighting game.
Cyber Altair's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:53
Cyber Altair
No silly jokes. =[

Okay....
cody curry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:53
cody curry
@Epic-Kx "Buy it on eggsbawks, stoopid."

NO! And your avatar is of a inferior fighting game.
Occams electric toothbrush's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:56
Occams electric toothbrush
How very true. Boycotts of video games make the gaming community come off as whining and entitled with little maturity.
Commandant Oreo's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:56
Commandant Oreo
Cody:NO! And your avatar is of an inferior........game.
lAboMbA's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 15:58
lAboMbA
Dedicated servers for Modern Warfare 2 should have been a rallying point with PC gamers...unfortunately too many people were misled by the perceived capabilities Steam offered or simply curious towards the notion (neither of which enhanced the dedicated server alternative).

I can understand why people still wanted to believe in MW2 and still tried...I did. But I stopped playing after the first week and never purchased another MW game since...nor will I (until dedicated servers return).

Cheating in MW2 exploded on Steam...rarely would I join a server and someone not go 20+ and 0 and nuke within 5 minutes. Dedicated servers would have fixed a large chunk of MW issues...but blah blah, spilt milk right. I'm still pissy over not playing newer the MWs because I cannot play it the way I should be able to.

But there is hope with BF3, which is why I am so adamant about it succeeding. So let me get this hypocrisy right, I boycott MW2,BO,and MW3...yet I am fervently against anyone boycotting BF3. Check. BUT, in my eyes, dedicated servers is the soul of the game whereas which download service you use is PETTY SHIT.

So, once again (ASTONISHINGLY) I agree with the gist of Jim's argument.

+1 jimothy.
cody curry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:00
cody curry
@Commandant Oreo: Elena from Street fighter *sigh* Yeah not lot of people get it.
Hankmurphy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:01
Hankmurphy
I've been boycotting the Madden series since EA bought exclusive rights.
Scuffles's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:02
Scuffles
generally when I say boycott I mean the hell out of it and I hold a grudge (I'm looking at you EA). I fully agree tho that a lot of the internet seems to be jellyspined when it comes to what they say and what they actually do. The Modern Warfare debacle seems to come to mind as a shining example of complete nospineatosis.
Commandant Oreo's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:06
Commandant Oreo
I boycott every game I don't buy.
Scuffles's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:08
Scuffles
@MugenOh

Yeah that's about where capcom sits with me too ..... MML3 did piss me off .... but they have nothing else I'm interested in so... it would just be as you put it, redundancy.
Scissors's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:09
Scissors
I can agree with this Jimquisition, however the DMC issue is something else entirely. No one ever mentioned boycotts on that game, and people are upset over more than just the visuals. They're changing the game entirely the developer has mentioned how he felt Dante was "uncool", and then he said Bayonetta was "too Japanesy." That's like saying Killzone is too American so they're going to put more men with spiky hair and giant swords into the game. They've changed everything about the game it barely resembles the original DMC games. I'm all for changing things up, I usually applaud going in different directions. In fact aside from how Dante looks I kind of like the new art direction. My issue is that they've changed the game so much I don't understand why they don't just turn it into a new IP. The DMC series has become popular because of it's amazing streamlined Gameplay, and now they're putting the games in the hands of people whose games have been universally criticized for having lackluster gameplay. The little we've seen of gameplay looked pretty rough and I'm not sure if they can pull it off.

Some times there's more to it than just aesthetics. I know you're excited for it because you're a huge Ninja Theory fan, and you were never a fan of the DMC universe aside from the gameplay so this sounds like win win to you. Many of us do like the established DMC universe, and this new direction doesn't fit in with what's been established at all. This game is giving me the same feelings I got from other M, I want to like it I really do, but as a long time DMC fan I don't think this is going to deliver what I'm looking for in a Devil May Cry experience. I don't think the game will be terrible, but it's not what I want.
fish taco's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:11
fish taco
haha Jim you would have had a field day on the EA UK forums for BF3 early on. Then the alpha footage came out, and so many sigs were changed that day I think it overloaded the website
Jeffrey Warf's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:15
Jeffrey Warf
now THAT was some epic commentary right there. i wish it was a little more impactful, but that's like wishing for the sun to revolve around the earth when you're dealing with the loud majority of gamers.

People like Ben Croshaw and the people at Extra Credits REALLY deserve more attention by the general public (which I hate. big time.), because they challenge our beliefs and make us actually think about the state of gaming as it is instead of just going and saying "well whatever, it's my opinion and i enjoyed it." whenever i try to push people to stop buying Cash-In of Duty because stomps or gets an original, innovative, and all around groundbreaking new game delayed (which is EVERY FUCKING TIME).

I really wish the LCDs didn't control the economy... then maybe new and thoughtful games would get made more often instead of the astoundingly unoriginal, brown and browner Cash-In of Duty games and its rip-offs that get made instead.

But then again, if it wasn't Cash-In of Duty, it'd be Halo. If it weren't Halo, it'd be something else. God I hate Lowest Common Denominators... They wouldn't give a shit if video games stopped being made because Cash-In of Duty and games like it were the industry standard some day. They'd just go "Well good! Because those are the only good games!"

I really can't find the right words to express how angry I am and there is no novel long enough to explain everything that is wrong with the LCDs running the economy and why Cash-In of Duty should be boycotted, so I should just stop here because I really work myself into a frenzy over it (just like when the Smurfs or Transformers 2 is successful and causes films like Attack the Block and District 9 to be passed over just because they're not well known enough... i've even known people who say that Transformers 2 is BETTER than District 9. no. just. no. no one has any idea how much of a rage i work up whenever anyone says a thoughtless explosionfest for douchebags makes more money than an intellectual deconstruction of racism and prejudice using god damn aliens!)
the7k's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:18
the7k
@cody
I respect your avatar (Elena is my favorite SF3 character).
I don't respect your views (I'll take KOF'98,'02UM, XI or XIII are absolutely amazing).

On the topic of boycotts - until we can get serious boycotts started and well-maintained, I don't think it'll ever be taken seriously. When people just let Activision buy multiple companies (Bizarre Creations and Red Octane, off the top of my head), squeeze every bit of milk out of those cash cows until the teets were bleeding, and then just put them out to pasture in a very short amount of time... it caused no alarm. No one was ready to boycott or anything. Yet look at all we will boycott. It's all a joke.
Chris Carter's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:22
Chris Carter
DMC is a different issue entirely, as Scissors stated (it would be like changing Smurfs to evil green men, then saying the original Smurfs were "too blue", while taglining your IP as "The Smurfs").

Despite being cautious of the new DMC for a myriad of reasons, I would never boycott it - and that goes for any other game. If the game ends up being good despite my caution - so be it! I can't believe so many people are boycotting Capcom lately. If you don't want to play their fighters anymore, that's cool - just don't trash me for buying Mega Man games.
cody curry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:26
cody curry
@the7k
I kid the new KOF looks pretty good.

And a boycott needs follow though to mean anything. And that requires will something people struggle to have when it comes to vidja gaemz .
Paperclip's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 16:39
Paperclip
Good video Jim. I think these are getting better the more you do them. I didn't miss the ending where you say you're fucking amazing though. I know you do it for your persona or whatever, but it just detracts from the actual video itself. Especially if you bring up good arguments like this one.
Primo's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 17:05
Primo
love the ms paint drawings
MrBoBo1's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 17:30
MrBoBo1
Your entire existence Jim, is based on bitching. It's the only reason you actually get any attention as really, you have nothing else to offer. It's a cheap and effective way to getting hits. So really, you are as bad as them, probably worse when you think about it.
DasPooch's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 17:47
DasPooch
@MrBoBo1 - So why are you taking the time out of your life to not only watch the video, but take the time to get your hate on in the comments?

Jealous, much?
cody curry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 18:10
cody curry
@MrBoBo1 - derp jim derp fat. Jim Sterling hate on dtoid is so fucking annoying. Hears a thought there's a picture next to the title of every article on dtoid. If you don't like Jim then ignore him.

Especially since it's a web series where he talks about the things he disapproves of. So if you fell hes bitching don't "give him tips" derp.
cody curry's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 18:15
cody curry
*hits lol. Jim would have to dance in heels to get tips from me. Grr
burningsoup's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 18:22
burningsoup
Good job Jim, you actually rationalized the entire problem pretty well. I think the catch 22 with gaming boycotts is that people aren't sure which ones are important enough to get behind so they just start getting behind everything. Like the whole Capcom boycott, I heard some arguments in favor for it from a guy saying "Capcom's been terrible to their customers" but he went on to explain that he wasn't a Capcom customer himself. This isn't like a Civil Rights boycott where it's a common moral good, so you should only get behind it if it genuinely affects you.
GagaPerez's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 18:27
GagaPerez
That was really good. I want to share it.
Timstuff's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 18:36
Timstuff
I stopped buying Capcom's games a while ago because of their abusive DRM, abuse of on-disc DLC and their general tendancy to ship unfinished products and then sell the finished version later that requires the purchase of a new disc. And I've stuck to my guns, unlike many people who complain but then just go and buy the games anyway.
DoctorRheet's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 18:37
DoctorRheet
Looks like someone had a great deal of fun with MS Paint.
Bunny Raider's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 18:59
Bunny Raider
Those MS Paint drawings get me every time.
llort het's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 19:00
llort het
Call me stupid or whatever, but I'm still boycotting games like portal 2 and ms. splosion man because I literally can't play half the game because they decided to put 50% of the game's development into forced multiplayer. I'll buy them when they hit half price (for half of a game) but until then, I don't want to support games that won't allow you to play them without having to convince someone else to play, or spending a bunch of money on shitty online gaming (which I wouldn't be interested in even if it was free.)
Freakazoid's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 19:20
Freakazoid
@MrBoBo1
Jim has plenty to offer, including a great sense of humor. If you don't like him, ignore him. No one is forcing you to watch these videos.
Freakazoid's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 19:21
Freakazoid
@LLort het
A fair point, but Portal 2's single player was long enough, I feel. The game is half-price on Steam now, I think.
Darkmessiah24's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 19:30
Darkmessiah24
Great ep, Jim!
Muff Daddy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 19:33
Muff Daddy
I'm going to boycott boycotting
Wonderbread's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 19:40
Wonderbread
I never boycotted anything except for resident evil ds 1 save bull shit because that actually mattered to me. Most of these things are just silly however when I do care about something that I don't want to become a trend I do boycott.

Also I am boycotting ico/shadow HD because I don't like HD. JAGGY EDGES FOR LIFE!!!!
Judas's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/15/2011 20:50
Judas
True dat Jimmy.
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