(note after writing this out: I didn't even wanted to watch the vid at first cos mehh, who cares. CiG fucks up, the Sun sets in the West, what's new... But after reading the comments it made me angry enough to actually go in and watch it and that made me even more angry. Conclusion: I need more beer. And whiskey.)
Good vid, our Glorious Leader is right, for a change! (j/k)
Although I wouldn't let CIG off the hook just because they made Zyloh say "we just trying sooo hard to come up with new iteration, blah, meaningless non-apology words, we try new bs next time, dance monkey dance!" Feels like reading the "apology" post for Diablo mobile by Blizzard ffs....
The Steak analogy still remains true, and should make customers (us) angry.
To be honest I'm not surprised at all that CiG is doing this. It's been done in other stuff for ages, and it works fine in some circles. Cars, Phones, PC Parts, Movies, you name it. Some youtube or magazine shill gets first dibs on it for free just to promote it, while those who pre-ordered and actually paid for it will wait for days/weeks after release day to actually get what they paid for. It is a disgusting but common practice. Something CIG should not take part in, because see what happens! The vast majority of the paying customers are not on the same stupidity level as apple worshippers and the like, who just accept that they are the peasants and the holy corporation can do no wrong! CiG is not on the level to pull shit like this without consequences just yet.
The excuse made by some of you and others on spectrum of "yeah but this way you get it more polished and better" holds no water. Lack of self control is not an excuse for bullshit like this. If you bought it and want it in a polished state, you have the Choice not to check it on PTU, and wait for PU (where it will still by buggy as all hell anyways).
Also giving it to streamers does NOT help development cos they will concentrate on the bits that work, things they can show off and are cool, not on the bits that are bugged. You think they give a rats ass about filing a bug report? yeah, sure....
Oh mah poor important big streamers, first they had to wait like all us peasants for the ships, and now they are getting their viewers bounced around! OMG, those poor poor influencers!
Cry me a fucking river...
Have you ever watched their stuff? 90% of those big "influencer" streams are just some static graphic or some wheel of fortune bullshit while the streamer collects his free money and reads out dumb messeges, and says nothing of worth. 4 hours out of a 4hour 15 minute stream, literally not even playing the game. I truly did try my best to take part, to watch them, to enjoy them, but they are god awful, and should be dropped from any support by CIG immediately! They only cultivate the image that this game is a fake bullshit for crazed fanatics. They literally scare away normal prospective players with that.
The argument about where is the cutoff, who says who is good enough or not is an important point. Loads of small streamers have much higher quality content, because they are small and make streams of actually playing the damn game. They just didn't get their names dropped at by Cig at CitCon so they remain small forever. This practice of promoting influencers only alienates loads of ppl who try their best at representing the game in a good light for potential buyers, via showing that there is a real game, in which you can have real fun.
I'm not saying CIG should pick em up instead, because that only would lead to the same thing again. I'm saying CIG should not promote Any streamers in any official way. They should be handled the same way like us simple mortals who have actually PAYED for their own stuff.
If CIG wants streamers, so they can bring in more ppl, Employ them! Fully! And plaster it all over the stream that they are indeed working for CiG as employees, and getting payed to sell you the new shiny ship, thus they get the "slightly less polished" version to play with before everyone else!
Controversy solved!