I wish the media would stop blaming us

[Bruttle]

(I apologize in advance for the long ass rant)

At the moment, and for the last couple years, there has been a MMO drought. I have enjoyed some mmos in the short term, but none have really stuck with me. The ones that have lasted longer than a few weeks only held because there was nothing better out there. Some have lasted for months, some longer. They all felt like a compromise though.

So as a result, I always keep an eye on the future mmos. I love the genre and am always looking for the next best thing. Everything that looks good is still a ways in the future. One of these is the MMO "Bless". I'm not saying it looks great, but rather that I have my eye on it.

I ran across an article about it the other day. The writer was interviewing one of the developers of Bless. It wasn't the interview that got me, but rather the opening statement. The opening statement struck a nerve and really got under my skin. It was:

MMORPG fans are well aware of how stale and barren the genre has been in recent years. Western developers and publishers, after fruitlessly pursuing the runaway success of Blizzard’s World of Warcraft, have largely stopped making triple-A MMORPGs in favor of jumping on the latest trends such as MOBA, survival and lately Battle Royale titles.

The writer wasn't relevant. The site publishing the article was one that I hadn't heard of. However, the sentiment was one that I have heard time and time again. It seems that developers are always eluding to it or writers are always laying blame on it. The sentiment is that gamers are too picky. The thought is that only WoW can achieve their amount of success. Only that one game can make money because too many gamers are stuck on it. It was a "runaway success" and it was only a fluke. Don't take into account that that is probably the one game that has actually catered to their players.

That is what I am so fed up with. Developers are constantly insinuating that the buyers are too needy or picky. They continually imply that we ask too much of the gaming industry. They act like the consumers just don't want that type of game or that particular genre just isn't selling at the moment. They report that buyers aren't willing to spend that kind of cash. They claim that we are to blame when a developer comes out at a loss. They try to place blame on some imaginary limit to our wallet. They pander to the developer's ideology that if they don't make just the right game at just the right time, it won't sell.

The part that kills me is that they skip over anything regarding development blame. They glaze over the absolutely ridiculous design decisions that plague "AAA" games. They ignore the blatant disregard for sufficient cheat detection. They pretend like games don't release with an almost criminal lack of promised features. They glaze over the FTP promises and the denied P2W cash shops. They pretend like we don't notice when a game places the vast majority of their content behind a ridiculous pay wall and DLC.

The best part is when they blame the high cost of development. They act like it was perfectly reasonable for a simple run and gun to cost 200 million dollars (when the advertising budget was 150 million of that). Like their lack of good judgment was our fault. Yes, games cost more to develop today than they did back in the 80's. However, that doesn't mean we are responsible for the developers lack of cost management.

Like I have said before, I just want a fair product for a fair price. I don't care if a game ships for $5.00 or $100.00. If it is a game that I will spend years playing, I don't mind putting out the cash. I can't take my girls out to the movies without spending $50 and that's for 2 hours of entertainment. For years of entertainment, it is only reasonable that I should spend a chunk more. I get it. Don't try to cheat me out of it. Just tell me what you need to make a profit and I will pay it if the product is worth it.

I'm just sick of developers trying to cheat the money out of me. I'm sick of the blame game. I'm absolutely done with AAA developers shipping $60 games that paywall for an additional $100 that end up with less content than a $5.00 indie game. I'm sick of pay to win. I'm done with DLC. I am absolutely fed up with releases that act like buggy, alpha, tester, bullshit.

Make a game that is good. That's all I ask. Hell, just make it decent but honest and it will sell like hotcakes. Make decisions based on the gamer good. It doesn't matter what genre it is. It doesn't matter what play style it implements. It doesn't matter if it is an RTS, or a MMO, or a fighter, or a side scrolling, or an app, or a point and click, or a turned based. If it is good. We will play it. We will put up the cash.

IF YOU MAKE A DECENT GAME WE WILL BUY IT. We are gamers and we will play every single great game that comes out. There are over 155 million gamers in America alone. If you make a solid game, almost all of us will play it. That's not even counting every other nation in the world.

That's why I have backed Star Citizen to the extent I have. I want this game to prove a point. I want this game to succeed out of vision, drive, quality, and standards. I want this game to provide undeniable proof that gamers are willing to pay much more up front if that is what is needed. If this game succeeds, we have all collectively proven our point.

Thank you for reading this out.

[/rant]

 

[Blind Owl]

Best rant I've read in years.

I concur wholeheartedly, Mr Bruttle. It seems to me that developers and producers alike have forgotten the reason that games exist in the first place: to be played by gamers.

If the discontent of the community at large becomes great enough, I should think that the producers and developers will be forced to listen. Discontent leads to lack of sales, and that will hurt their priority: making money.

Too long we, as the gaming community, have accepted their status quo, have allowed them to slowly change the system, from DLCs to seasons passes to microtransactions to loot boxes.

Now the community is fighting back. And we're fighting back in a way that makes the suits listen: by affecting their sales.

Star Citizen is a shining beacon of hope for almost 2 million gamers, with millions more to follow once the game his beta and beyond. And it stands to show the producers what you've pointed out: that we as gamers will pay for what we want. Just be honest with us and quite fucking whining.

 

[Radegast74]

Best rant I've read in years.

I concur wholeheartedly, Mr Bruttle. It seems to me that developers and producers alike have forgotten the reason that games exist in the first place: to be played by gamers.

If the discontent of the community at large becomes great enough, I should think that the producers and developers will be forced to listen. Discontent leads to lack of sales, and that will hurt their priority: making money.

Too long we, as the gaming community, have accepted their status quo, have allowed them to slowly change the system, from DLCs to seasons passes to microtransactions to loot boxes.

Now the community is fighting back. And we're fighting back in a way that makes the suits listen: by affecting their sales.

Star Citizen is a shining beacon of hope for almost 2 million gamers, with millions more to follow once the game his beta and beyond. And it stands to show the producers what you've pointed out: that we as gamers will pay for what we want. Just be honest with us and quite fucking whining.

Indeed, best rant I've seen as well as great analysis by both of "yous."

My take on this sad situation is that, as games have become more corporate, gaming companies have become corporations (I know, big duh).

The problem then is that each decision has to be vetted and approved by committees, and so there is just a huge pull to the "average" or the "middle" or the expectation of "this is what gamers want/what is hot now," which means that pretty much everything is going to look the same. Nobody is going to stick their neck out in this type of environment and try something radically different (unless they are a smaller and agile company).

The other big problem with big corporations in games is that the shareholders expect regular returns on their money. Every year, they expect a huge profit, especially right after the holidays. So there is huge pressure to pump out games on a regular basis. This means we constantly get games which are really just minor/cosmetic upgrades to what was released the year before or in the previous game. Or, the games are released with a butt-load of bugs, with the expectation that they will upgrade it later...

To me as well, Star Citizen in the bright shining game that can push the boundaries and show everybody else what can be done. We have a man with a genius vision, who has experience, and who isn't answerable to any corporate suits...the only people he has to answer to are the backers, who are real gamers! I worry about people's patience running out...I know, I have a finite amount as well, but when you look at all the other crap out there, I'm willing to wait. But if they can keep up a decent schedule this year, in another year, we will be in a much better place!

 

[Printimus]

RANT ALL THE THINGS!

 

[supitza]

The best part is when they blame the high cost of development. They act like it was perfectly reasonable for a simple run and gun to cost 200 million dollars (when the advertising budget was 150 million of that). Like their lack of good judgment was our fault. Yes, games cost more to develop today than they did back in the 80's. However, that doesn't mean we are responsible for the developers lack of cost management.

Like I have said before, I just want a fair product for a fair price. I don't care if a game ships for $5.00 or $100.00. If it is a game that I will spend years playing, I don't mind putting out the cash. I can't take my girls out to the movies without spending $50 and that's for 2 hours of entertainment. For years of entertainment, it is only reasonable that I should spend a chunk more. I get it. Don't try to cheat me out of it. Just tell me what you need to make a profit and I will pay it if the product is worth it.

This. This far, I've "payed" over $600 for Star Citizen. For me, that's a fair price to pay for what I expect to get out of it.

The other big problem with big corporations in games is that the shareholders expect regular returns on their money. Every year, they expect a huge profit, especially right after the holidays. So there is huge pressure to pump out games on a regular basis. This means we constantly get games which are really just minor/cosmetic upgrades to what was released the year before or in the previous game. Or, the games are released with a butt-load of bugs, with the expectation that they will upgrade it later...

With my basic understanding of economics, if you invest more in a game and make it better, it will sell more and you'll make more money in the long run.
If you make half-assed games, they'll sell for a while and then the gamers will catch on to the shenanigans and stop buying your games altogether, even if they might be worth their price. That's what happened for me with EA and Ubisoft: they failed to meet my expectations one too many times and now, even if they put out a decent title, I won't even consider buying it.

 

[RoughGalaxy]

I fully agree. The demand for profits by shareholders drag down what should be great games. which can compound into lost sales, bad reviews, lost jobs, and more. the latest mass effect being a great example of trying to go cheap too much and paying the price. not only with people being let go/reshuffled, but for fans who lose out on expected dlc and sequels that now just kinda aren't happening because it didn't do well. now, because the bigwigs fucked up and made bad choices, they are too scared to invest to make more games, not realizing that if the tried and true mass effect team was working on it, and EA fucked off, we would by the dlc and the sequels.

 

[Vavrik]

I hear all of this. They forget that whatever else we are, we are also the customers and consumers of their product. That actually makes us the most important stakeholders in the industry. They're not the only industry to forget this, but they certainly are one of them. Developers have only themselves to blame. (and I don't mean individual programmers, I mean the publishing and development companies) This is also exactly why I support CIG and Star Citizen, and *invested* 20 times what I've otherwise payed for the most expensive game I ever played, so far. Yes invested.

Stick that in your ear EA.

 

[CosmicTrader]

They continually imply that we ask too much of the gaming industry.

Yeah, what is wrong with us?
Why do we insist on a fun, complete game with an interesting story line?
(I played many, many of these types of games in the 80s & 90s. Then GREED took over.)
Why don't we just give them our money & shut up? I think not.

Best rant I've read in years.

Rant away my friend.

Star Citizen is a shining beacon of hope

The 'Main Stream Game Producers' will really cry when Star Citizen sets the future goal posts & they have to license the technology from CIG to compete. Look what has happened to the PC hardware industry since the launch of Star Citizen......
THIS IS THE TYPE OF GAME WE WANT. Wing Commander did this and SC will change ALL future games.

*** I have personally spent almost $700 USD on Star CItizen PLUS a new PC 5 years ago to run it for $900 USD
*** I have never spent more than $40 USD for any game and vowed never to spend over $60 USD...
*** Star Citizen ( a REAL GAME) changed that for me.

 

[Bruttle]

*** I have personally spent almost $700 USD on Star CItizen PLUS a new PC 5 years ago to run it for $900 USD
*** I have never spent more than $40 USD for any game and vowed never to spend over $60 USD...
*** Star Citizen ( a REAL GAME) changed that for me.

Star Citizen changed my spending habits as well. Usually, when buying a game, I would wait for a while before buying. At the very least, I would wait for the release reviews before buying. Sometimes, I would even wait for a sale. I certainly never bought the day of release, let alone preorder. I had just had far, far too many bad experiences. By far too many, I mean every freaking time.

SC was completely different though. Even in the midst of the kickstarter craze, SC stood out as uniquely informative. Not only did they pitch a good game, but they have been kept it going with solid ideas and tons of play-by-play. Don't get me wrong, they don't tell us everything, but they do keep a much greater degree of transparency. Then, they back it up with a surprisingly up to date live game. Not only do we know the latest development, but we can play it as well.

There are so many positive things surrounding this development that I can't help but back it. Hell, I've already received a ton of entertainment for my money. If this turns out to have a lifespan to rival the other industry greats, every last dollar I have put into this project will be worth it.

 

[Mich Angel]

Think most I wanted to say been said already so I just say

"I AGREEE!"

Give us a good game and we buy, screw with us and you're done as a game developer it's as simple as that.. :D
Gamer's stick together even if we on battle field can be bitter enemies, thought most established company in gaming industry was aware of that!
Ha ha ha apparently not :P ha ha ha

:beers::beers::beers::beers::beers::beer::beer::beer::beer:

 

[Deroth]

It isn't just game developers, it has been becoming a part of the culture across the software development industry.

I work with a lot of government contact software developers, they're paid up front plus incrementally for software the customer wants then get pissed off when the customer actually expects what they paid for and was promised...instead they get what the developer wanted to make and millions of pages of excuses for why the customer is wrong for wanting what they paid for and expecting to be able to use it in accordance what tax payer money was budgeted for.

Unfortunately I don't know where this mentality is getting inserted into that industry, but until in changes software developers are going to continue to be lambasted by disgruntled customers.

 

[RoughGalaxy]

CIG is forthcoming with so much, I think the only stuff they keep behind closed doors are things they aren't sure are ever going to work or actually happen in the game. They know as well as we do, if they say it, it's gospel. It's way harder to go back after you said something, then to just keep it under wraps.

I, frankly, am fine with that, and totally understand why they do it that way.

 

[Blind Owl]

Wow. So many awesome views. Have I told y'all that I love you? I love you.