My Gaming Brethern, we must unite...

[LawlessSquirrel]

I can't help but substitute 'gamers' with 'people' and 'publishers' with 'government', because I'm cool like that.

But uh, on topic: if such a universal boycott were to happen, yes they'd take notice. But more importantly, companies like Valve would take a massive blow from lack of sales. In Valve's case, they'd probably survive since they're technically independent, but the developers that aren't are bound to feel the full wrath of their publishers for failing to make a game that breaks even, and may even be terminated. Games are expensive, usually high-risk projects, and if a developer starts releasing multiple games that bomb, they're pretty much done for.

That wouldn't help the games come out any faster.

Oh and why did everyoen want to boycott Left 4 dead 2?

Because it was announced before the original was a year old, and released on its anniversary. The complaints were that it didn't add enough, and was certainly going to split the community and render the first one obsolete (which is pretty much did).

 

[CGI Artist]

Where the hell is the FireFly based Frontier Elite 4? I mean cmon! Don't w have enough shooters and BS plat-formers. Where is the really good space sim/RPG? F***ING NOWHERE!!

 

[justnotcricket]

So we should indulge in that sort of self-entitled bullshit?

we're totally entitled to being treated fairly as consumers. No-one is disputing that.

But bitching because a few studios don't release games you want (the part where you brought up Ep3 actually made me laugh) is pathetic. Companies make money somehow. It's their choice. And the dev teams work hard to bring us the games we love. And you're saying we should be bitching more because you spend small handful of your country's currency every now and then on some games?

Your entire post is nothing but bitching because you want your games NAO. If a developer releases a game you'll enjoy, buy it. If not, you won't buy it. If they try to cheat you, complain.

No-one is trying to cheat you, for fuck's sake. Re-read your post and then tell me with a straight face that it doesn't sound ridiculous. You're telling us that because publishers tease us (IT'S CALLED MARKETING) with the promises of games they might not release (IT IS ENTIRELY IN THEIR HANDS) and even sometimes - shock horror - delay or cancel games that we might enjoy, then we must rise up against them and demand they completely change the way they do business in order to accommodate us!

They're not doing it for a cheap lol, they're doing it because companies need to keep making money, and so they will strive to release games that will sell well. The rest is all down to internal decision making and the work that developers put into their games. So what if they say they might release a game that never sees the light of day? have you nothing better to do with your fucking life? If we never see Ep.3, for example we'll cry a bit and move right on. You make it sound like this whole thing is just publishers trying to keep extracting pennies from us in a bizarre plot to keep us hypnotised. Which doesn't make sense. Here's why:

IF ALL THEY EVER DID WAS SPECULATE ABOUT GAMES YOU LIKE, THEY'D BE OUT OF BUSINESS. GAMES YOU ENJOY WILL ALWAYS COME OUT ON A REGULAR GODDAMN BASIS.

Now, unless there's some insane publisher somewhere that asks for money in exchange for a product that might not come out, I think my point is made.

To drive this point home even further, you gave your money to Valve but now you're not seeing a Half-Life 2: Episode 3. You say that this is unfair. It isn't. You never gave them money for that game, you gave them money for Half-Life 2. They didn't take money from you, they didn't ask you to pay full price for episode 3 but then put off giving it to you, you spent money on another game entirely and you enjoyed it. This isn't a fucking pre-order system, just because you bought from them before doesn't mean you're entitled to demand evidence of a future title. You never gave them anything for that future title. You're not getting screwed with in the slightest. Now, if HL2Ep3 ends up cancelled, I assure you, you'll know about it. because apparently you never realized that Valve spending money advertising something that they'll never get to see a return on would just be shooting themselves in the foot financially. But You're a little pissed off about something, so it must all be down to some easily-targeted corporate money machine, right? yeah, let's all get together and ***** and moan about how these people apparently have an obligation to us! WHICH THEY DON'T! =D

*Applauds* Well said =) You put it perhaps more forthrightly than I would have done, but I agree with your answer to the OP.

OT: My philosophy has always been to buy games that I think I will like, regardless of who publishes them. I agree that it is bad if a much-hyped and hinted-at game does not eventuate, especially if it was one you were particularly looking forward to. I, for example, would be seriously disappointed of Uncharted 3 got suddenly scrapped.

HOWEVER. C'est la vie. You might not like it, but la vie also goes on ;-).

 

[Souplex]

I already don't buy games that don't appeal to me. I'm speaking out with my wallet. Spreading that to the whole publisher just seems arbitrary.
I already boycott Valve for moral reasons, other than that the above applies.

 

[SpAc3man]

We don't need to be dicks to get what we want. Just look at Guitar Hero. It got milked to death and was given up on as a consequence. Most people couldn't care less or wanted this to happen. Just because a minority of gamers reject parts of the industry doesn't mean the industry should change for them. Valve can take as long as they like for all I care. I believe it will be worth the wait. The L4D2 boycott was a joke. A FF7 remake is just not what SE want to do right now so stop asking for one. If it comes it will come.

I will wait patiently for any Valve game. I will roll my eyes at the mention of a FF7 remake until SE actually say they are doing it.

 

[KeyMaster45]

The Boston Tea Party? I seem to remember that as being the time when America gave a big fuck you and middle finger to my country. Not the first, and certainly not the last. All my support left... well actually it left sometime in the first paragraph but by the end I was laughing pretty hard so you provoked a response at least.

P.S. Revolutionary War and War of 1812 ended oh...235&199 years ago respectively! Drop the whole," America is BS and all the people are selfish fat pigs who love guns and would sell their mom for a quick buck,' because when someone in England posts something amongst those lines I'm thinking,"dude, get over it, it was 2 centuries ago!

But that's kinda what the Boston Tea Party was; a giant "fuck you" to the British monarchy for imposing heavy taxes on everyday goods via the Townshend Acts and the Tea Act. They didn't just opt not to buy the tea they flat out destroyed about £10,000 worth of tea.

 

[Katana314]

Alright, I agree with PARTS of this.

I agree that we should acknowledge we hold control over publishers, and that boycotts WILL change their direction about things. However, I don't agree with your direction about what we should do.

I really don't see how it's fantastically cruel for someone NOT to be making a sequel to, or remake of, a game. The FF7 people probably realize with newer teams and new graphics, they would inevitably make a disappointing product with the FF7 remake. Valve has been enjoying some of their newer ideas like Team Fortress, Portal, and Left 4 Dead, so I don't see why they should solely concentrate on an IP that's been around since 1998 unless they have serious new ideas for it.

 

[Lyri]

Is this the new trend on the 'scapes now?

All it took was one video and out come the sheep.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

Yeah... no. Thats arlgiht. See, contrary to what most people like to think, Games are a company, and companies are companies like to make MONEY!

So they dont care about us.

Yeah, but they care about money. Something we have.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Snip

And how many people do you honestly think will stop buying games? EA makes a butt load of its money in America, and we cant even be inclined to vote for the man who's running their damn country for 4-8 years?

 

[theheroofaction]

Now maybe it's because I'm younger than you guys, but I WANT more portal and left4dead stuff from valve. Why the fuss?

 

[Jacob Lucas]

You want us to boycott Valve?

One of the biggest driving forces in the industry?
Because HL2:EP3 keeps getting pushed back?

I'd rather they give their staff the time they need to continue to produce gold. Innovation ain't easy.

If all game dev studios were like Valve, E3 would be held in higher regard than the Oscars.

 

[brunothepig]

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
Let us not buy a game until someone on an internet forum says it's perfect!
Rally to the ending of our illusions, and that games are good only if fanboys say so!!!!
Sales numbers mean nothing! Only the minority of hardcore gamers matter!"

This isn't what the OP said, but I'll be damned if that's what it sounded like to me!

I'm not asking for perfect games from publishers. I'm just asking that they put up or shut up. Saying a man is guilty or murder is nothing unless you have the smoking gun. HL:2 E:3 has just been concept art, bits of plot, and Gabe Newell taunting us with, "surprises." I'm not saying,"make them now," I'm saying if your giving us bait-and-hook, let us see us. If you hook us, publishers need to reel us in with cold hard evidence of its existence. Evidence so true you could smack someone in the face with it and they know it's real. I mean, if you make a great movie and say there will be a sequel, but you said that 10 years ago, let us know if you're giving it up and not make think your dragging your heels or just using the sequel to make consumers buy/rent the first movie or memorabilia to the first movie just to line his coffers.

See the thing is, as people have said publishers need their money. Now, I like to think some companies like Valve give a shit about their customers. Either way, they still need their money, whether it's because they want to be rich, or because they want to continue making games.
Which means, they won't confirm a game until it's well into development, for two reasons. One, if they confirmed it, then decided to work on another project (what if an awesome modder pops up again?) people like you are gonna get even more pissed off. Me, I don't care. They're allowed to work on what they want, to the schedule they want. If the games good, it's worth the wait, for both Valve and the customers. Remember, many companies make a lot more money of releasing a bunch of "adequate" games, like, for example, the COD series. All you need is rampant popularity. Instead Valve chooses to release fewer games, at much better quality (yes, some of that was my opinion).
The second reason is they don't want to show you proof until that proof looks damn pretty. And that takes a while in game design. First, second, third however many builds in, it still might be poorly animated, or not at it's peak graphical potential. And that sort of stuff is very important in the pitch. That's their first hook, they need it all nice and shiny.
Episode 3 will get made (probably as Half Life 3), as I said I believe Valve to be passionate about developing games, which means they probably want to see it made as much as us. But they wanted to make Portal 2 first, maybe they want to make sure they go in with many fresh ideas, who knows. All I know is Portal 2 is looking like another amazing game, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna boycott it.
As for Final Fantasy VII, they looked into it as they said they would, and realised it would cost a shitload to remake. Games that old wouldn't work just by giving them an "HD makeover". You'd have to basically rebuild the game. There's two sides to every argument, and there really isn't much point to companies "baiting" us, since if they want money they'd know to simply make that game. Which makes it unlikely there isn't another reason behind it.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

Snip

And how many people do you honestly think will stop buying games? EA makes a butt load of its money in America, and we cant even be inclined to vote for the man who's running their damn country for 4-8 years?

lol I don't know and don't care. I was merely stating we have money, something they want. So they should give a damn. Gotta care about your cashcow's.

 

[The_Echo]

So... you're pissed because developers are taking a while to release things? Then mention of the HD Final Fantasy VII gives me the impression that you're just a butthurt fanboy. FFVIIHD is the LAST thing on Squenix's mind. They have other things to deal with, like new games. I'd prefer original material over a shiny rehash of something everyone already either knows about or has played at least once before. As for the Half-Life Episode 3 thing, you don't know what Gabe Newell is doing with his time. For all you know, they're still trying to write the damn game, make sure it's as good as it's being hyped up to be. If Valve comes out with a press release saying "We'll have Episode 3 out in about 10 years," then maybe I'll side with you.

No, I will not join your cause. Yes, developers and publishers do tease us with screenshots, tech demos and what-have-you, but they do that because they need to advertise. Without advertisement, how will they get the audience they need?

While you're sitting around with your "Square Enix is for Squares" and "Time to turn the [Valve logo] to the OFF position" homemade T-shirts, I'll be having fun playing some good games that they're pumping out in the meantime between these titles you're too impatient to wait for.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Snip

And how many people do you honestly think will stop buying games? EA makes a butt load of its money in America, and we cant even be inclined to vote for the man who's running their damn country for 4-8 years?

lol I don't know and don't care. I was merely stating we have money, something they want. So they should give a damn. Gotta care about your cashcow's.

yeah, they should. But the cashcows are the causal gamer crowd that just dont care to protest. But eh.

 

[Irridium]

1) It wouldn't do jack shit. You'd have to convince the common buyer to do it(AKA the largest market that gives the publishers the most money), and good luck with that.

2) Doubt it would work, a bunch of people on the internet would amount to probably a few thousand at most. Wouldn't do much.

3) Things are actually pretty sweet. The Witcher 2, Skyrim, Shogun 2, Duke Nukem Forever is coming out(that'll never get easier to say), Serious Sam 3, possibly a new Timesplitters, GoG optimizing old games for new systems and selling them cheap... and much more.

Things are going pretty good. Much better then what most make things out to be. Can we improve? Hell yes we can, but we're really not that bad off.

Unless the Supreme Court decides that games should be censored for the children. Then things are kind of screwed. In the US at least.

 

[Kae]

I don't have any current gen systems, not portable, not PC and not console so I guess since I can't buy anything I'm on you're team just like the talking bacon said

I don't buy a lot of newer games anyway, so if you want to put it in such romanticized terms, I'm with you brother! I've already begun boycotting video games from developers and publishers who take advantage of me, the consumer, and who don't offer the quality I deserve or whatever.

Yeah just like he said!

 

[Whitenail]

I buy what I like. Always have. Always will.

Pretty much this. Besides, the Montgomery bus boycott aimed to put a dent in segregation and bring to light the unfair arrest of Rosa Parks (not to mention it was backed with civility, head-strong organisation and a clear outline of what would have to happen for the boycott to end) while alot of gamers were "boycotting" Alan Wake because the resolution wasn't up to scratch for the 360 (and even then it was nothing more than a bunch of graphic whores making angry attacks on the web against a small company who'd spent the last five+ years-citation needed- working with their best effort on what turned out to be a pretty good game).

 

[maddawg IAJI]

The Tea Party didn't take place because of a boycott. It took place because the Dartmouth wasn't able to leave the harbor until they paid the price for the tea.

As for boycotting, it doesn't do anything except hurt the companies and bullies them into what we want (Which isn't always the best thing). You want EA to actually listen to you instead of ignoring their emails, then buy a share of their stocks (Only 20 bucks) and go to the stock meeting. Voice your opinions there, as a stock holder, you're allowed the floor and you're placed in an area where they cannot ignore you. The same could be same for most companies. Square Enix is priced at 18 dollars, Activision is currently at 12 dollars and Microsoft is at 27 dollars. The prices are cheap and with the exception of Valve, you'd have the ability to not only control them as a consumer, but as a sponsor.