Poll: Lack of cheats is costing game developers money from me. You?

[gorfias]

I love cheats. But, long story short, I think they're also necessary to my health. I'm increasingly buying only PC games with cheats available. Serious Sam is fantastic! But I didn't buy Hitman Absolution or Sleeping Dogs on today's steam sale as gamefaqs lists no cheats for them.

Got several hours left I think. Do you know of cheats for either of these two games?

You have to wonder if the companies know just how much money they are losing by not letting people do whatever they want with our games.

 

[scorptatious]

Eh. I really can't say that I miss cheat codes. Sure, they were fun to use, but they really weren't that important to me at all. So no, lack of cheat codes do not stop me from buying a game.

Also, I heard there was some cheat codes in the new XCOM, you gave your soldiers specific names and they become uber powerful.

 

[Rawne1980]

Cheat Engine.

If you can't figure out how to work out the pointers for yourself then someone usually posts a table for whatever game you want it for.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

I miss unlockable cheat codes and the like, but it doesn't necessarily put me off a game if it doesn't have them.

 

[Remaiki]

I don't really get how anyone can claim that the absence of cheats is a deal-breaker. I really don't. I thought cheats were those nice little things devs add in for the luls, not something that critically changes how the game is.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I've been off cheats since my childhood. They're fun to find and try out, but in the long run it takes away the challenge of gameplay. I like unlockable stuff but the absence of cheats would never dissuade me from buying a game.

 

[TehCookie]

I never actually thought of that. I know I wouldn't buy a GTA clone without cheats, the only thing I do in those games was faff about with everything unlocked and maxed out.

That's the only example I can think of though. I do miss cheats but it's not a dealbreaker.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

No. GTA and The Sims were about the only games I can think of that were more fun with cheats. Actually, used a cheat last night (was playing Guitar Hero III on my WiiU with a friend and realized we had nothing unlocked since the save data was on the Wii, so used an "unlock all songs" cheat), and it was the first time I can remember using one in I dunno how long.

 

[ThriKreen]

I'd prefer games to support modding out of the box over cheats.

 

[Bostur]

No I think games are more fun when playing by the rules. In fact sometimes the opposite can break a game for me, when the purpose of the game and the mechanics are too loose I tend to lose interest.

But I agree it is nice when developers support customization, cheating and modding. I don't agree with the sanctity of the software, the end user should be allowed to hack around as much as they like with their own software. Back in the days people made their own cheats, and many cheat 'codes' were actually binary hacks that wasn't designed by the developers.

 

[gorfias]

I would miss out on amazing titles such as "To The Moon", "Katawa Shoujo", or "Team Fortress 2".

Don't know about the first 2, but Team Fortress 2 is mostly an online game. I'd have to agree that online cheats should be barred as, you're not messing with your own game. You have reason to know that you are messing with someone elses' game, and that's bad (Killzone game, I laid into this one guy with a barrage. He didn't flinch. I have to call BS on that.)

I'd prefer games to support modding out of the box over cheats.

I do love mods, and they can make cheating unimportant. Loved having a Death Star in the sky at night in Skyrim

I never actually thought of that. I know I wouldn't buy a GTA clone without cheats, the only thing I do in those games was faff about with everything unlocked and maxed out.

That's the only example I can think of though. I do miss cheats but it's not a dealbreaker.

That's what I'm doing in Saints Row the Third and it is just a blast. I wish Sleeping Dogs had the same.

 

[AgentLampshade]

I just miss Big Head mode...

 

[StriderShinryu]

They were always sort of nice to have, but I don't really miss them at all. I can't really even think of the last game I played that had me thinking "I'd enjoy this more if it had some sort of cheat codes."

 

[hazabaza1]

...bwuh?
Sure, they're nice to have at times, but not getting games solely because there's no cheats?
I don't... I don't get that.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

I'd prefer games to support modding out of the box over cheats.

This.

The ability to Mod a game generally means its a buy for me.

 

[an annoyed writer]

I liked having cheats when they meant something (like when games used that dumb-ass lives system) but in today's modern games they don't really have a whole lot of usage. If a game supports modding then cheats are pretty much useless, since all of what can be achieved via cheats can be done with mods, and much much more. So no, if a game lacks cheats I don't really care, and I don't exactly see your standards of purchase in high regard, OP.

 

[Dale wheeler]

although i have completed them without cheats in my teens when i was younger i used to use cheats for ps2 era gta games as i sucked at games then and there was no cover system it was quick draw all enemies.

now most games dont need cheats such as gta iv new cover system. most cheats were used originally to skip levels you had done on old games so you could pick up where you left off.

cheats aren't needed today with saving and easier games, the hardest games are the oldest ones.