The issue of gamer "entitlement".

[wicket42]

I'd like to start by saying this is not a thread strictly about the mass effect 3 ending, but take a look at this video and then have a go at answering my question(s).

(The video contains no spoilers for the story of Mass Effect 3)

http://uk.ign.com/videos/2012/03/12/mass-effect-3-opinion-video

Seen it?

OK, my question is, what exactly is a gamer actually entitled to when they buy a game?

Are you allowed to voice your displeasure about an aspect of a product or service? Be it the narrative, framerate issues, face import issues, day one DLC?

Are you allowed to ask for a change to one of those issues but not another one?

Is there an artistic element to a game, that it's unacceptable to criticise, but a technical element that is?

I hear the term "entitled gamer" getting thrown around a lot, and wonder what the community's opinion is.

Captcha: Just Dance

I must obey the captcha!

 

[synobal]

I don't know how define what a gamers rights are when they buy a game, but it pretty much needs to be functional and resemble the claims on the box.

Most games do that these days, back in the NES/ATARI era games were such a crapshoot. It was like gambling when you bought a game.

Though the one game I did buy randomly I did enjoy a lot, it was called Nightshade: Part 1 Claws of Sutekh dunno if anyone played that back in the day. Dunno if there was ever a part 2.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

1. Wanting something for free is entitlement. You feel entitled to something, and feel you shouldn't have to expend any effort/money to get it.

2. Paying for something and then expressing disappointment is not entitlement. You're entitled to expectations after buying a product, that's why you bought it in the first fucking place.

 

[Aircross]

Gamers are entitled to what the developer promised them. The developer doesn't have to uphold every promise, but the more promises are delivered the better the relationship between gamer and developer.

Also: http://chawnaschroeder.com/readerwritercontract.aspx

...for game narrative.

 

[Megalodon]

The "entitled gamer" accustion chiefly seems to be trown around by people trying to shut down,quite often, legitimate complaints, like the ME3 ending because they don't agree, felt differently, don't understand the complaints, or are just aresholes.

 

[wicket42]

Gamers are entitled to what the developer promised them. The developer doesn't have to uphold every promise, but the more promises are delivered the better the relationship between gamer and developer.

Also: http://chawnaschroeder.com/readerwritercontract.aspx

...for game narrative.

So, if the writer/reader contract is broken, can you ask for a refund or a rewrite?

 

[wicket42]

Not watching it as it may contain spoilers.

I should add that the video doesn't actually contain spoilers for the story of Mass Effect 3.

 

[WoW Killer]

You're entitled to not buy a product. That's all the entitlement you need. The surprising thing about the games industry is that the consumers don't even realise they have that entitlement, or choose not to use it for whatever reason. Business decisions are made in terms of sales figures. You can complain to hell and back about something like DLC, but if you go and buy that product anyway, you're ensuring that the trend will continue long into the future.

Listen to this: . . . . . . Did you hear that? That's the sound of me not buying ME3. It's easier than you might think to not give EA money. You should try it sometime.

I'm also proud to have not bought horse armour.

 

[PrinceOfShapeir]

Books are a different beast from video games. No author in his right mind would pull what Bethesda did with Fallout 3 and Broken Steel.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

"entitled gamer" or "entitled customer" for that matter is thrown around as an accusation. As something dirty that should make you feel ashamed. Why? Because corporations want you to forget a very important expression: "the customer is always right".

Well guess what - the customer IS always right! If I pay for something, I sure as hell want it to be satisfactory.

 

[synobal]

"entitled gamer" or "entitled customer" for that matter is thrown around as an accusation. As something dirty that should make you feel ashamed. Why? Because corporations want you to forget a very important expression: "the customer is always right".

Well guess what - the customer IS always right! If I pay for something, I sure as hell want it to be satisfactory.

I'm sorry but I run a business and I can tell you first hand the customer is not always right, and most the time the customer doesn't even know what the hell they are talking about.

 

[Don Savik]

Sigh..."entitled customer" or "entitled gamer" are phrases I wish dead. When a game doesn't live up to expectations set out for it, the people who are left dissapointed are...in the wrong? uh....WHAT?

If a game has issues technically and is broken, then I'm pretty sure its illegal to sell me a broken product. Game developers need to make sure their own goddam game is at least WORKING regardless of how bad it is. We are entitled to a WORKING game at the very least. I am not self-riteous, I AM PAYING MONEY so I expect a somewhat equal transaction.

As for day 1 dlc? Why can't we all agree that its a shady business practice to cut content from your game that could have very well been on the disc AS IT WAS CREATED PRIOR TO RELEASE just so you can sell it separately for more money? But no, someone enjoyed Mass Effect so obviously I am just talking out of my ass. Yes, it could've been a good game for all I know (I didnt play it, but ill take your word), but it could have been BETTER as a complete experience that I don't have to make numerous micro-transactions towards.

 

[Epona]

People who scream about gamer entitlement think that:

- we shouldn't expect to own the games we buy
- we shouldn't be able to resell the games we buy
- we shouldn't expect the entire game if we buy it on day one
- we shouldn't expect a demo
- we shouldn't expect to be able to return a game once opened

It's pretty ridiculous that the game industry has already fucked consumers over this bad, it will only get worse so long as gamers defend this nonsense. Imagine buying a TV and bringing it home to find out that it doesn't work as promised and then being told that it's non refundable because you took it out of the box.

I think I now see why CAPTCHA was replaced with Solve Media, it's so they can get more advertisement money. I wonder how much Pizza Hut is paying them to make me type "$10 Dinner Box"?

 

[Kahunaburger]

I'm not convinced "entitlement" is an issue here - it's pretty okay to say "I am unhappy with this design element/pricing model/sales model/etc." The real problem is that people don't follow that up by buying something with better design/pricing/etc.

 

[Fr]anc[is]

As it stands right now entitlement is just a word that got thrown around way too much and now has no meaning beyond an automatic STFU.

 

[Fappy]

1. Wanting something for free is entitlement. You feel entitled to something, and feel you shouldn't have to expend any effort/money to get it.

2. Paying for something and then expressing disappointment is not entitlement. You're entitled to expectations after buying a product, that's why you bought it in the first fucking place.

This. Plus IGN is not a credible source on this issue as their own Jessica Chobot was in the game. Not that they are a credible source normally.