Will Boycotting a video game EVER work?

[HaloHappy]

This is the question I'm facing here, with two recent boycotts of CoD:MW2 and L4D2, and the seeming fact that it won't do squat. I mean, the Left 4 Dead 2 boy-cotters were over 37,000 strong at one point, but after the leaders of it played the actual game, they disbanded the group. Then there's the Modern Warfare 2 boycott, which did nothing to stop it from selling over 7 million in it's first day alone. So, with these two boycott groups doing not much to the cause, (MW2 more, considering Valve's ears), how can boycotting a video game ever work?

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

I don't think it can ever work, unless it is an active boycott where they wait outside the shop to mug anyone who buys the game.
or warn them not to buy the game before they go in to buy it.

 

[theSovietConnection]

It has the capacity to work, but its a very "all or nothing" thing. Much like not voting as a sign of protest, you need everyone to do it or nobody will care because in the end someone still got elected.

 

[AddytheGreat]

I dont think they'll ever work, what do they want the companys to do? Stop making the game?
No chance

 

[NuclearPenguin]

What was it? 3 million CoD6 copies sold on the first day? World record there. Yet still so many PC gamers boycott it.

 

[rockytheboxer]

I don't think it can ever work, unless it is an active boycott where they wait outside the shop to mug anyone who buys the game.
or warn them not to buy the game before they go in to buy it.

That's not a boycott, that's a protest. On topic, Boycotting would only work if it were a true, massive boycott. A thousand people won't make a dent, but if everyone who bought L4D decided to not buy L4D2, that would make a difference.

 

[Yumi_and_Erea]

To quote Yahtzee:

"Short answer: no.

Long answer: nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

(I actually counted all the O's and yes, this is an accurate quote)

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

I don't think it can ever work, unless it is an active boycott where they wait outside the shop to mug anyone who buys the game.
or warn them not to buy the game before they go in to buy it.

That's not a boycott, that's a protest. On topic, Boycotting would only work if it were a true, massive boycott. A thousand people won't make a dent, but if everyone who bought L4D decided to not buy L4D2, that would make a difference.

Either way, it gets the job done, and the lines are always blurry anyway.
infact, I can't remember the lines between anything being distinct.

 

[Soxafloppin]

To quote Yahtzee:

"Short answer: no.

Long answer: nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

(I actually counted all the O's and yes, this is an accurate quote)

Thats actually impressive in a sad way ( i wonder how many ZP nazis will go check)

OT: It would need to be taken to extremes to work.

 

[sms_117b]

No, you'll never have a large enough percentage of the fan base.

Most boy cotters are hardcore gamers, most main-steam players aren't.

 

[orangebandguy]

No, it won't. As long as the companies make a profit they'll ignore boycotts.

 

[HaloHappy]

What was it? 3 million CoD6 copies sold on the first day? World record there. Yet still so many PC gamers boycott it.

It's mainly due to the lack of dedicated servers, I think. That and I heard they upped the price to that of a console game.

 

[Mromson]

Of course it works. Be relentless in your boycott while setting LOUD AND CLEAR goals and never back down. With enough voices, only the stupid won't budge. With 40,000 people, there a slight thought to consider - but with 200,000 people, you suddenly start paying attention. Add a small thing > earn $10mill.

And to whoever said voting is useless; you're wrong. If both sides are evil, you vote for the lesser evil and become relentless with your voice. Eventually you'll end up with only the good.

 

[HaloHappy]

Of course it works. Be relentless in your boycott while setting LOUD AND CLEAR goals and never back down. With enough voices, only the stupid won't budge. With 40,000 people, there a slight thought to consider - but with 200,000 people, you suddenly start paying attention. Add a small thing > earn $10mill.

And to whoever said voting is useless; you're wrong. If both sides are evil, you vote for the lesser evil and become relentless with your voice. Eventually you'll end up with only the good.

That's the thing though, the boycott group rose slowly and didn't skyrocket that much, meaning that the numbers wouldn't be huge and the group would be generally ignored.

 

[tkioz]

It's possible for it to work, but not practicable.

 

[theownerer]

They would need to be taken seriously. Like is they suddenly added dedicated servers and the sold copies increased significantly, then they would see that they do make a difference.

 

[Mromson]

Of course it works. Be relentless in your boycott while setting LOUD AND CLEAR goals and never back down. With enough voices, only the stupid won't budge. With 40,000 people, there a slight thought to consider - but with 200,000 people, you suddenly start paying attention. Add a small thing > earn $10mill.

And to whoever said voting is useless; you're wrong. If both sides are evil, you vote for the lesser evil and become relentless with your voice. Eventually you'll end up with only the good.

That's the thing though, the boycott group rose slowly and didn't skyrocket that much, meaning that the numbers wouldn't be huge and the group would be generally ignored.

Means not enough people cared. But that doesn't mean anyone should back down just because someone else doesn't care. When enough people care, others pay attention. How fast that happens is insignificant, although sooner is preferred rather than later.

 

[NuclearPenguin]

What was it? 3 million CoD6 copies sold on the first day? World record there. Yet still so many PC gamers boycott it.

It's mainly due to the lack of dedicated servers, I think. That and I heard they upped the price to that of a console game.

I mean they got a world record for sales even though they had alot of PC gamers boycotting it.

 

[Hiphophippo]

It's been my experience that if people want something bad enough they're usually willing to look past the things that bother them about it. Case in point, I wanted to play MW2 but damned if I was buying it on PC.

But, oh look, I have an xbox.