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It’s way past time for the corporate bootlicking to stop

twinspectre

Member
This latest debacle with Helldivers 2 is only the most recent example of a weird kind of Stockholm Syndrome that’s captured far too many gamers – and led to an industry where publishers think they can get away with almost anything they like.

It’s the Sony warriors this time around, but previous to this we’ve had just as bad from Xbox warriors defending some of Uncle Phil’s idiotic decisions.

It’s encouraging to see Sony have to back pedal due to pressure from the consumer, but this shouldn’t be in isolated incident – and it should stand as some kind of example to anyone who automatically jumps in to defend the corporation they happen to have aligned themselves with.

They don’t care about you. None of them do. They just want your money. You owe them no allegiance. You owe them nothing. Don’t be manipulated by people encouraging you to side with one corporation over another. You’re falling for some very basic marketing psychology. You’re a mark. And not a smart one.

We are cursed with broken games, incomplete games, over-priced games, games stuffed with MTX, and games designed for only one major purpose – to get cash out of your wallet.

This is because way too many gamers eat whatever shit their favourite corporation feeds them, say thank you, and wait for the next spoonful.

Stop it.

Helldivers 2 proves that you can make your opinion known about greed fuelled business practises coming from worthless gaming executives – and they have to listen, for fear of losing their next fucking bonus and yacht.

Remember that, the next time one of these companies puts out yet another virtually content free 'game' - with promises of updates further down the road. Or the next time they demand you sign up for things that don't provide any benefit whatsoever to you as a consumer. Or the next time they release a sub-standard piece of shit game that's full of bugs.

Stop pre-ordering. Stop leaping to the defence of corporations.

Except you Ass of Can Whooping Ass of Can Whooping - you carry on, son.
#FREEMULTIPLAYER and also lower the price of games.
 

twinspectre

Member
fe9.jpg
While they are taking it up their *You know what*
 

MrMephistoX

Gold Member
Corporate bootlicking is bad but influencer bootlicking is just as bad. People get easily whipped up into an online frenzy too easily no matter the topic and don’t forget influencers have a vested interest in stoking outrage for clicks and ad $ so they’re not doing this purely out of a sense of morality either.
 

rofif

Can’t Git Gud
The same way people are satisfied with steam, some are satisfied with their PlayStations.
Being a satisfied customer is being a fanboy?
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
94oX6tg.jpeg




Sony is treating their core audience like second class citizens while the PC community that refused to support them for all these years enjoys the fruits of our labor, and then some. Not only did they refuse to support you, they hurled insults at the console, games, and it’s user base for years. Constantly referring to the games as ”walking simulators”, “movie games”, and “woke garbage”. While also calling the community “peasants”, as if we were lowly imbeciles for supporting Sony/PlayStation! Obviously not all PC gamers are like that but the vast majority unfortunately are. So now these same people are undeservedly rewarded with the amazing experiences they ignorantly disrespected for years.


PC Gamers, sometimes you're such huge dicks that it's comically funny.

You Got Me Lol GIF by BrownSugarApp
 
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night13x

Member
I think we need to insert some good ol fashion Denuvo into this topic. I need to do a computer check on everyone viewing this topic every 3 minutes as a benefit of neogaf readers to ensure they are reading legit native neogaf goodness.
 

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
The same way people are satisfied with steam, some are satisfied with their PlayStations.
Being a satisfied customer is being a fanboy?
It's not about the satisfaction, but rather being able to notice and criticize the flaws that exist in whatever thing you love.

Love = fan
Blind love = fanboy
 
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Pejo

Gold Member
I've been a member of GAF for a long time now, and between the Helldivers stuff and (for me personally) the Stellar Blade censorship defense stuff, I have finally added my first few members to the ignore list after 14 years. Usually I like to see and at least consider the viewpoints of those with different views than myself, Upon interaction with some of these jokers and just witnessing the amount of Sony flavored "defense" posts, the amount of bad faith arguments, false equivalencies, sheer ignorance, and other shit on display, I had to ignore them for my own sanity. It was tough for me to rationalize how you can just ignore every point being presented and continue to support anti-consumer decisions like your life depends on it. If they are NOT being paid as a viral marketer or astroturfer, then I truly cannot understand their views.

Crazy part is, I used to be what I (at the time) considered a big Sony fanboy, but the anti-Japanization of the company and their games/studios have made me less and less so over the years. But even on my worst days of being a Sony fan, I would never ignore the writing on the wall and presented information in the name of "wahh but my favorite console". Most importantly, I would never fight against my and my peer's best interests in the name of some corporate entity that has fucked us in the past and will take ANY future opportunity to do so again in the name of profit.
 

Kataploom

Gold Member
It was mostly a joke to show some parallels to the situation. I do seem to recall a lot of backlash about Steam when HL2 launched. Times sure have changed.



You are refunding a game. Games are toys. Toys are for children. King me.

checkmate-chess.gif
Well, things hasn't changed in that regard, it's stupid having to use internet to validate a physical purchase to begin with, that's basically the reason people mocked Xbox starting last gen iirc
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Helldivers people, can you come over and get rid of paid online multi? Thanks.
First off, these closed shops will need the same tools that Steam offers: verified purchase reviews, and a generous "no questions asked" refund policy. Until you have a voice like that which can sound out collectively, the only other option you have is to find a way to convince everyone who is currently subscribing to Game Pass Core or PlayStation Plus to cancel.
 

mitch1971

Member
This latest debacle with Helldivers 2 is only the most recent example of a weird kind of Stockholm Syndrome that’s captured far too many gamers – and led to an industry where publishers think they can get away with almost anything they like.

It’s the Sony warriors this time around, but previous to this we’ve had just as bad from Xbox warriors defending some of Uncle Phil’s idiotic decisions.

It’s encouraging to see Sony have to back pedal due to pressure from the consumer, but this shouldn’t be in isolated incident – and it should stand as some kind of example to anyone who automatically jumps in to defend the corporation they happen to have aligned themselves with.

They don’t care about you. None of them do. They just want your money. You owe them no allegiance. You owe them nothing. Don’t be manipulated by people encouraging you to side with one corporation over another. You’re falling for some very basic marketing psychology. You’re a mark. And not a smart one.

We are cursed with broken games, incomplete games, over-priced games, games stuffed with MTX, and games designed for only one major purpose – to get cash out of your wallet.

This is because way too many gamers eat whatever shit their favourite corporation feeds them, say thank you, and wait for the next spoonful.

Stop it.

Helldivers 2 proves that you can make your opinion known about greed fuelled business practises coming from worthless gaming executives – and they have to listen, for fear of losing their next fucking bonus and yacht.

Remember that, the next time one of these companies puts out yet another virtually content free 'game' - with promises of updates further down the road. Or the next time they demand you sign up for things that don't provide any benefit whatsoever to you as a consumer. Or the next time they release a sub-standard piece of shit game that's full of bugs.

Stop pre-ordering. Stop leaping to the defence of corporations.

Except you Ass of Can Whooping Ass of Can Whooping - you carry on, son.

Fake Surprised Season 8 GIF by Friends
 

nial

Member
Honestly, the moment Sony and MS announced cross gen was here to stay for 2 years, people shouldve rioted. Review bomb the games. Mass return their games. Flood Sony with refund requests.
Come on, Slimy, I know you hated the cross-gen shit, but let's not pretend it was anywhere close to the whole Helldivers 2 debacle.
 
I've been a member of GAF for a long time now, and between the Helldivers stuff and (for me personally) the Stellar Blade censorship defense stuff, I have finally added my first few members to the ignore list after 14 years. Usually I like to see and at least consider the viewpoints of those with different views than myself, Upon interaction with some of these jokers and just witnessing the amount of Sony flavored "defense" posts, the amount of bad faith arguments, false equivalencies, sheer ignorance, and other shit on display, I had to ignore them for my own sanity. It was tough for me to rationalize how you can just ignore every point being presented and continue to support anti-consumer decisions like your life depends on it. If they are NOT being paid as a viral marketer or astroturfer, then I truly cannot understand their views.

Crazy part is, I used to be what I (at the time) considered a big Sony fanboy, but the anti-Japanization of the company and their games/studios have made me less and less so over the years. But even on my worst days of being a Sony fan, I would never ignore the writing on the wall and presented information in the name of "wahh but my favorite console". Most importantly, I would never fight against my and my peer's best interests in the name of some corporate entity that has fucked us in the past and will take ANY future opportunity to do so again in the name of profit.
someone got butthurt
 
First off, these closed shops will need the same tools that Steam offers: verified purchase reviews, and a generous "no questions asked" refund policy. Until you have a voice like that which can sound out collectively, the only other option you have is to find a way to convince everyone who is currently subscribing to Game Pass Core or PlayStation Plus to cancel.
Yeah, I was thinking we should all cancel for a month, but everyone has some far out future end date due to staggered sales.

I’ll think of something!

Edit: oh! We all boycott DLC for a month in the name of a Free PSN. This will have a huge impact on the publishers who Sony needs but don’t earn a dime of the subscription money (if not for the pennies they earn for ps+ castaway games).

It has an added benefit that if consumers spend money on PSN for no tangible reason, it is less money for publishers who work hard to push coins and skins on us. They should want that money freed up.
 
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SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Come on, Slimy, I know you hated the cross-gen shit, but let's not pretend it was anywhere close to the whole Helldivers 2 debacle.
Helldivers 2 cost $40. We paid $500 for next gen consoles and got fucked over as microsoft and sonys first party studios decided to make cross gen games instead.

Regardless, im not saying whats worse. im simply pointing out that people defended sony and microsoft's cross gen stance, and called others fanboys or concern trolls or all the classic tricks in the book to keep people from making a ruckus online. this was prevalent over at era, but thankfully the mods here did not fall for any reports and ban people for voicing their concerns. however, you would get drowned out on twitter and reddit by fanboys and no one ever created a big stink over it.

but now? now we get a new thread every week about how graphics have stagnated. how games dont even look next gen. how the ps5 pro is not needed because the ps5 hasnt been tapped out. its clear that the resentment has built up and had we all made a big stink about it back then, we might have got sony and ms to listen.
 

nial

Member
Helldivers 2 cost $40. We paid $500 for next gen consoles and got fucked over as microsoft and sonys first party studios decided to make cross gen games instead.

Regardless, im not saying whats worse. im simply pointing out that people defended sony and microsoft's cross gen stance, and called others fanboys or concern trolls or all the classic tricks in the book to keep people from making a ruckus online. this was prevalent over at era, but thankfully the mods here did not fall for any reports and ban people for voicing their concerns. however, you would get drowned out on twitter and reddit by fanboys and no one ever created a big stink over it.

but now? now we get a new thread every week about how graphics have stagnated. how games dont even look next gen. how the ps5 pro is not needed because the ps5 hasnt been tapped out. its clear that the resentment has built up and had we all made a big stink about it back then, we might have got sony and ms to listen.
Review bombing is simply unreasonable, you think gamers would have stopped with Sony and MS? Imagine if Elden Ring was review bombed over such a petty thing.
These consoles were not widely available until 2023.
 
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SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Review bombing is simply unreasonable, you think gamers would have stopped with Sony and MS? Imagine if Elden Ring was review bombed over such a petty thing.
These consoles were not widely available until 2023.
the console outsold the ps4 in the first year and only hit supply issues later on in late 2021 early 2022 for about a 6 month period after it came back in may 2022 and began selling really well.

anyway, it doesnt really matter why. i paid for the console on day one. point is that people kept making the same excuses like covid, shortages, etc. when the decision to make horizon, gow, gt7, halo, forza horizon 5 were made years before covid was ever a thing. it was greed and nothing more. and people defended it instead of bitching about it online.
 
hard disagree. Haven't you seen some of those nature documentaries about the ecosystems in the forests, the sea or even how the body works?
 

nial

Member
for about a 6 month period after it came back in may 2022 and began selling really well.
This was only in the US, I believe? I remember Asia still suffering from that until early 2023.
Anyway, my point is that you were not getting fucked over as a consumer by these games not releasing exclusively on next gen consoles, it's why comparing it to the Helldivers 2 situation was crazy for me.
Shit happens, not that you aren't allowed to criticize them, but review bombing is way too much. They weren't going to cancel that PS4 port of God of War Ragnarok.
 

Generic

Member
Anyone who is pro multi-layered authentication/DRM is a corporate bootlicker by default.

I really don't understand how anyone can be ok with it considering we saw what happened to all the GFWL games (even those purchased on Steam) and then more recently what Ubisoft has pulled with the crew. There is always zero benefit to the consumer, it doesn't matter whether it's EA, Ubisoft, Microsoft, or whoever. There are no exceptions and nobody has ever been able to logically explain to me why PC gamers should have to put up with it.

Bunch of cucks really.
"There is always zero benefit to the consumer"

To be fair, account linking usually enables crossprogression. It was Sony's mistake for not doing it.
 

NecrosaroIII

Ultimate DQ Fan
It's one of the worst parts of gaming culture. Fanboyism is terrible. These companies you're pining over don't care about you. They're manipulating you for your money
 

Three

Member
Review bombing is simply unreasonable, you think gamers would have stopped with Sony and MS? Imagine if Elden Ring was review bombed over such a petty thing.
These consoles were not widely available until 2023.
The bizarre thing is that it is the current gen only games, even though well received, that get called out as failures. Just because it didn't sell compared to a crossgen title. Some actually celebrate that fact that they didn't sell much too. The crossgen games like Elden Ring sold a lot and were considered more of a success by everyone. Who would want to be the next Returnal, Demon's Souls, Ratchet or whatever in terms of sales? That's the real issue.

The way to encourage next gen only games positively is to not screw over crossgen games like Elden ring by review bombing it, but to improve sales of the current gen only games. The former would just hurt the hobby you love, the latter would improve it.
 
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Honestly; people just care way too much about the most insignificant bullshit.

I can't believe this whole ordeal was such a huge deal across the web.
This is where I stand as well. I’m tired of the meltdowns and weekly controversies. Maybe I’m old but I miss the 80s and 90s when we simply just played games and didn’t have Twitter meltdowns, review-bombing, and petitions.

I vote with my wallet. If a game manufacturer or developer is doing some bullshit I don’t like I skip their product and keep it moving. I’m not going to tweet about it, I’ll just skip their product and never bother with them again.
 
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sigmaZ

Member
Great. I hope you share the same furvor towards the fast food and soda industry. I can however imagine some get more upset over a login than their own health concerns.
 
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Fahdis

Member
This is where I stand as well. I’m tired of the meltdowns and weekly controversies. Maybe I’m old but I miss the 80s and 90s when we simply just played games and didn’t have Twitter meltdowns, review-bombing, and petitions.

I vote with my wallet. If a game manufacturer or developer is doing some bullshit I don’t like I skip their product and keep it moving. I’m not going to tweet about it, I’ll just skip their product and never bother with them again.

*Has a DOA avatar*
*spends all his money on skimpy DLC costumes & microbikinis for his fighter*

You don't have the money to buy more games, so don't lie.
 

Topher

Identifies as young
"There is always zero benefit to the consumer"

To be fair, account linking usually enables crossprogression. It was Sony's mistake for not doing it.

You really need to stop this false narrative that cross progression is some amazing feature that everyone is clamoring for. It isn't. It is only really useful in free to play games. Vast majority of people are not buying multiple copies of the same game so they can play on mulitple platforms.
 

FunkMiller

Member
Great. I hope you share the same furvor towards the fast food and soda industry. I can however imagine some get more upset over a login than their own health concerns.

Agreed. Everyone should be aware of how these companies operate, regardless of industry.

And if this was a food forum, then this point would hold more water. But it's a video game forum where we discuss video games.
 

Topher

Identifies as young
First off, these closed shops will need the same tools that Steam offers: verified purchase reviews, and a generous "no questions asked" refund policy. Until you have a voice like that which can sound out collectively, the only other option you have is to find a way to convince everyone who is currently subscribing to Game Pass Core or PlayStation Plus to cancel.

I'm reading posts calling PC gamers "spoiled". If having the ability/tools to actually complain and affect change is being "spoiled" the so be it. Kind of like someone in a free country being called "spoiled" by someone living under the rule of a dictatorship. I'll glady take being "spoiled".
 

Dr_Ifto

Member
Just sign up for the damn account. Its not fucking hard. If its not supported in your country, get a PSN in another country. Takes 2 minutes. We can
not lick boots" all day, but we will eventually lose. It will just be implemented from the start next time. And it will be worse. Watch it be a launcher
 
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Wildebeest

Member
A lot of these companies on steam have added their own stupid second launcher that pops up and requires its own logon. They want to have their cake and to eat it too. Steam is a very permissive platform and allows all sorts of rootkit level type anti cheat or DRM.
 
*Has a DOA avatar*
*spends all his money on skimpy DLC costumes & microbikinis for his fighter*

You don't have the money to buy more games, so don't lie.
Joke is on you, I play DOA on PC where I haven’t spent a dime on DLC because mods allow me to unlock every single outfit for free. Try this line on someone else not me :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
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mrcroket

Member
The PC gamer faux outrage will guarantee that Nintendo, if they were ever considering PC ports, will now never, ever port their games. Good job guys 👍

The concern about data breaches was wildly misplaced, as Sony is comparably safe compared to MS, Steam, Discord, etc.
The complaining about "corporate greed" was hilariously misplaced and possibly charged by weird fanboy vitriol, because the account, like their MS, EA, Ubisoft, COD, Rockstar accounts is free.

The only possibly valid concern was over the availability in certain countries, which Sony actually had announced that they were working on a solution. Still, there would be an interim period where the game would be literally unplayable to those who purchased the game which is unfair and actually quite treacherous.

The reason why the changes were set to be imposed was due to some gamers having been caught using cheat engine or similar tools to break the game and its in game currency. This is similar to what Riot Games is dealing with in Valorant among other games. If there is really anyone to blame for this, it is the pirates and cheaters.
You're right, we have to lick the boots to the companies to bring their games, if not they could get angry and not sell them to us, they are the ones in charge. We, the users have to thank them, we should pay even more for them and allow them to impose the services and conditions they want.

My tongue is ready :pie_fwt:
 
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