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[Walpurgis]

I don't buy digital versions of retail games unless they are hugely discounted.

I don't preorder season passes or DLC, even for my favourite game of all time - The Witcher 3.

I don't buy microtransactions.

I don't buy DLC outside of a season pass.

I usually wait for games like Batman, Alien, The Evil Within and Shadow of Mordor to come out with GOTY editions because I almost never buy season passes for a game that I have paid full price for.

I never pay more than $20 for annual games like Assassin's Creed.

 

[Bjoern the Smexy]

I refuse to buy in-game currency.
I mean, seriously, why would I buy that?
It's stupid. It's ridiculously stupid.
As long as you can earn that currency in-game I will not pay real money for it.
Especially in console or PC games.
Those games cost 60-70 bucks. In-Game currency starts at X in-game monies for 10 real world bucks. That's a big fat nope from me, good sir.
You can't make me buy it. I won't buy it.
Let me rant a bit more about it the next time I post here.

 

[Bioshocker]

Microtransactions on a Paid Game

This.

 

[Special C]

I think a lot of the replies in this thread are more about budgeting and being judicious with spending rather than "principles."

 

[Mr. Nice_Guy]

Micro transactions in a a paid game. Literally have no reason to exist other than developers being greedy. Hats ala TF2 are okay, this FOB business in MGSV is garbage.

F2P mobile games of any kind, They are just there to manipulate people. I find a hard time seeing what actual joy any of those games bring to people. They just become impulsive addictions.

 

[Bronx-Man]

DRM
Pre-ordering
Microtransactions in $60 games
Season passes
Disc-locked DLC
Day one patches
Games made to get controversy alone

When you really examine it, modern video games are a fucking disgrace. We're on the verge of another crash if these corporations can't get their shit together.

 

[RuneFactoryFanboy]

Not really. There are tons of things I don't like.

However if I'm really excited or really love a game, I'll support a practice I don't agree with. My time is way to limited to deny myself something I'll enjoy.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Probably early access because it makes developers lazy and it almost always ends in a bust.

DRM
Pre-ordering
Microtransactions in $60 games
Season passes
Disc-locked DLC
Day one patches
Games made to get controversy alone

When you really examine it, modern video games are a fucking disgrace. We're on the verge of another crash if these corporations can't get their shit together.

We're about as close to a crash as we have been for the past eight years of people saying we're close to a crash.

 

[Aaron D.]

When you really examine it, modern video games are a fucking disgrace. We're on the verge of another crash if these corporations can't get their shit together.

Man, I'm the complete opposite.

I've been gaming since before Atari 2600 and I've never seen more quantity and variety of content than the modern gaming landscape has offered. Digital distribution, varying pricing models, free/cheap dev tools, and self-publishing have blown the doors wide open. There's more risk-taking than ever. More choices. More platforms. More accessibility.

It's an incredible time to be a gamer.

 

[Bronx-Man]

Man, I'm the complete opposite.

I've been gaming since before Atari 2600 and I've never seen more quantity and variety of content than the modern gaming landscape has offered. Digital distribution, varying pricing models, free/cheap dev tools, and self-publishing have blown the doors wide open. There's more risk-taking than ever. More choices. More platforms. More accessibility.

It's an incredible time to be a gamer.

Maybe I'm just too cynical these days. There's still great stuff in gaming, but for every Hotline Miami or Bloodborne it just feels like there's five Battlefield 4 launches.

 

[VillageBC]

My list continues to expand as they find new ways to piss me off.

- Pay2Win/Micro-transaction models in full retail releases.
- MP only games at $79.99 (cdn)
- Season passes, did it once and never again.
- Retailer specific pre-order bonuses.
- Most mobile free2play models that target psychology and aren't actually any fun.
- EA games that require online services, you know they are gone in a year or two.
- Day one DLC/Collector edition exclusive DLC, in general anything that makes me feel like I'm getting less game because I didn't pony up for CE.
- Digital edition collectors edition, I mean WTF really?!?!

I will break all the rules once they become cheap enough. But you aren't getting full price out of me unless it's Blizzard, Valve or Nintendo as a general rule.

 

[Peltz]

MMORPGs. Something about the idea of playing a game online without real people in the room feels like the wrong kind of socializing for me, personally. I'm already somewhat reclusive to fault, so I prefer not engaging in such a robust online sort of world. I also feel like people who do this too much are harming themselves.

Also, on a related note, I refuse to stick with games that try to hook me by just providing a bar that I need to fill up.... like Splatoon, COD, or Halo 4. I don't like the idea things needing "experience points" in multiplayer games.

I'm not really sure if these things have anything to do with "principles" though. I just don't like it when games lock anything behind such a huge time investment.

 

[Ombala]

Day1 paid DLC
The whole pre-order culture

 

[Jotamide]

Season passes and Early Access.

 

[Aaron D.]

Maybe I'm just too cynical these days. There's still great stuff in gaming, but for every Hotline Miami or Bloodborne it just feels like there's five Battlefield 4 launches.

Perhaps you are too cynical. It's all on where you choose to focus your attention.

There will always be big tent-pole productions, just like every other field of entertainment. Summer Blockbuster movies, bubble-gum pop music, etc. That's well and good.

But it doesn't change that fact that there's more content being produced today than any time in gaming history. It's more affordable than ever. And because these games are not all being delivered exclusively on full-priced disc formats that are filtered through the major gate-keeper publishers, we're seeing actual gosh-darn content variety that's catering to wider demographics.

It's an embarrassment of riches if you're willing to look deeper than the monthly NPD Top 10 lists.

 

[Scientist Supreme!]

So do you guys play any games? Looking at some of these lists, it doesn't seem like it.

 

[Xilium]

Steam - DRM + Storefront. For all the whining they did about Windows 8 and the App store walled garden future, they're actually the closest company to making that a reality. I use Steam because you don't have a choice if you want to play most PC games, but I don't buy anything directly from them.

Day-One patches - Not because of the patch itself, but the mentality it builds into developers to release broken ass games that they can just patch later.

Pay2Win Cash Shops - I'm cool with cosmetic or convenience items being in a cash shop (even if they can be stupidly overpriced) but I, like most, dislike games that put stuff up for real money purchase that gives the player a distinct gameplay advantage over non-playing players.

 

[BennyBlanco]

30 fps locked PC games

 

[Bl4ckSunsh1n3]

I won't buy micro-transactions on a single player game and never will.

 

[finley83]

Great thread idea.

Personally, I'll never willingly touch a single player game with an always-online requirement. I got burned with GTA 5 on Steam which refuses to work offline at all (Rockstar support can't be bothered to actually read my support tickets so no fix that I know of) and am never touching anything else that operates the same way. I keep hearing great things about Diablo 3 but will never touch it as long as the ridiculous online only requirement is there.

 

[The Jackdog]

not really.

i play video games to have fun and relax.

if im getting on a soap box about something that i use to destress and have fun, i feel like ive lost the point.

 

[Zyae]

DRM
Pre-ordering
Microtransactions in $60 games
Season passes
Disc-locked DLC
Day one patches
Games made to get controversy alone

When you really examine it, modern video games are a fucking disgrace. We're on the verge of another crash if these corporations can't get their shit together.

If you left the microcosm of this website for a moment you would realize that the Industry is as healthy and as big as its ever been. There will not be another crash.

 

[Jakoo]

Not doing something out of principle isn't the same as planning a boycott

If you only drink fairtrade coffee that doesn't mean you're starting a grassroots campaign to bring down those who exploit 3rd world coffee farmers

I don't know why people use the "no I just play games for fun" comment whenever anyone brings up any serious issues with gaming

Granted this thread is more frivolous and personal, but you see that argument made in threads on gender representation and minority representation in games as well, or in any discussion where there can be a serious debate

"I don't care about anything that happens in the industry, no matter how negative it may be, as long as I get my super fun games" I mean, people are entitled to that opinion, but it's pretty depressing

You made a leap here. I am most certainly interested in things happening in the industry. I think anyone on this particular forum is.

That being said, I don't think I would stop myself from buying a game I want on any "principle" outside of the quality of the game itself.

For example, I am primarily a Nintendo-gamer and Nintendo certainly has some questionable business practices, such as their YouTube policies. However, I am not going to take a hard-line stance and say "because X quality of this company is poor, I am going to stop supporting them entirely".

Taking the prevalent example of this thread, let's say a game has ticky-tacky microtransactions. Do those microtransactions impact the overall quality of the game? If not, they probably will not bother me. I didn't pass on MSGV just because I thought it's FOB practices were crummy--I will just choose to not buy them. I certainly wouldn't pass on enjoying the entire game because some suit at Konami pushed to include them.

 

[TheSlySoul]

Microtransactions within full retail games. I can justify it on F2P games, but not when they already got my money.

 

[Baron Doggystyle von Woof]

- DLC which is obviously stripped from the game to be sold later on.
- Season pass
- Microtransactions

 

[Hoo-doo]

Season passes.

Nope.

 

[Sephzilla]

Microtransactions on a Paid Game

This and season passes

 

[batrush]

I don't buy censored games new unless they're dirt cheap.

 

[RealityCheque]

Season passes.

Online passes (before they died)

Micro transactions (AKA videogame cancer).

 

[Srey Plaughtered]

Season passes, cosmetic dlc, microtransactions etc.

 

[Wulfram]

I won't pay full price for a game with significant Day 1 DLC. I don't do microtransactions.

Though I'm not really sure either of those are principle, I just don't like giving away my money.

 

[oni-link]

You made a leap here. I am most certainly interested in things happening in the industry. I think anyone on this particular forum is.

That being said, I don't think I would stop myself from buying a game I want on any "principle" outside of the quality of the game itself.

For example, I am primarily a Nintendo-gamer and Nintendo certainly has some questionable business practices, such as their YouTube policies. However, I am not going to take a hard-line stance and say "because X quality of this company is poor, I am going to stop supporting them entirely".

Taking the prevalent example of this thread, let's say a game has ticky-tacky microtransactions. Do those microtransactions impact the overall quality of the game? If not, they probably will not bother me. I didn't pass on MSGV just because I thought it's FOB practices were crummy--I will just choose to not buy them. I certainly wouldn't pass on enjoying the entire game because some suit at Konami pushed to include them.

To be honest I wasn't commenting about you specifically, more anyone who uses that argument to dismiss more serious issues within gaming, though I can see how you read it as that, I could have worded it a little better

You also made a leap though referring to boycotts when that wasn't what the thread is about

You can play a game with micro transactions and not use them out of principle, like in your example, and unless you feel particularity strongly over a certain publisher or dev you can still play their games while reducing support for them through buying the game when it's on sale or used

I don't think this kind of thing will change things, like I said in the OP, no matter what anyone does, micro transactions in paid games are here to stay now, there is no turning back, you can boycott, you can refuse to use them, but it won't matter. No one is expecting to change that by not using them, but you can still fundamentally disagree with them being in paid games and refuse to use them out of principle

 

[sciencerob]

I refuse to buy microtransactions on any level. I hate them quite a bit, especially when you pay for a full game. I also don't do season passes.

I will get DLC, but only when I feel the content warrants it. It has to be a decent sized DLC for me to consider it. Nothing silly like extra guns/skins (imo thats just microtransactions).

 

[laxu]

• Mobile games that are built around pay to win. It's fine to have microtransactions if they are not a near necessity for playing. Game of War is probably the absolute worst example of a game like this.
• Yearly updates (unless it's a series I really like) that are barely any better than the previous one. EA sports games, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty etc.
• Obviously broken games. I'm really happy I did not buy Arkham Knight.
• Games that are a blatant, lower quality copy of a currently popular game type. You can usually tell these just by looking at the artwork.
• Season passes unless it is known that the game will get extensive DLCs and the season pass is a good deal. Witcher 3 expansion pass is the first I've bought as I'm sure CDPR will deliver and the price was fair.

 

[AuthenticM]

I don't do microtransactions or buy season passes. I also don't preorder games.

 

[laxu]

Day-One patches - Not because of the patch itself, but the mentality it builds into developers to release broken ass games that they can just patch later.

But that's not really how it goes. It's more likely a publisher pushes them to release it and if the game is broken at that point, they still have a month or so to fix it. Plus despite testers there's usually still stuff that doesn't get caught in development and thus requires post-release patches.

My beef is with companies that stop any development on a game the moment it releases, even if it has terrible UI or noticeable issues. For example I never expect to see proper analog+mouse Steam controller support in MGS V, or sound options for that matter because they seem to do the bare minimum of fixes.

 

[tassletine]

xbox's

Everyone I know had their xbox 360 fail on them after 2 years (7 people). I will never trust them again, especially after their anti consumer stance at the beginning of this generation.
Also ipads. What a hyped up buggy overpriced piece of crap that turned out to be.

 

[Elman]

- Season Passes, obviously. Stop buying these and they'll stop making them.

- AAA open world/sandbox games are quickly approaching a top spot on my list.


My controversial pick would be buying a used game, specifically if it's a recently-released game and I'm confident in spending money on it in the first place. If we're voting with our dollar, I want my vote to go to the developer, not Gamestop or some random eBayer. However, I would never blame anyone who buys used games because they can't afford to buy new.

 

[Sephiroth_VII]

Microsoft as a company, and Destiny as a game. As well as any further MGS-titles. I won't discuss the fomer(as it would just end in fanboy-wars), but Destiny burned me so bad with the lack of content that I simply refuse to buy any of the DLC. I'd imagine most people here know why I'd choose not to buy more MGS-titles. Fuck Konami

Spoiler

, and Activision/Bungie.

 

[RMI]

I have never bought a season pass. I realize the principle behind it, but so far there has never been a season pass for any game I owned that turned out to be worth the money.

Microtransactions on a Paid Game

pretty much these.

It's possible that I also haven't bought a game published by EA since they sent Shadows of the Damned out to die, but not 100% sure about that. One might have snuck in somewhere that I don't remember.

 

[BouncyFrag]

not really.

i play video games to have fun and relax.

if im getting on a soap box about something that i use to destress and have fun, i feel like ive lost the point.

Same here. The moment I feel like following and enjoying games is akin to politics, I'm out.

 

[Ceallach]

Destiny as it seems to be the personification of everything I hate about games atm.

Gearbox games as well as I refuse to forget what they did with Alien outright lying to consumers.

 

[TheHolyTurnip]

Same here. The moment I feel like following and enjoying games is akin to politics, I'm out.

I think the point of many of these complaints is that they don't add to the fun of the enjoyment of the game but actually take away from it. Season passes are generally not fun, there's no fun in micro transactions. Usually the kinds of things in this thread take away from the fun which is why people complain in the first place. It's like loving soccer but all the balls you buy are deflated, it becomes a little more frustrating because now every time you buy a ball you have to inflate it instead of just going and playing.

 

[SoundPulse]

I get why people like Amiibos, but I really can't support them. I did buy a couple to see what the fuss was about, but I can't really abide by DLC locked behind physical toys, especially toys that are so damn scarce. Sell me better quality toys and merch and let me just load up the eShop and buy your nonsense without having to scour the shelves to find a Rosalina amiibo or whatever that you made exactly two of.

Other things I'm against more depending on implementation.

 

[pvpness]

Won't pay for online, won't pay $60 for a digital game assuming there's a retail version.

 

[Andrew Korenchkin]

Anything made by Jonathan Blow or any similar developers.

 

[Peltz]

Anything made by Jonathan Blow or any similar developers.

And the principle behind this is?

 

[Pro from Dover]

Once I sense a vibe on why I should like something, I avoid it.

 

[Overside]

That would be several fuckloads of yes.

 

[Temporal Mess]

Games where the devs have really questionable personal beliefs. Eg. openly supporting a certain harassment campaign or that whole thing with some of the Hatred devs possibly having ties to neo-nazi groups.

$60 games with further micro-transactions (for anything other than large, expansion-style DLC).

Really invasive DRM. Steam is fine. Origin is pretty fine too these days. But anything more obnoxious than that is a no-go, like that thing that a bunch of games tried years ago where you only got a limited number of installs with your $50+ purchase.