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[DunDunDunpachi]

Simple question, far-reaching implications.

We are all impressionable, of course, but do you believe are there folks who have an unrealistic hate / love of a game (or a company) purely based on what they heard from the community (forums, reviews, YouTubers, social media, etc)?

And how prevalent is this phenomenon, if you think it is occurring?

BONUS QUESTION: do you think this particular issue has gotten better or worse with the advent of information at our fingertips via the internet?

 

[bati]

Yes. It's the only thing that rationally explains all the dick sucking that some indie non-games get.

 

[DonJorginho]

Yes, it is why there are people who hate on anything EA puts out without even seeing it or people that love everything Kojima or Rockstar do even if it is wrong.

It takes away many gamer's independent thought and makes them too scared to go against the grain so they have to agree to everything and anything the majority of the community say.

 

[Psykodad]

In the sense that for example with Destiny 2 they lost 80% of the community with constant complaining and that might get people to change their view on the game?

 

[Katsura]

Sadly yes, i do think so. Not just with gaming mind you but with most things. People are too easily swayed and often either too lazy or incapable of doing basic research on their own and will willingly accept whatever the hive mind has decided is correct. Reddit is the textbook case of this because its stupid karma system actively promotes hive mind mentality by hiding 'controversial' opinions by default and because for some reason people seem to care about their virtual brownie points

 

[TacosNSalsa]

I certainly do believe it but in my experience , it's the more casual gamers that are like this . They look a game up (maybe) see a few videos or posts or tweets that it sucks , say okay and then that's it . And it's not that they're sheep either. They honestly just dont give a flying f*ck . So the first thing they see is what they accept and just move on.

As enthusiasts it's very easy to fall into the mind set that everyone else thinks and cares as much as we do , when they really don't,

 

[Bkdk]

Is it before or after the game is being completed?

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Is it before or after the game is being completed?

Since "community opinion" is an influence before and after launch, I'd say it is both.

 

[Aion002]

Yep.

Anthem for instance..... the game is not good.... but is far away from being the giant piece of crap that most claim it to be.... The same can be said to Metal Gear Survive.

You get guys like Jim Sterling or Angry Joe that shits on something and then many follow his opinion without even trying the damn thing.

 

[The Scrivener]

It's hard to judge a game, and more often than not we judge it based on the wrong characteristics, such as graphics, sound, story, when we should be judging a game based on gameplay, which could be down to it simply being fun, or having deeper mechanics that take mastery, like chess. Videogames should be no exception ultimately, unless we want to live in a dystopian virtual reality future, i.e. The Matrix or Ready Player One that requires total sensory input. Personally I can't even stand rumble on the controller, it's not about gimmicks, is it.

Yes, the Vanishing of Ethan Carter had a nice sunset, but so does waking up at 5 a.m. and going outside. Yes, realistic water graphics are a nerd's wet dream, but a swim doesn't get a nerd going. Who cares if Fable 4 has realistic grass, it will be unrealistic in ten years time. And videogame stories require too much group involvement (graphics artists, voice artists, directors) to find any true voice (which is why OSTs are more powerful over time than the voice actors or scripts or story, as music is already truth).

I guess (I voted in the majority) that we are swayed by those who themselves don't even understand this, meaning the clique with the right haircuts at the big gaming websites who are all over social media spreading hype for "tomorrow's big reveal" and showing off their toy collection. It's a business for them, not an art, but it should be an art, and written about as such.

But it's a baby culture, a new technology, and it's growing. Critique of the art takes time to develop, to let the art flourish first, so all we're left with till then is the Reddits, the Reees, and the shitposting. The industry is open to infiltration by the latest weak fashionable Californian sheep and hasn't developed a critical voice yet to defend itself.

TL;DR: GAF's opinion is good, one that can be trusted, but fuck all the trendy nerds who work for the big websites.

 

[Daymos]

It's annoying when people are swayed by negative hate from the community. If you say anything positive or even neutral about a game that's being flamed by the general gaming community (like pokemon for example currently) you're attacked! It's like an angry lynch mob out for blood.

Nobody wants to just celebrate the existence of video games anymore.

 

[Birdo]

Yep. It's natural human instincts to follow crowd opinion.

Every human on earth is guilty of it. Even if they deny it.

 

[Ascend]

It's quite obvious. All you have to do is mention the words "AMD" and "drivers", and for some reason people run for cover. Everyone gets scared. Mention "RTX" and "dead cards", meh, buy nVidia anyway, because everyone has been convinced by the nVidia fanboys that nVidia is better. People that are not knowledgeable are the ones that are swayed most easily, which is why the fanatics often convince them, sadly. If it really did nothing, we wouldn't have so many fanboys, be it consoles, hardware, games, brands, TV tech or whatever.

 

[Poordevil]

I am influence by what I hear about a game, all the hype or all the hate, but all that goes out the window when I actually play the game. Then it is just me, the game, and my experience that matters. But I think that is the way it is with most gamers. My likes or dislikes of games, game companies, game developers, consoles and all the rest is not rooted in community opinions. It is based on my personal preference and experience.

 

[Bathtub Fart]

Just a quick look at a twitch chat will prove this in real time. If a streamer of choice is pooing on a game for all the wrong reasons and is actually not understanding how to play, chat will regress into "this game is trash lmao."

I hate our so called culture.

 

[synchronicity]

Everything is a product of its environment, including minds, to greater or lesser extent. (which, of course, goes very deep down a philosophical rabbit hole) But a less nuanced answer is that yes, in my opinion, the chorus of the crowd is very influential for a great many *of* the crowd. There aren't many "independent" thinkers out there.

 

[DonF]

it depends, normally some gamers will. I don't. I'm playing pokemon shield right now, even after all the bad press and regular reviews, and I can say with property that the game is thrash.

I dont buy much games blindly, its a $60 purchase after all, but I won't be swayed if my decision is made, like with Death Stranding, for instance.

 

[VertigoOA]

There have been times where community’s opinion made me think a game was worth trying, then to give it a go for myself and realize ... never listen to people that don’t play games.

Now I try to observe what people actually play and seem to enjoy. I see what my friends play. I check out what authors or YouTube opinions I respect seem to dig. It’s rarely ever what the most hyped up forum darling is. And I’ve been around the block with all kinds of genres to recognize what’s up my alley.

For instance, the forum dweller hates online games. They just want more jrpgs. Blergh. So am I supposed to take criticisms of online, cooperative and competitive games seriously when forum dwellers are the minority and have zero grasp and skill when it comes to these genres?

 

[Trogdor1123]

Yes and it is very normal.

 

[Bryank75]

Yes, just look at Death Stranding... the same people that said MGSV was incredible and one of the best games ever with great animations suddenly were not so hot on DS animations, writing or gameplay even though they shared many things.
The animations were similar but more advanced with far more variations for different terrain and conditions etc.
The whole 'walking sim' and 'what do you actually do' narrative was repeated and repeated until many just parroted this and lost the determination to play it due to all the criticism from people who had never played it.

 

[kingbean]

It's not a gamer thing, it's a people thing.

We're pack animals and can easily be swayed by group think. Just because we have a common ground like gaming doesn't make us immune.

 

[Ascend]

Leaving this here...

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

You get guys like Jim Sterling or Angry Joe

In 2020 I highly doubt that.

 

[Ascend]

And another one;

 

[Aion002]

In 2020 I highly doubt that.

I sure hope so.

 

[Elektro Demon]

Yes, it's true.

 

[-Minsc-]

Go with the flow bro. Life became difficult when I was told to have my own opinion.

 

[Zog]

It's annoying when people are swayed by negative hate from the community. If you say anything positive or even neutral about a game that's being flamed by the general gaming community (like pokemon for example currently) you're attacked! It's like an angry lynch mob out for blood.

Nobody wants to just celebrate the existence of video games anymore.

On the other hand, if you have any criticism about a game that is being praised you will be flamed.

Maybe nobody wants to celebrate the existence of video games anymore because this is such an anti consumer industry.

 

[Ascend]

What also plays a role is that the group pushing something becomes more aggressive to the point of becoming abusive when someone disagrees.

 

[Bkdk]

Since "community opinion" is an influence before and after launch, I'd say it is both.

If it’s before release then I’m usually more aware of highly negative reviews from customers and critics, if its due to similar bugs report then I’ll certainly not buy them. Also for the many indie games in PC, User and critic reviews scores will usually be the most important impression, unless they are of certain genres that I really love. For critical acclaim games though, that rarely have an impact on me because I won’t even bother if it’s a genre I don’t enjoy.

 

[Grinchy]

Of course. I don't know if it's even a bad thing. I gave up reviews long, long ago and have had much more trust in the general consensus from regular people on forums and even some youtubers.

Obviously, there are some fans who skew the results in both directions, but for the most part, I can get the strengths and weaknesses of a game much better this way than from someone who played 2 hours of it at a review convention where they were sent home with "swag" before writing their "review."

 

[KOMANI]

Yep.

Anthem for instance..... the game is not good.... but is far away from being the giant piece of crap that most claim it to be.... The same can be said to Metal Gear Survive.

You get guys like Jim Sterling or Angry Joe that shits on something and then many follow his opinion without even trying the damn thing.

I like Jim Sterling. I think he’s a good writer. His reviews are dishonest. He didn’t finish either Survive or NeverDead and proceeded to spread false information on top of accusing both games for repeat offenses that only appear once at the start of games. Joe’s whole schtick is to be faux-angry. I’ve always said, if you want a true negative review, go to a legit game journalist with a good record. Jeff Gerstmann had the best bad review of Survive. He played through the game and played post credits. He’s also removed from the fandom, which is equally important. SomeCallMeJohnny’s reviews on the Metal Gear franchise is unbiased, and that’s key in a landscape where content creators play with viewers’ heartstrings for clicks.

 

[tylrdiablos]

People get swept up in hype and then, when it's too late, they feel the urge to defend their purchase.

I think it's quite common.

 

[Ascend]

People get swept up in hype and then, when it's too late, they feel the urge to defend their purchase.

I think it's quite common.

This is true. The opposite is also true. Look at what happened with Mass Effect Andromeda.

 

[zeorhymer]

No different than talking about "the best" car, or smartphone, sports team, etc.

 

[VertigoOA]

This is true. The opposite is also true. Look at what happened with Mass Effect Andromeda.

I kinda feel bad for Andromeda. It has a trash narrative, sure. But people never dropped the glitch shit posting. Beyond all that tho, it’s actually a pretty good cover shooter and overall good rpg. Better than Inquisition that’s for damn sure.

 

[off duty ninja]

I've been talked into trying games by the community and even returning to games I dislike due to it but never has it actually changed my opinion on a game.

 

[Ryu Kaiba]

I agree that humans are susceptible to the influence of others in general

...But it should also be noted some people do have low standards.

 

[ruvikx]

Simple question, far-reaching implications.

We are all impressionable, of course, but do you believe are there folks who have an unrealistic hate / love of a game (or a company) purely based on what they heard from the community (forums, reviews, YouTubers, social media, etc)?

And how prevalent is this phenomenon, if you think it is occurring?

BONUS QUESTION: do you think this particular issue has gotten better or worse with the advent of information at our fingertips via the internet?

Yes.

Insofar as I often make decisions based upon how much I dislike the shills/fanboys/crazies who promote a certain product. For example if product xyz has an extremely vocal #defenseforce who claim it's the bestest thing ever (& literally attack/shame naysayers into submission), I'm inclined to be more critical & when it transpires it's really not so good (like many games this gen), I nope out.

So it's not a case of people screaming "buy buy buy" who influence me, it's more then opposite, i.e. I avoid heavily hyped stuff (until it's available on gamepass or super cheap on ps store) & look for the lesser recommended titles, for example Mad Max the video game which for me was far, far more enjoyable than Red Dead 2 in the open world genre.

 

[Ryu Kaiba]

Pokemon
Mass Effect Andromeda
Anthem
Metal Gear survive

These games look like shit though.
It's not purely by public opinion if there is visual evidence.

 

[Aion002]

I like Jim Sterling. I think he’s a good writer. His reviews are dishonest. He didn’t finish either Survive or NeverDead and proceeded to spread false information on top of accusing both games for repeat offenses that only appear once at the start of games. Joe’s whole schtick is to be faux-angry. I’ve always said, if you want a true negative review, go to a legit game journalist with a good record. Jeff Gerstmann had the best bad review of Survive. He played through the game and played post credits. He’s also removed from the fandom, which is equally important. SomeCallMeJohnny’s reviews on the Metal Gear franchise is unbiased, and that’s key in a landscape where content creators play with viewers’ heartstrings for clicks.

Yeah... Too bad many people take their words as an absolute fact.

I quitted following reviews a long time a go, if a game interest me I just try to play it or gather opinions of those who enjoy the game. Too many haters spreading bs for many silly reasons, like console wars and stuff.

 

[KOMANI]

Yeah... Too bad many people take their words as an absolute fact.

I quitted following reviews a long time a go, if a game interest me I just try to play it or gather opinions of those who enjoy the game. Too many haters spreading bs for many silly reasons, like console wars and stuff.

Same. It helps that we have demos and betas, but reviews are glorified reaction videos. We’re also lucky that games go on sale a lot faster than they used to.

 

[Bigrx1]

Super common - gamers usually are pretty isolated and struggle with real life connection so if they can fit in, be accepted and a part of a group they will go along with whatever group think to get that connection oftentimes.

 

[Woo-Fu]

I'm not supposed to give weight to the informed opinion of my gaming peers? What?

 

[ShadowWolf712]

It's very common. I've even seen people say, years after the fact, that they actually LOVED Game X, but they were afraid to say so for fear of being dragged by their friends or on social media. Seen the opposite effect too, where people have disliked a game or even aspects of a game, but were too afraid to say so for fear of reprisal. (BotW, MGS V, and Death Stranding immediately come to mind for the latter.)

 

[Ballthyrm]

Me reading the community opinion on most games

BONUS QUESTION: do you think this particular issue has gotten better or worse with the advent of information at our fingertips via the internet?

Worse, quality of information has gone done.
Echo chambers + Dunning-Kruger effect did the rest.

 

[Bonfires Down]

8.8...

I think a lot of the online gaming community is made up of teenagers so it makes sense they are susceptible to hivemind thinking.

 

[LazyParrot]

Sure they are, as are most people when it comes to most things. Humans can be socially pressured and manipulated into doing almost anything, from hating on games to committing genocide.

 

[Enjay]

Nooo. Of course not. Just look at what steel traps their wallets and minds are when it comes to useless cosmetics.

 

[Vawn]

If everyone I hear says a game isn't very good, why would I spend $60 and 50 hours of my life to "find out myself"?