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[rubik's dude]

Given the exorbitant prices of games and hardware now, comments from industry insiders telling consumers to "get used to it," along with underhanded dealings like NVIDIA bullying reviewers, it's almost as if companies aren't afraid of public perception or outcry anymore.

And they'd be right to feel that way. Despite all of that, buyers still buy their products in record numbers, everything still sells out constantly. There's a disconnect between what ends up getting perceived and talked about versus what actually happens.

But then it begs the question, has public perception or outcry ever been an effective deterrent for this kind of behavior?

 

[Humdinger]

has public perception or outcry ever been an effective deterrent for this kind of behavior?

I doubt it. What matters is sales numbers. If people still line up to buy the games - if demand is still there - then all the outrage in the world won't change anything.

If the outrage affects sales (e.g., in the form of a large, successful boycott), then that's different... But most internet outrage is just a tempest in a teacup, and it blows over after a while. I'm sure the people who set these prices understand that some people will be upset by it, but that's baked into the decision already. What matters is sales and profit, not whether some people get angry about rising prices.

 

[R3TRO]

Back in the day it did but now social media is full of people whining about everything so the public seems to get ignored now.

 

[sono]

If the outrage affects sales

Correct IF

 

[ReBurn]

Only if the outcry includes a hit to profitability.

 

[Little Mac]

 

[blacktout]

I think there's a fundamental misunderstanding here. Public outcry and sales are not discrete, independent things.

Public outcry can, indeed, result in diminished sales, which can then drive a change in corporate behavior.

But that only happens if the concerns of the vocal, angry minority resonate with consumers at large.

Sometimes they do; sometimes they don't. I think it's still an open question whether the most recent batch of price increases fall into the former category or the latter.

 

[Pasta la Vista]

With wages not meeting inflation, a move to $80 games will effect sales. I have no doubt about that. It's more than "public outcry" in this case, it will be unsustainable in the current economy when you have to choose between providing for your family or yourself or buying something non-essential like a video game.

 

[Mr Moose]

 

[EverythingsOverrated]

Back in the day it did but now social media is full of people whining about everything so the public seems to get ignored now.

This is pretty much what I was here to say. Social media is full of people bitching about products they were never going to throw their money at anyway.

The rage addicted over the top loud vocal minority is training companies to not listen unless said product is a complete and utter failure commercially and even then it still is often ignored or framed incorrectly to fit a narrative because so many of these companies are completely out of touch.

 

[rubik's dude]

But that only happens if the concerns of the vocal, angry minority resonate with consumers at large.

I suppose that begs another question, what would it take to get the outcry of the minority to resonate with consumers at large, enough to get them to pull back their buying of these products and causing the companies to see the effect on their bottom line?

For the record, I agree with you. But there are things right now that should be resonating with everyone, but it isn't. So if this isn't enough, then what is?

 

[rubik's dude]

With wages not meeting inflation, a move to $80 games will effect sales. I have no doubt about that. It's more than "public outcry" in this case, it will be unsustainable in the current economy when you have to choose between providing for your family or yourself or buying something non-essential like a video game.

I see things like this getting said a lot, but this is the rhetoric that ends up not being reflected in reality. I don't disagree with you, but despite that, GTA VI will shatter records at $80, $90, $100, whatever it launches at. Same with a lot of other titles that follow suit.

Whatever ridiculous price NVIDIA decides to set for the 5080 Super, it'll sell out instantly for months, despite the marginal increase in performance that the price definitely won't justify, and the underhanded tactics NVIDIA have been taking recently.

There are no repercussions for poor behavior anymore (were there ever?). I could definitely see this being a contributing factor:

Back in the day it did but now social media is full of people whining about everything so the public seems to get ignored now.

Live in an outrage culture long enough, you can learn what you can get away with.

 

[adamsapple]

A bit more effective than change.org petitions, I suppose.

 

[Pasta la Vista]

Yes something like GTA VI will get away with it no doubt. That is a special case though.

 

[STARSBarry]

Given the exorbitant prices of games and hardware now, comments from industry insiders telling consumers to "get used to it," along with underhanded dealings like NVIDIA bullying reviewers, it's almost as if companies aren't afraid of public perception or outcry anymore.

And they'd be right to feel that way. Despite all of that, buyers still buy their products in record numbers, everything still sells out constantly. There's a disconnect between what ends up getting perceived and talked about versus what actually happens.

But then it begs the question, has public perception or outcry ever been an effective deterrent for this kind of behavior?

I mean yes... how has anyone forgotten...

Star Wars Battlefront II game faces further backlash

Players criticise the credits required to unlock heroes, as well as the inclusion of loot boxes.

www.bbc.co.uk

Literally a push back despite decent sales. It happens all the time, Helldivers 2 Sony sign in requirement on PC, remember that? Helldivers sold really well, yet it was changed.

I think the difference here is that certain types of people would like to pretend it doesn't happen. The amount of rage from Fanboys the Helldiver 2 pushback for example here in GAF, some people here where legitimately frothing at the mouth that the PC community could organise to get something done.

Probably because they remember bending over and spreading their cheeks during the PS4 era and going "yes Mr Sony sir please insert your online subscription, im a ready now" and how they let that happen.

But all it takes is just people calling out bad shit and acting on it. Helldivers 2 literally just changed the FOMO store last patch due to the feedback.

 

[DeVeAn]

Beaten like a dead horse, Sonic character model for the movie.

Infamous 2 they changed the look of Cole then changed it back to the bald head version lol.

 

[semiconscious]

in my experience, no. the best i've ever been able to do is 'okay, i'll eat it. but I won't like it'...

 

[rofif]

nowadays? All the time. hate trains and hate campaigns are illogical and very popular.
Not a deterrent for me. I feel more intrigued to try the game than follow the sheeple opinion

 

[blacktout]

I suppose that begs another question, what would it take to get the outcry of the minority to resonate with consumers at large, enough to get them to pull back their buying of these products and causing the companies to see the effect on their bottom line?

For the record, I agree with you. But there are things right now that should be resonating with everyone, but it isn't. So if this isn't enough, then what is?

I think that heavily depends on the nature of the product and of the controversy. It's incredibly easy to get the public to pass on a game that they had limited interest in anyway (see: Concord), but harder to get them to go cold turkey on a franchise they're invested in (like Pokemon or Assassin's Creed).

If we're talking about prices, it seems like consumers are understandably more responsive to the perception that big purchases (like consoles) are overpriced than incremental increases in software prices. This makes sense, since most consumers actually don't buy games that frequently, so paying an extra $10 or $20 a few times a year on a product they really want simply doesn't track as being as significant a blow as spending an extra $100 on a console, even if the increased software prices are much more meaningful both to corporate bottom lines and highly engaged gamers who might be buying something like one new title a month. So Nintendo, for example, is probably much more worried about the consequences of pricing the Switch 2 too high than they are about $80 Mario Kart, even if it's the software price increase that's producing the loudest outcry online.

 

[winjer]

The best way for companies to listen to gamers, is for us to vote with our wallets.

 

[Zacfoldor]

Once or twice.

Thread 'Take Two's recently filed annual report removes all references to support of DEI'

May 23, 2025

Grand Theft Auto, NBA 2K and Borderlands publisher Take Two Interactive has deleted references to "diversity and inclusion" from its annual report to investors this year.

And a list of employment awards it boasts about each year no longer includes two accolades it was granted for its support of LGBTQ employees.

Those changes are among the most eyebrow-raising in Take Two's voluminous 2025 10K annual report, which was filed to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday.

The changes resemble the disappearance of diversity language from the most recent annual...

• Kacho
• Replies: 105
• Forum: Gaming Discussion

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[Puscifer]

It ruined Rockstar as a company so yeah

 

[Codes 208]

The best way for companies to listen to gamers, is for us to vote with our wallets.

Bingo, it wasnt the outcry that made Nintendo drop the price of the 3ds after it launched, it was the lackluster sales and lukewarm reception

 

[Brakum]

Yes.

Exhibit A

Civilization VII

Yes it released on console day one and what not, but come one, not even coming close to the steam CCU of your 9 year old prequel? In fact, it didnt even manage to beat Civ V's numbers from 12 years ago.You need to majorly fuck up for that to happen and while civ 7 has many problems, i think pricing is a major one. And if you followed the discussions around release you would have seen A LOT of people saying they wouldnt buy the game at this price and would wait for a sale. Are they still gonna buy it now? Maybe, but with reviews being that mixed, many lose interest eventually. And potentially a lot of those players would have bought a full game at launch for 60$.

But civ is not that bad you say, it's only 70$, not 80$. No, no, no. Civ 7 is a 100$ game in 70$ game's clothes. The game had a DLC announced that would release a month after release. So already a month after release to have all the civs and leaders, you would have to have spent 100$.

I regret buying it. And i regret paying 80€ for doom. But those are some of my favorite franchises ever. I will not be paying 80€ for the next civ or the next doom, regardless of how good they might look. I'm not saying i will never pay that for a game, but it has to be something really special, but i cant name one that i think it would be worth for. Maybe a from software game, but even then it would depend. Especially not for games like borderlands which i like but come on. You're not GTA, and i wont pay it for GTA.

 

[deeptech]

I don't quite believe it. Even if it begins as so, people tend to get tired and simply, unfortunately adjust to new normal. DLC, microtransactions, 80e game prices, political pandering, coil whine in consoles, graphical downgrades, etc... It's all normal now isn't it, who cares? They can do literally anything and get away with it, public is mostly sheeplike.

 

[Durin]

Companies are aware that internet outrage doesn't always equal something the average joe consumer cares about, and they still have responsibilities to shareholders to keep profits ever going up.

I do think $80 games will have an impact on the average consumer, and even if things sell out...many times that's just the diehards buying in first.

Some companies if GTA6 sells at a higher price, will be deluded enough to think they can get away with it, and their games will fail. If Doom: The Dark Ages is having mediocre sales, for sure other IP will have problems.

 

[poppabk]

Given the exorbitant prices of games and hardware now, comments from industry insiders telling consumers to "get used to it," along with underhanded dealings like NVIDIA bullying reviewers, it's almost as if companies aren't afraid of public perception or outcry anymore.

And they'd be right to feel that way. Despite all of that, buyers still buy their products in record numbers, everything still sells out constantly. There's a disconnect between what ends up getting perceived and talked about versus what actually happens.

But then it begs the question, has public perception or outcry ever been an effective deterrent for this kind of behavior?

It made Sony back track on the PSN requirement for Helldivers 2. Then everyone just started moaning about PC whiners.