How should reviewers handle Splatoon's online being gradually rolled out?

Okay let me try this again. I wasn't comparing Splatoon's situation to ACU or MCC. The point was that a company gets criticized for the bad decisions they make. Nobody gets a free pass. I only brought up those two as examples to reply to the poster who mentioned them in the first place.

But Nintendo is also criticized here. It is just some overreact so much that they said Nintendo is like killing them and all their gaming love while it is is not. It is not good that Nintendo does not add Voice chat.

Nintendo did questionable thing sure but making it sounds like they are now worst than WB and EA is what hyperbole is.
 
My question is what about the WiiU owners who dont follow directs, nor really understand to check for updates/even have their WiiU online?

Ive seen some people say they are releasing it now because their target audience is 11-13yr olds who are getting out for the summer. I can see that being the case.

Its anecdotal, but of the kids that I know in that group, who even have a WiiU, either dont have their WiiU connected or do not follow gaming news enough to know when the content is there to be downloaded (nor do their parents).

I guess the argument could be why buy a game based on online multiplayer, if you dont understand to keep it online, I agree. So I wonder in that case why would Nintendo release a game based on online multiplayer with core features coming down the line.

I think trickling out maps works here, but not features. Features that are core to online multiplayer, so yea in that respect I would call it unfinished
If the updates are purely online related, someone who doesn't care enough about online to even set up an internet connection surely wouldn't be bothered by not receiving updates updating things they never tried to use.

I don't think there's anything suggesting the single-player content will be "rolled out gradually", no?
 
For basically every multiplayer game, the community will be the strongest in the first few weeks of the game being released. People saying just wait until August seem completely oblivious to how multiplayer works - let alone for an unproven new IP from a game with, at best, a few frustrating omissions. If somebody buys Splatoon, and is angered by the severe lack of multiplayer maps and modes, the fact that in a couple months there will be new maps and modes for free isn't going to make that person less dissatisfied whenever they are wanting to play on different maps or different modes.

Imagine if all you could play in Halo 5 when it launches is Capture the Flag and a ranked Capture the Flag to be unlocked some indeterminate amount of time after launch (but probably not long after), and there were only 5 maps. People would riot! If 343i promise to release new maps and modes over the next 3 months for free, that wouldn't somehow make the lack of content more palateable when the person is most excited to play the game.

I wouldn't exactly call what Nintendo is doing as something that is anti-consumer; but I also feel that Nintendo is releasing a game in an unfinished state in order to hit a release date. That's not something ANYBODY should defend. Either Nintendo is releasing an unfinished game and updating content that was intended to be in the game over the next few months, or they are just releasing a game with a seemingly laughable amount of content (at least multiplayer wise) and giving consumers free DLC over the next few months. Neither of those scenarios change the fact that, again, from what it seems, Nintendo is launching a game for full price that is lacking in content.

Maybe Splatoon launches and has a meaty and very fun campaign. Maybe the multiplayer maps and modes are so good that how little is there isn't a big deal. Maybe Splatoon creates a substantial hardcore following and a consistent userbase over the next few years.

But the idea that a publisher can release a multiplayer centric game with that little content at launch because they will eventually release more for free is not a precedent that I want to be set. Being transparent about a crappy thing doesn't make that crappy thing no longer crappy.

Mario Kart and TF2 proof that there are some other example where releasing other content on other time supported the game longevity.
 
Mario Kart and TF2 proof that there are some other example where releasing other content on other time supported the game longevity.

Mario Kart is a very prominent franchise that launched with, for most people it seems, plenty of content. Adding more tracks is awesome, and helps the game to some degree, but MK8 isn't even slightly comparable to Splatoon.

Team Fortress 2 was released a long time ago, for I believe $20, and eventually became F2P. It didn't have a lot of content, but what was there was compelling and the promise of future updates kept the game relevant. I don't think it's entirely fair to compare that to a $60 game that is a new IP.

Free map updates are becoming a fairly common thing. The issue is that most of these multiplayer games have at least arguably enough content at launch. 10 maps, 5 modes / 13 maps, 4 modes / 7 maps, 7 modes. Splatoon has 5 maps, 2 modes (I'll just assume ranked will unlock within a couple days).

That's just not acceptable. Plus, Splatoon has design problems like playing with a friend is, "Be in a lobby with them, randomly be on the same or opposite team as them, and you can't voice chat with them."

Splatoon is just a mess.
 
Mario Kart is a very prominent franchise that launched with, for most people it seems, plenty of content. Adding more tracks is awesome, and helps the game to some degree, but MK8 isn't even slightly comparable to Splatoon.

Team Fortress 2 was released a long time ago, for I believe $20, and eventually became F2P. It didn't have a lot of content, but what was there was compelling and the promise of future updates kept the game relevant. I don't think it's entirely fair to compare that to a $60 game that is a new IP.

Free map updates are becoming a fairly common thing. The issue is that most of these multiplayer games have at least arguably enough content at launch. 10 maps, 5 modes / 13 maps, 4 modes / 7 maps, 7 modes. Splatoon has 5 maps, 2 modes (I'll just assume ranked will unlock within a couple days).

That's just not acceptable. Plus, Splatoon has design problems like playing with a friend is, "Be in a lobby with them, randomly be on the same or opposite team as them, and you can't voice chat with them."

Splatoon is just a mess.
The Nintendo "defense force" is absurd with regard to this game at times. Some of them seemingly will defend anything. But this post is way extreme in the other direction. "Splatoon is just a mess.". Come on. "Mess", period. That's a disingenuous overall take on the situation at this point.

Unless you're making a joke, e.g. "mess" as in ink sprayed all over the place... You're not, but maybe I'll pretend you were.
 
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