I an so sick of the “just don’t buy it” response to people complaining about increasingly shitty practices. It’s like if someone pisses in the far side of the pool and other people decide they like the warmth so they tell you just to stay over on the far side - The pool is still tainted, and maybe next time the pool cleaners decide not to use chlorine…
It's not that you can't complain, but moreso that people are tired of reading about people getting ripped of over and over again.
It's getting old when the solution is so glaringly obvious.
Alternatively focus your grievances towards the company. That has a better chance of making an impact in reducing the tainted waters.
So in short: you have a right to complain, but we have a right to tell you that you are a part of the problem if you pre-order or support companies continually doing this crap.
All this while there are plenty of other companies worth supporting. Sure it isn't your favorite franchise, but we aren't surprised leopards ate your face, again. I gave up on all those games from these companies and have found a lot of enjoyment elsewhere. Sucks but I refuse to give them money that makes this a viable model for them to fuckup over and over.
Seriously start taking risks on "indie" developers. I know a lot of them aren't really indie - they're huge companies with dozens of employees in a lot of cases still, but you'll find they treat you better. Sure - that $20 game might not be quite as good, but in other cases, I've seen them be EVEN BETTER than $70 titles.
Unfortunately it is pretty obvious that the majority of the human population are just going to follow what they're told to buy via TV and Ads. There aren't enough of us to turn the tide right away, but hey -- stick to your guns, and tell others to as well. It'll take a bit for players to get well and truly fed up with this shit, but the tide will turn eventually.
Alternatively focus your grievances towards the company.
But why would the company care? They're marketing directly to a certain kind of person here. Anyone that would pay these prices - and plenty must pay because Blizzard hasn't blinked ONCE during any of this bullshit - has so much money that they wouldn't care if the colors were three times that.
Blizzard acts like their bread and butter is the upper-middle-class and it must be true because they don't change at all as near as I've been able to tell. Not only do their sales not take a hit, they just keep growing.
I don’t understand how that comparison fits because somebody else buying the portal has literally no impact on my game. Someone pissing in the pool is directly
impacting you with their actions.
I think the analogy is that it sets a precedent. Now the other companies see how you can pee in the pool and folks are either cool with it (buy) or are on the other end (not buy but meh). Now the pool standard is piss filled pool and we will never have a chance to get into a clean pool anymore.
If you want to take a swim you have to do it in a pissed soaked pool because we never complained or did anything about it.
It only affects you if they tell you. Otherwise it's hidden to you, too, so the comparison is apt.
Similarly, the company focuses on these mocrottansaction features, which does affect where they spend time developing and also how they design and develop the game.
Use a different pool where people aren’t pissing in them. They exist.
There are plenty of other games that don’t pull this shit. Play them instead.
First they did it at EA, but I didn't say anything because I don't play EA games. Then they did it at Ubisoft, but I didn't say anything because I don't play Ubisoft games. Then they did it at Blizzard, but I didn't say anything because I don't play Blizzard games. Then they did it at fromsoft games, but I didn't say anything because I don't play fromsoft games. Then they did it at supergiant games, but I didn't say anything because I don't play their games.
Then they did it at every other fucking company because it was industry standard.
People who decide to throw money at games with such shitty practices are part of the problem.
I'd say they are victims of predatory practices.
Like drug addicts. You can't expect drug addicts to take all the blame. Sooner or later you have to realize that the supplier enabling the addiction is part of the problem.
FOMO is strong in them.
Yes, they are. The problem is that they are millions.
That's an excellent analogy, to say "you can buy palworld for that" which really makes it hit different for me.
It shows you how absurd it is, even with it being optional. It's still absurd.
Better yet. For the price of 2 portal recolors, you can get 1 Baldur's Gate 3.
The cosmetic skin prices in D4 are absolutely laughable, and the fact that they can only be used with ONE class make it even more bonkers.
Right now. Somewhere on Earth. Someone. Is currently purchasing Diablo 4.
P.T Barnums every second a sucker is born quote comes to mind.
And they have to live with the shame.
Blizzard literally became so shitty I can't waited for Microsoft to take over and clean house.
MS haven't bought them to clean them up.
They bought them because they're already the level of shitty they're aiming for.
"Clean house" feels optimistic. Standard procedure for a buy out:
- Executives are retained or let go with generous packages
- Middle management is summarily executed
- Someone sorts a spreadsheet of developers by salary and lays off the highest paid (and sometimes best, though no telling when we're talking about these two garbage fires)
- Remaining developers are shuffled. Some are asked to move to teams that are doing wildly different things than what they were doing before. Some teams are filled with lower cost "resources" from other countries.
I played launch and the first two seasons. The game is not fun, but they clearly spend a ton of resources cranking out skins.
Skins are somewhat cool, but shit value since they only work on specific classes.
Meanwhile, skins in POE, arguably a more enjoyable game though dated, are usable across all classes.
Not exactly apples/oranges due to gender locked classes, but still.
And PoE has some of the most expensive cosmetics I’ve seen and even they aren’t as bad as a $30 color variation portal. PoE balances it out because the game is free to play. What’s Diablo’s excuse?
And poe has much cheaper, frequently on sale, qol purchases.
Do I need a $2 currency storage tab? No. Will it make the game mildly smoother, and functionally be the "price" of the game for me if thats all I ever buy? Yup.
Do I get to play as much game as possible before I decide to "buy" the game and get my currency tab? Absolutely.
Cheap qol purchases for a f2p game makes the outrageous cosmetics far more acceptable.
I played through the story once and then uninstalled it. Biggest waste of money I've spent on a game.
They're taking their upcoming DLC's name "Vessel of Hatred" too literally.
EnShitification
Isn't that just when they make it worse when it already has a lot of users?
I went to buy a Goal Explosion in Rocket League yesterday. Purely cosmetic item. $25. No thanks.
who needs D4 or their cosmetics? I'm just waiting for Crate to release the new Grim Dawn Expansion, will probably be cheaper than that recolor too lol
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