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lol Notch has an opinion on free to play games
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Eh, it's George Broussard. He's made a number of odd remarks over the years. Frankly, calling developers who don't embrace F2P 'elitist' is definitely one of them. It was a pretty dumb thing to say.
I remember him saying Serious Sam would never go anywhere, because FPSs need a story, etc.. then SS went on to do really well, spawning several sequels. So, yeah.. def. doesn't have his finger on the pulse of gamers.
He's also one of the people responsible for Duke Nukem Forever not coming out for so long.
F2P games are a serious issue for the health and well being of a huge amount of the population. Especially for people who are not typically game players and do not recognize the evolution of games to F2P or the addiction tactics they employ to get your money.
South Park broke it down to a psychological level in a such an elaborate and well thought out manner that I believe that episode should be required viewing for everyone. "Freemium isn't Free" Season 18 Episode 6.
Bottom line F2P is absolutely and undeniably pushed like a drug and to a significant amount of people they are addictive and life ruining, both financially and mentally. The tactics the publishers employ and the market research that goes in to these games is disgusting. They the game to everyone for free so that those few that are prone to addiction and impulsive excessive spending will have access to it. This takes it a step further than your local drug dealers are willing to go. Imagine them deciding they were going to give out free heroin to everyone, anyone who wanted it, knowing that some would get addicted and become recurring paying customers.
More light needs to be shone on this subject. The sooner the better. It is an epidemic and the CDC isn't even touching it. So who will? No regulation on an industry that pushes drugs in a form that the government agencies simply aren't used to regulating. Not to mention the complete lack of laws or legislature asking/forcing them to do so.
While Notch isn't known for being tactful, I do agree somewhat with his premise that F2P is bait and switch. F2P games with paywalls and/or reduced features unless you pay should have to advertise such paywalls (many do anyway).
However, developers and publisher not embracing F2P doesn't make them elitist, what a stupid comment.
Maybe read the original comment instead of assuming twisted version...?
The problem is and always will be the unknown of the cash shop.
You cannot" knowingly mislead or misrepresent" your product to the consumer,this is a very fine line that i personally feel developers cross.
Here si the problem,the law would side with you to get a refund ,but WHAT refund if you didn't buy the game.Then with the cash shop they simply state that you received your purchase as intended and they are no longer obligated to you.
Also they like to include that phrase "your game experience may change and they are not legally responsible".Well when you create a 100% totally unknown like the cash shop,you KNOW your game will change,it is not about "it might".
the term FREE is very misleading and so are cash shops.
The problem is that gaming laws are so slack ,the governments simply doesn't care that much,most of the laws are just old ones that pertain to ideas that are not in particular aimed at gaming,like bullying/harassment,racism and copyright.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Notch is entitled to express his opinion. He's accomplished a lot more in gaming than a lot of lesser wits around the internet who would crucify him for it and blow what he said out of proportion.
I dunno, I met some people on Archeage that spent more money on it than I had people who were actual drug addicts.
Thousands in a day just to make sure you stay on top on your server.
Heroine seemed apt.
With respect Kano, he clearly said "stop moving the goal post. We both know what we're talking about." When the person he was speaking to accused him of exactly what you are saying.
Notch isn't ignorant, he knows there are some good free to play models out there, he is speaking out against the ones that are obvious cash grabs that intentionally create a gambling esk environment in their game.
https://twitter.com/notch/status/618909396454801410
Whlie I wish this were true, you can look at the massive free to play market in Korea and China and see their extreme gambling style payment plans and how successful they are...
Also, lets look at how impossible it is to kill RMT in mmos...
I disagree. Though I think that this is something that we can fundamentally agree is not provable either way. I just think it's human nature to be susceptible to gambling and the quick gain, I think people who design games to exploit this are borderline criminal. So I agree with Notch.
I did read the original comment, and I stand by what I said. He also said that they need to get over themselves, which is also a stupid comment.
Actually, the whole argument between George and Notch is mostly masturbation for the two of them as neither of them have really done anything noteworthy in the industry after their initial success. Of course, if I got a payday like Notch did, I'd probably mostly retire as well.
And yet you defend and play Archeage, one of.. if not the most.. P2W games currently released in NA. What does that make you?
Not a stupid comment at all, in fact in your case, and seeing you do not care what actually one says, fairly well fitting.
The is the whole problem with an addiction. You lost control. There is no such thing as a controlled addiction.
Minecraft or no Minecraft his opinion is as valid or invalid as anyone else who shares one. In other words his creation has nothing to do with it, it certainly doesn't make his opinion more valid.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
A person that is mature enough to ignore all the silly P2W talk?
Interesting.
The low income gamers that are pushing F2P have a voice and this seems to be the company's/industry voice back to them.
Have you even played Archeage? If you have.. you're in denial.
Here a few things that are P2W in Archeage:
Most of the arguments about F2P would go away if the word "free" wasn't there. I mean... we all know they really aren't free and that there always is a cash shop in there... so why allow them to be called "free" when they really aren't?
I know the usual excuse is "well you don't NEED to buy anything" which is only true if you actually don't like the game and just sample it.
I really don't have a problem with the terminology either when they are marketed at adults. But many F2P games are aimed at kids who don't have anywhere near the same impulse control that adults have.. or rather I should say "supposedly have" since addictive behavior is alive and well in adulthood as well.
The terminology used has actually been a pet-peeve of mine since the early days of iTune apps, which was one of the pioneers of F2P even before FB. The problem there was that there really were many free apps with no ads and no cash store given away in the old spirit of freeware. And then Apple, in their wisdom, saw fit to lump in apps with ads and full-on cash shop games in the same category.
And the business about valentine flowers, etc.? LOl... I don't see them being advertised as free flowers and when you go to the store they give you one runty wilted rose for free
No one (or not many sane people anyway) have any problem with developers selling their games and making a profit... the "free" terminology, OTOH, only seems to be tolerated in games... which is pretty weird.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
Eh, if they did they would lose at least 90 percent of players who might at least give a try to their games and theres no law to legally enforce such (devs would find workarounds anyway, you can bet on it)
Its pretty obvious when a game is pay to win, especially with devs/publishers like Glu/Joymax/Nexon/you name it, unfortunatly the free to play game industry has gone to ***, simply put
You don't have to buy anything at a store either but that doesn't mean you can call it a "Free store".
I would say it is false marketting but then what marketting isn't?