Internet People Suck

            Yesterday we got some fantastic news that Microsoft is doing away with the policies it had in place for the Xbox One. No longer will we have to connect every twenty-four hours and no longer will used games be restricted. I am extremely excited about this because the used games policy does affect people like me who use services such as Gamefly. On that same note, though, Microsoft changing its policies helped me realize the direction Microsoft was headed.

            At first I thought Microsoft was bullying its consumers into paying more and more money for things that they shouldn’t have to. If I buy a game, it’s mine to do whatever I want with it. Right? What I didn’t realize, until now, was that Microsoft wasn’t necessarily trying to hurt the gamers, but they were trying to help out the developers and publishers who lose millions of dollars to used games. Gamestop and other companies that sell used games are banking the money that the developers should get a piece of. That is why you see policies put into place that force gamers to pay to play online and this and that. Quantic Dreams, the developers for Indigo Prophecy and Heavy Rain, noted that one million people played their game that they didn’t see money for. Do the math on that. Sixty dollars times one million is sixty million dollars that they didn’t see. We all know that Gamestop sells their used games for ridiculously high prices, so they got to see a large chunk of that sixty million that they get to keep to themselves. I have to ask myself how fair that really is?

            I saw a guy on Youtube bitching about this very subject and he pointed out that Quantic Dreams made one hundred million dollars on their game Heavy Rain. He stated that they had enough and they’re not suffering. I just pointed out that they missed out on another sixty million dollars for that same title. Sure, they made a ton of money on that game, but we aren’t looking into the cost this company goes through to produce quality content. The cost of triple A titles is in the millions. So they spent millions making Heavy Rain. Then they have to spend additional money to help support that game. Then they want to move onto the next game, which will no doubt cost millions. They have to pay for technical support and marketing, equipment and software, and of course their employees. The cost adds up and the way they pay for it is by selling their previous games or additional downloadable content. In my eyes, the more used games being sold means the less money a developer has to make great quality products. Instead we see the same titles released over and over because taking a risk in a million dollar industry can prove to be extremely fatal, RIP 38 Studios. Many studios go out of business because of used games, so don’t be surprised if you start seeing a bunch of Free to Play games that come with micro transactions out the ass.

            So it took Xbox reversing its plans for their next generation for me to kind of open my eyes and realize that. As consumers we are directly involved in this decision and therefore we all threw a hissy fit over it. I don’t think used games would be such an issue if developers had another way to make money off of those games, but they don’t. My concern with Microsoft reversing the plans for Xbox One is that maybe they’re hindering the future they were looking forward to. Gone is the online library you could access at and Xbox console, much like you can with Steam. Gone is the family plan that was going to allow you to share your online library with ten other people. How many platforms, in any industry, allow you to share your digital content? I can’t really think of one, but I’m sure some of you reading may be able to fill me in. Regardless, it’s a win lose situation for consumers. Microsoft is giving us what we want, but at the same time, they’re not leaping into the future anymore, they’re just making a glorified PlayStation 4.

            But maybe it wasn’t time for that yet. Games are becoming more and more digitized and I whole-heartedly believe that in a few years that all games will be download only. It’s going to come to point where you won’t see a hard copy game box ever again. What could this mean for gaming? I believe that games would probably cost less. Steam sells games for sixty dollars, sure, but they also have crazy sales where you can buy games for ridiculously cheap. I think digitizing games will be cheaper for the publishers and in turn, that might make games cheaper as well. We do run the risk of them keeping the same price points though, so here’s to hoping. In all, maybe forcing used games out of the market this soon was Microsoft jumping the gun. Maybe they need to wait and let it happen when it’s time. Sony and Microsoft will offer all their next gen games digitally on the day of release. Once more and more people buy into that option, you’ll begin to see the shift.

            Before I logged off, I wanted to talk about the Internet for a minute. I cannot stand people who sit here and defend a console to the death. Lately I’ve seen the Playstation army out in force and reading what these fanboys have to say is really turning me off of the Playstation. I want a PS4, I do. But my decision and other people’s decisions to buy an Xbox One first seems to piss these guys off and they go on flaming rants about how fucking stupid we are and how we should all just die. Seriously, I’ve read that. It’s such a turn off to see people have a blind loyalty to companies that only care about the money that you’re going to give them. I’ve seen the Xbox fanboys out in force with yesterday’s news, but I just can’t help but wonder why these people are like this. You don’t collect a paycheck from these companies, so why defend them and blindly haze other products because they’re different? At first the Internet seemed to explode because of what Microsoft had planned, but now that they’ve retracted it, the Internet is in a frenzy and pissed off that Microsoft did a 180. Holy crap, you can’t please people, you really can’t.

            I implore you to vote for games! I know everyone isn’t made of money, but if you can, just play the console of choice because you like games. Don’t play a console because you feel that you are a part of their group. You’re not. They’re the company, you’re the consumer, so the only say you get in their product is the money you have and that speaks more than your words ever will. I beg you people to stop fighting over which is better because it doesn’t matter. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, and every person’s opinion is right! You will never be wrong when it comes down to your personal preference. So please, people, game on. It’s going to be an exciting next generation of consoles.