Activision is greedy! : Othor Games

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:07 pm

The problems with Psychonauts and System Shock was that hardly anyone bought them, if the customers are too thick to know a good thing when they see it, there's not really anything Activision can do about it.

Besides, I thought System Shock was rubbish.

...which was a load of ruckus aimed at Electronic Arts, not Activision.

I wanted to buy psychonauts so badly when it first came out. svcked that I didn't have an x-box.

» Fri Mar 05, 2010 1:38 am

Like was mentioned earlier, it can take new technology several years to really mature. Think about how long it took until 3D grafics became halfways decent looking.
The thing is, the market will sort itself out. If it's not ment to be, then those peripherals will flop. But maybe it'll be widely succesful and we'll see lotsa quality motion control games in the future. It's difficult to predict, but MS and Sony being on the bandwagon does increase the chances of devs taking it more seriously. But it's important that Sony and MS atleast try, as this stuff will shape the next generation of gaming. So I don't see why one needs to be so angry about it, since again this is not something forced upon you.

But I guess this is a little off topic now

I beg to differ.

I wanted to buy psychonauts so badly when it first came out. svcked that I didn't have an x-box.

It's also on PS2 and PC.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:16 am

I beg to differ.

It's also on PS2 and PC.

Don't have a ps2 and my pc couldn't run it. :sadvaultboy:

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:08 pm

Heck, the only reason Bobby Kotick is disliked is because he's saying exactly what all the other big business executives are thinking. They do not pull the wool over people's eyes at all, yet they are depicted as the baddies.

You're mistaken - I don't have any more love for similar executives than I do for Kotick. It's just that he's made himself into the poster-boy for everything that's wrong with the industry.

He's like a used-car salesman that appears in some annoying ad for the thousandth time, trying to convince us he's http://www.snotr.com/video/500

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:02 pm

You're mistaken - I don't have any more love for similar executives than I do for Kotick. It's just that he's made himself into the poster-boy for everything that's wrong with the industry.

He's like a used-car salesman that appears in some annoying ad for the thousandth time, trying to convince us he's http://www.snotr.com/video/500

Maybe if he had a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man more people would like him.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:07 pm

Maybe if he had a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man more people would like him.

Couldn't hurt! :laugh:

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:53 pm

Then what were you saying?

I'm really confused here; Activision are 100% open about their goals, their methods and the specifics of how their systems work. They do not lie, they don't even distort the truth in any way. Heck, the only reason Bobby Kotick is disliked is because he's saying exactly what all the other big business executives are thinking. They do not pull the wool over people's eyes at all, yet they are depicted as the baddies.

Just because they are open about it doesn't make their business practices any more desirable. :shrug:

» Fri Mar 05, 2010 1:48 am

Just because they are open about it doesn't make their business practices any more desirable. :shrug:

Then I suggest people stop going on about business ethics, because there is nothing unethical about what they're doing. It may be undesirable, but that doesn't make them "evil", as they have been described several times in this thread.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:59 pm

I have never understood why folks think a company is greedy. I mean really, companies exist to make money. Nobody would invest in something so it would go broke and the higher the margin of profit the better if you own the company. And how much them make is directly reflected in how many people buy their products and are happy with their products. If people become unsatisfied with some companies products or service it is reflected in their profits and they must either change their ways or what they offer or they will go broke. It's a consumer driven market and only monopolies can get by with bad service or bad products.

But yeah, surprise surprise companies want to make money and activision is no exception.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:58 pm

I never called them evil. I do find their practices questionable though.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:31 am

Then I suggest people stop going on about business ethics, because there is nothing unethical about what they're doing. It may be undesirable, but that doesn't make them "evil", as they have been described several times in this thread.

But..but..they want money! And and and subscriptions!

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:09 pm

I'm so glad I read this thread... I am going to go buy some Activision stock this afternoon.

As for everyone who is complaining about Activision's practices, please answer these two questions:
1. Do you work for Activision?
2. Do you own Activision stock?

If the answer to both is "no", then you have no place to complain. If you dislike what they are doing your options are to either ignore it or buy enough stock to change it.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:40 pm

I'm so glad I read this thread... I am going to go buy some Activision stock this afternoon.

As for everyone who is complaining about Activision's practices, please answer these two questions:
1. Do you work for Activision?
2. Do you own Activision stock?

If the answer to both is "no", then you have no place to complain. If you dislike what they are doing your options are to either ignore it or buy enough stock to change it.

Watch out for depressions. :thumbsup:

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:14 pm

Watch out for depressions. :thumbsup:

Actually, depressions are great for us smart folk. We buy up stock now when everything is in the basemant and watch them go up when the recovery sets in (in 3-5 years, barring any future government impedence).

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:56 pm

Actually, depressions are great for us smart folk. We buy up stock now when everything is in the basemant and watch them go up when the recovery sets in (in 3-5 years, barring any future government impedence).

lol Im joking..

» Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:39 am

Actually, depressions are great for us smart folk. We buy up stock now when everything is in the basemant and watch them go up when the recovery sets in (in 3-5 years, barring any future government impedence).

They're not great if you care about more than money. Your avatar is kinda fitting.... :shifty:

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 5:30 pm

I have never understood why folks think a company is greedy. I mean really, companies exist to make money. Nobody would invest in something so it would go broke and the higher the margin of profit the better if you own the company. And how much them make is directly reflected in how many people buy their products and are happy with their products. If people become unsatisfied with some companies products or service it is reflected in their profits and they must either change their ways or what they offer or they will go broke. It's a consumer driven market and only monopolies can get by with bad service or bad products.

But yeah, surprise surprise companies want to make money and activision is no exception.

That's exactly my viewpoint, but a simple "Don't buy it if you don't like it" doesn't seem to cut it.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:57 am

I beg to differ.

Someone forcing you at gunpoint to buy any product?

I have never understood why folks think a company is greedy. I mean really, companies exist to make money. Nobody would invest in something so it would go broke and the higher the margin of profit the better if you own the company. And how much them make is directly reflected in how many people buy their products and are happy with their products. If people become unsatisfied with some companies products or service it is reflected in their profits and they must either change their ways or what they offer or they will go broke. It's a consumer driven market and only monopolies can get by with bad service or bad products.

But yeah, surprise surprise companies want to make money and activision is no exception.

Exactly, bad products and services tend to flush them out themselves.

» Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:11 am

Exactly, bad products and services tend to flush them out themselves.

I wish that were true.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 5:58 pm

Activision makes me:

1. Sick (which will probably kill me sparing me the joke that is "the gaming industry")

2. Confused (people play and find enjoyment in MW2?)

3. Angry (when I first heard of this subscription biz I knew that gaming has changed, once again, not for the best)

Now, I'm a [censored] gamer. A tradition passed down from my mother (my father, not much of a gamer...) to myself and I'll be damned if I'm not gonna hand off this torch to any of my kin because all this kind of [censored] happening. It's war out there and I think it's time us, as gamers, go on the offensive. Now you can bunker down in your [censored] basemants reciting "it's ethical business" or you can just act like the [censored] gamer and put an actual opinion down rather playing devil's advocate to play devil's advocate...

(This isn't just about Activision... they just opened pandora's box and now it'll be okay for EVERYONE to charge you.)

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 8:08 pm

2. Confused (people play and find enjoyment in MW2?)

Who woulda thunk it that maybe not everyone has the same taste in gaming as you do?

3. Angry (when I first heard of this subscription biz I knew that gaming has changed, once again, not for the best)

Subscription models weren't invented just yesterday you know.

Now, I'm a [censored] gamer. A tradition passed down from my mother (my father, not much of a gamer...) to myself and I'll be damned if I'm not gonna hand off this torch to any of my kin because all this kind of [censored] happening. It's war out there and I think it's time us, as gamers, go on the offensive. Now you can bunker down in your [censored] basemants reciting "it's ethical business" or you can just act like the [censored] gamer and put an actual opinion down rather playing devil's advocate to play devil's advocate...

(This isn't just about Activision... they just opened pandora's box and now it'll be okay for EVERYONE to charge you.)

Well it's really nice that you feel being gamer is some kind of family tradition. Is watching movies and listening to music and reading books also a family tradition?
And you're gonna win your little war by ranting about it on some random forum? If you think something is [censored] and want to do something against it, that's perfectly fine, but rambling on some gaming site is gonna have nada impact.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:51 pm

2. Confused (people play and find enjoyment in MW2?)

Are you confused as to how it is possible for people to have opinions different from your own?

I don't like JRPG's, myself, but I'd never start shouting about how everybody needs to stop playing them because they are evil, for instance.

3. Angry (when I first heard of this subscription biz I knew that gaming has changed, once again, not for the best)

It's war out there and I think it's time us, as gamers, go on the offensive.

Now, don't you think you are overreacting just a little bit?
The matter at hand is essentially that one company is planning on introducing a subscription service, costing a few dollars a month, for the multiplayer service that they are providing, in some future title, as of this moment not elaborated upon. That doesn't sound like a war to me.

Now you can bunker down in your [censored] basemants reciting "it's ethical business" or you can just act like the [censored] gamer and put an actual opinion down rather playing devil's advocate to play devil's advocate...

I don't appreciate when people label my opinions as not being opinions at all. It is my opinion that what Activision are doing is a natural stage in the development of the video game market, and that they are more open and honest about it than most companies.

(This isn't just about Activision... they just opened pandora's box and now it'll be okay for EVERYONE to charge you.)

Well, if it's economically viable as a business strategy, then of course other companies will adopt the scheme.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:53 am

Well it's really nice that you feel being gamer is some kind of family tradition. Is watching movies and listening to music and reading books also a family tradition?
And you're gonna win your little war by ranting about it on some random forum? If you think something is [censored] and want to do something against it, that's perfectly fine, but rambling on some gaming site is gonna have nada impact.

There are always naysayers, you shall see. There were Torys (sp?) during the American Revolution... well all revolutions have loyalist, why should I expect less of my gaming "brethren?" It always starts as a single drop of rain, ya'know?

» Fri Mar 05, 2010 1:25 am

I don't appreciate when people label my opinions as not being opinions at all. It is my opinion that what Activision are doing is a natural stage in the development of the video game market, and that they are more open and honest about it than most companies.

As much as I dislike dishonest companies (who doesn't?), WHY does it matter if they're being honest about it? The fact that they are so blatant about it makes it feel like they tugged off their white glove and slapped me across my [censored] face with it.

» Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:56 pm

If subscription gaming becomes a norm then the businessmen will suffocate themselves as newer / smaller / bolder companies don't charge subscription.
GW2 - wow
Black Ops / Bulletstorm - COD MW

Can't and wont stop people from playing subscription games, but personally subscription games are not worth the trouble.

If you think something is [censored] and want to do something against it, that's perfectly fine, but rambling on some gaming site is gonna have nada impact.

I think this

Activision makes me:

1. Sick (which will probably kill me sparing me the joke that is "the gaming industry")

2. Confused (people play and find enjoyment in MW2?)

3. Angry (when I first heard of this subscription biz I knew that gaming has changed, once again, not for the best)

Now, I'm a [censored] gamer. A tradition passed down from my mother (my father, not much of a gamer...) to myself and I'll be damned if I'm not gonna hand off this torch to any of my kin because all this kind of [censored] happening. It's war out there and I think it's time us, as gamers, go on the offensive. Now you can bunker down in your [censored] basemants reciting "it's ethical business" or you can just act like the [censored] gamer and put an actual opinion down rather playing devil's advocate to play devil's advocate...

(This isn't just about Activision... they just opened pandora's box and now it'll be okay for EVERYONE to charge you.)

was more a statement than an argument.

I don't appreciate when people label my opinions as not being opinions at all. It is my opinion that what Activision are doing is a natural stage in the development of the video game market, and that they are more open and honest about it than most companies.

Yep, everyone gets their own ground to stand on.