Entitled Gamers: Stop the Insanity

Zenimax Online and The Elder Scrolls Online have gotten nothing but hate and flames for keeping their NDA for all but a select few in the media, not having an open beta, selling copies of the game, and going with a subscription model.  Well, those are just a small portion of the recent whines that have been flying around in the last week or so.  And then there is a praise Sony is getting for selling ALPHA access to Everquest Next: Landmark. 

Sony is basically selling ALPHA access and thereby getting free game designers to build their next game instead of hiring and paying talented game designers and artists a decent salary and benefits.  Sure, Sony improves the bottom line but in the process becomes a bad citizen, deprives the local economy of growth, nickels and dimes their “customers” to death and consistently produces crappy, bug filled games.  Everquest 2 still has bugs that were there upon release, Planetside 2 was almost unplayable upon release, and Sony just announced the closure of four games this year.  Why on earth would any reasonably intelligent gamer invest money in any product Sony tosses out there? 

Zenimax on the other hand, hasn’t sold beta access and has refused to release the NDA to the overwhelming majority of their beta testing community.  This isn’t hiding what may or may not be a crappy game, it is controlling the out of control entitlement of the gaming community that is notorious for vomiting hate for any game that doesn’t meet preconceived notions.  ZOS is in a no-win situation no matter what road they travel down.  The majority of released media reviews are less than favorable but a careful read of those opinion pieces makes it clear that the reviewer had their review written prior to ever playing the game.  If ZOS lifts the NDA for those who have been included in the beta but aren’t press, the positives reviews will undoubtedly increase but so will the incessant whining.  Keeping the NDA in place allows ZOS to build and create TESO and let the market decide upon release.

Now for the real problem, the gaming community is the problem.  The never ending demands for content and then the accompanying complaints when the content is buggy; the hardcore versus casual ceaseless debate; the end game is all the matters crowd; and the refusal to let game developers and publishers design, build, and test the game they spent all the time and money producing.  Gamers are responsible for being nickel and dimed to death by free-to-play games because they are too eager to buy their way through content rather than relax and play the game.  If you can’t afford the box fee and a monthly sub of a mere $15 dollars (which by the way hasn’t changed in over a decade) then you shouldn’t be gaming.

NDA’s exist for a reason and betas are not free previews to play until the game releases.  Betas exist to track down and quash bugs, problematic combat, typos, etc.  They are not there for gamers to play for free, trash, and then move on to the next beta to wash, rinse and repeat.  If you play a beta and are under NDA and aren’t enjoying yourself, then move and and go spend your time doing something you enjoy.  There are always plenty of beta testers who are willing to test, report, and live happily under the terms of the NDA.

Gamers are responsible for buggy games and rushed content releases because of their incessant drive to burn through content as quickly as possible and then demand yet more new content.  Gamers, not gaming companies, are responsible for the state of games today.  The sense of entitlement and personal hurt when the game isn’t exact what they envisioned it to be is an endless black pit cesspool of garbage.  Unless you are a game designer and work for a gaming company, no game will ever meet your expectations completely.  If you don’t like a game, then move on and play one that suits your play style.  There is no reason to demean those that enjoy something you don’t. 

Look, I strongly, no vehemently, oppose the selling of alpha or beta access by any company but if there are gamers that enjoy what they pay for great.  Just don’t expect sympathy from me when the game doesn’t meet your expectations.  I will support any game I play with my monthly subscription, when I stop enjoying it I will cease to pay for the game.  I will also support any gaming company that keeps their beta locked down and their testers under NDA.

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