Is there any such thing as "overhyped" or "overrated" video games?

[The Blackangel]

Overhyped and overrated are not synonymous. How many games have been talked about repeatedly in the gaming media and among gamers, that ultimately failed. GTA Trilogy is a good example of that.

Overrated on the other hand, is when a game sells well, but the majority of people are disappointed with it even if they enjoy it. I would say Zelda BOTW falls into this category. Zelda is a massively popular series, but Nintendo has made some major screwups with it from time to time. While a decent game, I feel BOTW is overrated and not as good as it could have been. I still play it, but not as much as I thought I would.

[Clasher]

40 minutes ago, The Blackangel said:

Overhyped and overrated are not synonymous. How many games have been talked about repeatedly in the gaming media and among gamers, that ultimately failed. GTA Trilogy is a good example of that.

Overrated on the other hand, is when a game sells well, but the majority of people are disappointed with it even if they enjoy it. I would say Zelda BOTW falls into this category. Zelda is a massively popular series, but Nintendo has made some major screwups with it from time to time. While a decent game, I feel BOTW is overrated and not as good as it could have been. I still play it, but not as much as I thought I would.

I know they aren't synonymous but they are used interchangeably In some cases because an overhyped game usually sells well which then becomes overrated if gamers are not satisfied with what they got.

I didn't follow up much on Zelda, but I have a couple of folks who thinks  Zelda BOTW is a massive success which deserves all accolades and hype and hence my question as it often a matter of personal observation and not general to say a game is either overhyped, overated and underated.

what others might categorize as overrated or underated might not be the same for another.

 

[The Blackangel]

Exactly. Overhyped can be proven by statistics, overrated is a matter of personal opinion. The majority of people who have played it, love Skyrim. I think it's overrated. I love FF8. Other's think it's overrated, or just flat out sucks. Which was a large part of the gaming community (especially FF fans) at the time of its release. Overrated or not, it all boils down to personal opinion.

[Grungie]

3 hours ago, Clasher said:

I know they aren't synonymous but they are used interchangeably In some cases because an overhyped game usually sells well which then becomes overrated if gamers are not satisfied with what they got.

I didn't follow up much on Zelda, but I have a couple of folks who thinks  Zelda BOTW is a massive success which deserves all accolades and hype and hence my question as it often a matter of personal observation and not general to say a game is either overhyped, overated and underated.

what others might categorize as overrated or underated might not be the same for another.

 

Another reason why it’s interchanged a lot is because a lot of people throw those terms around as a “fancy” way to say something popular/well regarded sucks. Apparently it adds more “oomph” if you say it’s overrated/overhyped than just flat out saying you think something sucks.

[Kane99]

1 hour ago, Grungie said:

Another reason why it’s interchanged a lot is because a lot of people throw those terms around as a “fancy” way to say something popular/well regarded sucks. Apparently it adds more “oomph” if you say it’s overrated/overhyped than just flat out saying you think something sucks.

Just because someone says a game is overrated or overhyped, doesn't mean they hate it. It could just mean they enjoyed it, but felt it wasn't as fun as what people made it out to be. I think when people say overrated, it's like with COD. It's a great game for what it does, but can often be said to be overrated. I wouldn't say COD is overhyped, because if anything, it has its place in the gaming world and fans know what they're getting. But I do view it as overrated because even though I find it fun at times, I feel it hasn't changed enough to make it a good COD game. Does that make sense? 

[Grungie]

4 hours ago, Kane99 said:

Just because someone says a game is overrated or overhyped, doesn't mean they hate it. It could just mean they enjoyed it, but felt it wasn't as fun as what people made it out to be. I think when people say overrated, it's like with COD. It's a great game for what it does, but can often be said to be overrated. I wouldn't say COD is overhyped, because if anything, it has its place in the gaming world and fans know what they're getting. But I do view it as overrated because even though I find it fun at times, I feel it hasn't changed enough to make it a good COD game. Does that make sense? 

If you look at my other posts in this thread, I agree with you over the meanings. I'm telling you what most of the internet likes to think it means. It's always used in disdain towards anything popular, or critically acclaimed. They talk about how terrible it is, and add the extra spice of "it's overrated", like it makes it sound like an educated opinion.

If so many people didn't think overrated = bad, I (or others) wouldn't be questioned by people so much when I say "wait, how can you like something that you think is overrated?"

[Clasher]

2 hours ago, Grungie said:

If you look at my other posts in this thread, I agree with you over the meanings. I'm telling you what most of the internet likes to think it means. It's always used in disdain towards anything popular, or critically acclaimed. They talk about how terrible it is, and add the extra spice of "it's overrated", like it makes it sound like an educated opinion.

If so many people didn't think overrated = bad, I (or others) wouldn't be questioned by people so much when I say "wait, how can you like something that you think is overrated?"

That's true

This could be sentimental and at the same time patronising.

And that's why I stated that those words could be used by Satisfied or dissatisfied gamer to demerit or praise a particular video game they think sucks or felt it was really good.

[Grungie]

17 minutes ago, Clasher said:

That's true

This could be sentimental and at the same time patronising.

And that's why I stated that those words could be used by Satisfied or dissatisfied gamer to demerit or praise a particular video game they think sucks or felt it was really good.

I always thought it was silly the way people say stuff like “overrated trash”. It feels more inauthentic or try hard than just saying “it’s trash”.

It gives off this feeling like they’re trying to be rebellious and braggadocious.

[Kane99]

On 8/5/2022 at 7:40 PM, Grungie said:

If you look at my other posts in this thread, I agree with you over the meanings. I'm telling you what most of the internet likes to think it means. It's always used in disdain towards anything popular, or critically acclaimed. They talk about how terrible it is, and add the extra spice of "it's overrated", like it makes it sound like an educated opinion.

If so many people didn't think overrated = bad, I (or others) wouldn't be questioned by people so much when I say "wait, how can you like something that you think is overrated?"

I'm not sure. While there are many who use overrated in a way to call something bad, I don't think it's the majority of the internet. I think there are a lot of people out there who use the word the other way. But I get what you're saying. A lot of people use the word wrong. 

[Clasher]

3 hours ago, Kane99 said:

I'm not sure. While there are many who use overrated in a way to call something bad, I don't think it's the majority of the internet. I think there are a lot of people out there who use the word the other way. But I get what you're saying. A lot of people use the word wrong. 

Overrated is thrown around among fans in major entertainment industries around the world (movies and music included) and this topic cuts across every single incident where this is used.

Opinion wise anyone could tag a game whatever they like but that can't be classified as the general view unless otherwise Stated.

[Grungie]

4 hours ago, Kane99 said:

I'm not sure. While there are many who use overrated in a way to call something bad, I don't think it's the majority of the internet. I think there are a lot of people out there who use the word the other way. But I get what you're saying. A lot of people use the word wrong. 

I tend to see overrated as a synonym for bad as the default across the internet.

In the gaming community, it’s used more commonly towards the popular games, as those tend to also get high ratings. The music and film community reserves it for critical darlings, as the popular stuff doesn’t tend to get good reviews.

[Kane99]

17 hours ago, Grungie said:

I tend to see overrated as a synonym for bad as the default across the internet.

In the gaming community, it’s used more commonly towards the popular games, as those tend to also get high ratings. The music and film community reserves it for critical darlings, as the popular stuff doesn’t tend to get good reviews.

And that's fine, but it's more of a generalization or an opinion. I don't think it can claimed as factual is what I'm saying. Sure some of what you say may be true, but I don't think we can calculate what the internet thinks. 

 

[Justin11]

I think when you hype your video game(s) as a developer you get more sales. It all depends on the popularity of the developer, studio companies for their video game arts to drag sales. Most games we see today doesn't worth the attention it is getting, and the hefty purchase price it commands today, but due to over hyping, it became possible for them. 

[Kane99]

2 hours ago, Justin11 said:

I think when you hype your video game(s) as a developer you get more sales. It all depends on the popularity of the developer, studio companies for their video game arts to drag sales. Most games we see today doesn't worth the attention it is getting, and the hefty purchase price it commands today, but due to over hyping, it became possible for them. 

That's usually how things go. But it's easier said than done. A lot of the smaller studios need to do more in order to get their games out there. Big studios just do some promo and they're usually good to go. 

The internet is a huge hype generator, in that fans and studios pretty much hype it all up together. I think fans were partly to blame for the over hype cyberpunk got. The studio went with it and used it to their advantage. But hey, if it works it works I guess. 

[Justin11]

39 minutes ago, Kane99 said:

That's usually how things go. But it's easier said than done. A lot of the smaller studios need to do more in order to get their games out there. Big studios just do some promo and they're usually good to go. 

The internet is a huge hype generator, in that fans and studios pretty much hype it all up together. I think fans were partly to blame for the over hype cyberpunk got. The studio went with it and used it to their advantage. But hey, if it works it works I guess. 

Just as you've said man, it is easier said than done. The smaller studios needs to do well in terms of marketing and quality of their games. I understand how hyping have come to stay around internet, if you don't hype you wouldn't get attention for your creative arts that's why everyone has taken dig to hype their creation in order to attract customers.