What is the best way to fight unethical practices in the video game industry?

[StaceyPowers]

When I upgrade my console, I’ll probably buy The Witcher 3, as I clearly am missing out on a game that will appeal to me. That being said, part of me will cringe about it, because I know that the studio underpaid for the rights (and yes, I know some people will debate me on this—regardless, it isn’t the point).

The point is that usually, I protest practices I dislike by not purchasing products. But with video games, that is almost impossible. It seems like the vast majority of studios have one serious issue or another, whether it is crunch time, squabbles over rights, microtransactions, or so forth.

So, my question is, what can we do as gamers to fight practices we don’t like in the industry without just giving up on the industry altogether? So far, all I really have come up with is to post on forums or write articles condemning crunch time or complaining about microtransactions.

@LadyDay, @Shagger, @killamch89, @kingpotato, @The Blackangel, @DylanC, @Alyxx, @Executor Akamia, @Crazycrab

[The Blackangel]

We could try to organize a boycott, but that would take millions of gamers to have even the slightest bit of an affect. But other than that, and what you said, there really isn't much we can do.

[Crazycrab]

I simply vote with my wallet, I flat out refuse to buy any game with lootboxes, insidious microtransactions or from really unethical companies.  To tell the truth, I don't really feel like I've missed on anything that I really wanted to play, by avoiding these things you avoid the vast majority of the garbage.

 

32 minutes ago, StaceyPowers said:

When I upgrade my console, I’ll probably buy The Witcher 3, as I clearly am missing out on a game that will appeal to me. That being said, part of me will cringe about it, because I know that the studio underpaid for the rights (and yes, I know some people will debate me on this—regardless, it isn’t the point).

 

That is debatable, if you ask me the whole debacle was entirely his own fault!  The author of the books Andrzej Sapkowski by the admission of his own ignorance made a mistake by taking a cash sum in exchange for the rights instead of a % share in the profits that they offered him in the first place.  He didn't think the games would make a dime because he didn't know anything about video games. Honestly in my opinion, he's been a bit of a knob chasing CD Projekt Red for royalties just because the games became a success.  It doesn't matter now anyway, they settled out of court just recently so can buy any of the Witcher games with a clear conscience.

 

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-12-21-cd-projekt-and-the-witcher-author-andrzej-sapkowski-ink-new-ip-rights-deal

Edited December 24, 2019 by Crazycrab

[kingpotato]

Honestly I dont really care about the bad practices, I just care about the game. If its a good game at a good price I will buy it, as for micro transactions I have never purchased one, I dont really mind if the game has micro transactions or not since I'm not going to spend money on them anyway. But micro transactions will keep appearing in games as long as there is a market for it so in order to stop that practice people need to stop spending money on shit like that.

[skyfire]

I think forced pay to play and giving additional supplies that helps the users win is unethical in microtransaction of the mobile gaming. 

[mont86]

From my point of view , they are unethical practices in every aspect of life.. I find most people don't care and really are too busy making a living and life in general to

the steps to change things. 

 

[Shagger]

13 hours ago, Crazycrab said:

I simply vote with my wallet, I flat out refuse to buy any game with lootboxes, insidious microtransactions or from really unethical companies.  To tell the truth, I don't really feel like I've missed on anything that I really wanted to play, by avoiding these things you avoid the vast majority of the garbage.

 

 

That is debatable, if you ask me the whole debacle was entirely his own fault!  The author of the books Andrzej Sapkowski by the admission of his own ignorance made a mistake by taking a cash sum in exchange for the rights instead of a % share in the profits that they offered him in the first place.  He didn't think the games would make a dime because he didn't know anything about video games. Honestly in my opinion, he's been a bit of a knob chasing CD Projekt Red for royalties just because the games became a success.  It doesn't matter now anyway, they settled out of court just recently so can buy any of the Witcher games with a clear conscience.

 

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-12-21-cd-projekt-and-the-witcher-author-andrzej-sapkowski-ink-new-ip-rights-deal

 

I completely agree. Andrzej Sapkowski wrote a brilliant book series, but that doesn't mean he isn't a high and mighty prick. He has no respect for video games as a medium and that's why he done himself bad in the original deal. It was his own damb fault. So much of the interest in the books was generated because CD Project Red's games, especially internationally, and thus generated a lot of sales for the books, so he already got a massive payday that he himself said he wouldn't because of arrogance and disrespect for the medium. Not to mention there is no way he would have been able to earn that licence fee from Netflix for the new TV series if the games hadn't been successful. Like @Crazycrabsaid, they settled out of court, but I will always believe CD Project Red owed him nothing.

[StaceyPowers]

20 hours ago, Crazycrab said:

That is debatable, if you ask me the whole debacle was entirely his own fault!  The author of the books Andrzej Sapkowski by the admission of his own ignorance made a mistake by taking a cash sum in exchange for the rights instead of a % share in the profits that they offered him in the first place.  He didn't think the games would make a dime because he didn't know anything about video games. Honestly in my opinion, he's been a bit of a knob chasing CD Projekt Red for royalties just because the games became a success.  It doesn't matter now anyway, they settled out of court just recently so can buy any of the Witcher games with a clear conscience.

 

I understand that from a capitalist standpoint, the company did nothing "wrong." I just know that if I made the kind of money they did with a game like that, I'd think back to the guy I persuaded to part with the rights for 10 grand and throw him a larger slice of profit of my own volition. I have a hard time believing it'd have inconvenienced them in a major way to pay him more than they originally did. I'm glad they settled though, and on the plus side, I expect he has made a lot more money through the trickle down through people outside of Poland finally realizing he exists =D

[LadyDay]

I think it's a hard question too. I'm a complete sucker. Even though EA charges waaaaaay too much for DLC for The Sims 4 I still buy the stuff. I don't see myself buying a game where microtransactions are required for gameplay, but I can't say for sure. What I can do is support companies that (seemingly) deserve it by buying their games (if the game is something I might enjoy playing). Like Frontier (who have produced Planet Zoo and Planet Coaster, two games I've happily bought). They are however still a small business, I don't know if that makes it easier to do right by the customers, listen to the players, put out bug fixes in no time etc. It might take shady stuff to become an industry giant. 

I've bought The Witcher 3 too, but didn't know about the controversy. However, had I known, I'd still probably have bought the game anyway. The game looked too awesome to pass on! At least I bought it with a 70% discount.

[skyfire]

I think in grand scheme of things you need a lot of popularity power to fight things off which is not going to be easy.