3 ms·

There are two newer, disheartening trends in game development that feed on people’s enjoyment of games: pay-to-win and forever-early-access. Both are marketed a

There are two newer, disheartening trends in game development that feed on people’s enjoyment of games: pay-to-win and forever-early-access. Both are marketed as a way to support the game’s development, and in some cases that may be true. If it’s just cosmetics that are on sale (no loot boxes) or the developer is genuinely taking community feedback then both are bearable evils, but so often players are taken for a ride with the cost being their money, time and mental well-being. Companies should absolutely be held accountable for these practises, particularly because it’s often children and adolescents who are the victims.

islanderfun 8y ago
Interesting distinction. Genuinely curious of examples from either group.
- renjimen 8y ago
  Pay to win: collectible games (Hearthstone and Gwent), lots of free mobile games that let you pay to skip the grind (the newest Dungeon Keeper), blockbuster titles that let you buy content that is included on the disc but locked (Star Wars BF2), and a host of other shady business models. Forever early access: 7 Days to Die, Stonehearth, Star Citizen. Lots of games that were Kickstarted but couldn’t manage their scope well.
robertAngst 8y ago
I dont quite understand how this problem started. Do people not know about Steam sales? Pay to win is such an awful concept, I wont touch it. Especially since there are literally 30 years of games and emulators to play. For 'forever early access', you really need to be sucked into the marketing to waste time and money on an unfinished game. I dont want to imply I'm some sort of stone wall when it comes to marketing, but I dont understand why people would do either of these. I've put 15 hours into Mount and Blade since the Steam Summer Sale and I dont think I paid more than 5 or 7 dollars. Is this an issue of uninformed consumers that dont know whats available?
- watwut 8y ago
  You cant buy mobile phone game on steam. You cant download steam sale game whenever you want to and try for free.
  - robertAngst 8y ago
    I cant imagine playing mobile phone games. Shitty controls and I'd rather use emulator and play full games on my phone.
    - watwut 8y ago
      Nevertheless, that is what most people play and enjoy. 15 hours for 5 or 7 dollars (plus PC and same for xbox etc) is pretty expensive per mobile standards. Through that is not the only reason I guess, steam has nothing form and had nothing for me for years. Or at least I could not find it there, which amounts to same thing. See, I knew about steam and spent a lot of time trying to find game I would like, only to be frustrated. I ultimately succeeded on mobile. Different people like different things. And yes, it is possible that many don't know about steam or did not found there anything at the first look. Mobile playstore is right there on device everyone owns. Steam is something you have to know about, search and download on device not everyone has. Plus, you still cant try games for free, so you are list in catalogue of expensive games you have low chance to like. So if parents dont support gaming habit, kids are out of luck to even try.
- renjimen 8y ago
  A lot of pay to win games are free to play, so casual gamers get sucked in and before they know it they’re shelving out more than they would on a AAA title just to buy some imaginary cards (I’m looking at you, Hearthstone). Drug dealers have a similar tactic, hah. As for buying an unfinished game or preordering before reviews are out - it’s got to be marketing. New is more exciting than old, even if old is proven and cheaper. There are plenty of analogies for that one out there!

islanderfun 8y ago

Interesting distinction. Genuinely curious of examples from either group.

renjimen 8y ago
Pay to win: collectible games (Hearthstone and Gwent), lots of free mobile games that let you pay to skip the grind (the newest Dungeon Keeper), blockbuster titles that let you buy content that is included on the disc but locked (Star Wars BF2), and a host of other shady business models. Forever early access: 7 Days to Die, Stonehearth, Star Citizen. Lots of games that were Kickstarted but couldn’t manage their scope well.

robertAngst 8y ago

I dont quite understand how this problem started. Do people not know about Steam sales? Pay to win is such an awful concept, I wont touch it. Especially since there are literally 30 years of games and emulators to play. For 'forever early access', you really need to be sucked into the marketing to waste time and money on an unfinished game. I dont want to imply I'm some sort of stone wall when it comes to marketing, but I dont understand why people would do either of these. I've put 15 hours into Mount and Blade since the Steam Summer Sale and I dont think I paid more than 5 or 7 dollars. Is this an issue of uninformed consumers that dont know whats available?

watwut 8y ago
You cant buy mobile phone game on steam. You cant download steam sale game whenever you want to and try for free.
- robertAngst 8y ago
  I cant imagine playing mobile phone games. Shitty controls and I'd rather use emulator and play full games on my phone.
  - watwut 8y ago
    Nevertheless, that is what most people play and enjoy. 15 hours for 5 or 7 dollars (plus PC and same for xbox etc) is pretty expensive per mobile standards. Through that is not the only reason I guess, steam has nothing form and had nothing for me for years. Or at least I could not find it there, which amounts to same thing. See, I knew about steam and spent a lot of time trying to find game I would like, only to be frustrated. I ultimately succeeded on mobile. Different people like different things. And yes, it is possible that many don't know about steam or did not found there anything at the first look. Mobile playstore is right there on device everyone owns. Steam is something you have to know about, search and download on device not everyone has. Plus, you still cant try games for free, so you are list in catalogue of expensive games you have low chance to like. So if parents dont support gaming habit, kids are out of luck to even try.
renjimen 8y ago
A lot of pay to win games are free to play, so casual gamers get sucked in and before they know it they’re shelving out more than they would on a AAA title just to buy some imaginary cards (I’m looking at you, Hearthstone). Drug dealers have a similar tactic, hah. As for buying an unfinished game or preordering before reviews are out - it’s got to be marketing. New is more exciting than old, even if old is proven and cheaper. There are plenty of analogies for that one out there!