Posted December 07, 2018
It certainly would kill off the hypothetical functionality of it for me.
Even if I really like what I know about a game, I'll always check the reviews (both in general and negative specifically, since that's where information about serious issues is most likely to be found), then take a look at the forum (especially tech support/bug section) before purchase.
Frankly, forum activity (and information) seems a much more reliable indicator of a game's state than anything else to me.
It's hardly espionage when you're using public information the competitor provides.
And from all I read, intentionally so.
What we're seeing is exactly the opposite of "competition." Having exclusive titles tied to only single distro platform is just plain ol' market fragmentation.
As somebody living with our glorious 'murrican ISP regulatory-capture duopoly (if you're lucky...), I can tell you from first-hand experience that exclusivity does not work well for customers in the long run.
Especially when it turns out that for-profit companies will absolutely go and make non-competition agreements with each other behind closed door.
Even if I really like what I know about a game, I'll always check the reviews (both in general and negative specifically, since that's where information about serious issues is most likely to be found), then take a look at the forum (especially tech support/bug section) before purchase.
Frankly, forum activity (and information) seems a much more reliable indicator of a game's state than anything else to me.
It's hardly espionage when you're using public information the competitor provides.
And from all I read, intentionally so.
chosenvault: maybe due to reviews being often misused by players with axes to grind, and using them to "get back" at the developer for some reason?
Then don't give them a reason in the first place? Most of "review bombing" I heard in the first place was the result of genuine grievance. Something the developer/publisher may disagree with as being seen the same way, but the owners of the game certainly have a right to use reviews to bring shitty business practices to others' attention in my book. chosenvault: or to push an agenda? Steam reviews are pure cancer. most of them are jokes, or ascii art masterpieces
I look at reviews very frequently, and that is hardly my experience. Steam already provides tools for better access to "quality" reviews (and, I suspect, some degree of control over what displays in the first place). If somebody wants to drop ASCII "masterwork" in place of valid feedback, it hardly hurts anybody. You can easily scroll past. Meanwhile, removal of review system altogether just makes it that much more difficult for customers to make an informed purchase (which, I think, is very much the point for Epic). Screamshield: This is not competition. This is pseudo-console(client) exclusives on PC. For the clients to be competing you'd need for all games to be on all clients.
This really needs to be mentioned more often than it is. What we're seeing is exactly the opposite of "competition." Having exclusive titles tied to only single distro platform is just plain ol' market fragmentation.
As somebody living with our glorious 'murrican ISP regulatory-capture duopoly (if you're lucky...), I can tell you from first-hand experience that exclusivity does not work well for customers in the long run.
Especially when it turns out that for-profit companies will absolutely go and make non-competition agreements with each other behind closed door.
Post edited December 07, 2018 by Lukaszmik