Mama Robotnik
Member
I'm struggling to narrow down the absolute worst - something rotten that a company has done that shows absolute disdain for their customers. The most jaw-droppingly horrendous thing that you can thing of - something either so anti-consumer that it sets a dangerous precedent for the future of the industry, or so offensive that it makes your stomach churn.
Some examples - I've included links to the original GAF threads to help provide insight into how angry people were:
Nintendo Region Locks the 3DS, then act like they are doing us a favour:
Nintendo tells us that region locking is to "ensure the best possible gaming experience for our users".
(GAF THREAD)
Sony remove advertised and functioning features from customer's privately-owned consoles:
In the build up to the PS3 release, Sony repeatedly emphasised that the machine was a computer, and not a games console, citing the OtherOS function. During the consoles continuing lifetime, the company continued to advertise the hardware as an "open platform".
When a security vulnerability reared its head, Sony presented its customers with an ultimatum - upgrade your firmware (but have the OtherOS function permanently locked out and wiped from the system), or retain OtherOS (but be barred access from online services and playing newer games). Either way, the customers were forced to sacrifice functionality in their privately-owned property for the entire convenience of Sony Corporation.
This action set the precedent that companies in the industry can remove functionality in customer's hardware at their convenience, and face little consequence.
(GAF THREAD)
The head of Sonic Team blames fans entirely for "negative perceptions" of their games:
After the releases of the dismal Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 and eventually that one with the werehog, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka was asked by Eurogamer as to why, he feels, there are endless "negative comments" about his games. The response:
Its nothing to do with the games being sub-par, oh no. Its entirely 2D fans wanting 2D games, and 3D fans wanting 3D games, that has led to unrecognised gems such as Sonic 2006 receiving "not positive" comments. It takes a special type of company to blame your low reputation on the fanbase.
(GAF THREAD)
Microsoft dismiss millions of faulty consoles:
When confronted with the notion that millions of customers had bought faulty hardware, and were trapped out of warranty with three red lights, Microsoft's Peter Moore offered this condescending response:
(GAF THREAD)
Capcom, BioWare, and others makes its customers pay twice for content on their discs
This generation, companies have been selling games without telling the consumers something pretty vital - that a chunk of the disc content is locked, and a second purchase must be made to unlock this supposed DLC. BioWare tried this with Mass Effect, but it was Capcom that really made headlines, when the on-disc characters were unlocked and entirely playable by hackers.
This led to an entirely offensive situation in which customers were denied access to characters freely playable by hackers. Later, the customers were given the privilege of paying more money to Capcom, to unlock the content on their already purchased discs, and play the characters the hackers had access to for free.
(GAF THREAD)
Bethesda con millions out of PS3 customers by selling them a broken game:
Despite claiming that the Skyrim engine is "all new", Bethesda knowingly released a broken PS3 port of Skyrim and raked in the sales. As confirmed by a Fallout New Vegas developer, the engine issue was known and not remedied before release. The company appears to have conspired to keep the condition of the PS3 version as quiet as possible before release - only allowing the media to access and review the 360 and PC releases.
Criticism should, of course, be labeled to the various PlayStation-enthusiast reviewers who based their reviews on 360 code without telling their readers, thus awarding the broken game a veritable cavalcade of top mark scores and cementing its success.
(GAF THREAD)
----
They're the best I can think of. Can anyone beat these, GAF? If not, then which of these is the worst?
Some examples - I've included links to the original GAF threads to help provide insight into how angry people were:
Nintendo Region Locks the 3DS, then act like they are doing us a favour:
Nintendo tells us that region locking is to "ensure the best possible gaming experience for our users".
(GAF THREAD)
Sony remove advertised and functioning features from customer's privately-owned consoles:
In the build up to the PS3 release, Sony repeatedly emphasised that the machine was a computer, and not a games console, citing the OtherOS function. During the consoles continuing lifetime, the company continued to advertise the hardware as an "open platform".
When a security vulnerability reared its head, Sony presented its customers with an ultimatum - upgrade your firmware (but have the OtherOS function permanently locked out and wiped from the system), or retain OtherOS (but be barred access from online services and playing newer games). Either way, the customers were forced to sacrifice functionality in their privately-owned property for the entire convenience of Sony Corporation.
This action set the precedent that companies in the industry can remove functionality in customer's hardware at their convenience, and face little consequence.
(GAF THREAD)
The head of Sonic Team blames fans entirely for "negative perceptions" of their games:
After the releases of the dismal Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 and eventually that one with the werehog, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka was asked by Eurogamer as to why, he feels, there are endless "negative comments" about his games. The response:
Its nothing to do with the games being sub-par, oh no. Its entirely 2D fans wanting 2D games, and 3D fans wanting 3D games, that has led to unrecognised gems such as Sonic 2006 receiving "not positive" comments. It takes a special type of company to blame your low reputation on the fanbase.
(GAF THREAD)
Microsoft dismiss millions of faulty consoles:
When confronted with the notion that millions of customers had bought faulty hardware, and were trapped out of warranty with three red lights, Microsoft's Peter Moore offered this condescending response:
(GAF THREAD)
Capcom, BioWare, and others makes its customers pay twice for content on their discs
This generation, companies have been selling games without telling the consumers something pretty vital - that a chunk of the disc content is locked, and a second purchase must be made to unlock this supposed DLC. BioWare tried this with Mass Effect, but it was Capcom that really made headlines, when the on-disc characters were unlocked and entirely playable by hackers.
This led to an entirely offensive situation in which customers were denied access to characters freely playable by hackers. Later, the customers were given the privilege of paying more money to Capcom, to unlock the content on their already purchased discs, and play the characters the hackers had access to for free.
(GAF THREAD)
Bethesda con millions out of PS3 customers by selling them a broken game:
Despite claiming that the Skyrim engine is "all new", Bethesda knowingly released a broken PS3 port of Skyrim and raked in the sales. As confirmed by a Fallout New Vegas developer, the engine issue was known and not remedied before release. The company appears to have conspired to keep the condition of the PS3 version as quiet as possible before release - only allowing the media to access and review the 360 and PC releases.
Criticism should, of course, be labeled to the various PlayStation-enthusiast reviewers who based their reviews on 360 code without telling their readers, thus awarding the broken game a veritable cavalcade of top mark scores and cementing its success.
(GAF THREAD)
----
They're the best I can think of. Can anyone beat these, GAF? If not, then which of these is the worst?
