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[Helios]

Modern Warfare dev asks angry fans to ease up on 'ultra dark toxic comments'

Infinity Ward art director Joel Emslie reminded everyone that real people are making the game, and they read the comments.

www.pcgamer.com

[...] and some of their reactions have gone a little too far in the eyes of Infinity Ward art director Joel Emslie, who posted a message on Reddit reminding everyone that real people are working on the game, and that many of them read the comments.
"We are a mixed bag of nerds, jocks, and everything in between. It's amazing but we all get along and come together every day to build something that we believe in. We've dedicated our careers to being the best at what we do and to making the best possible game we can make," Emslie wrote.
"That's corny but at the same time this is a job and if you work at a job and aren't successful then eventually there is no job. Almost all of us have worked in the industry for long enough to know that if we don't make a good game then no one will play it."
"Public forms like Reddit are "part of our process" of gathering thoughts and feedback on the state of games, both while they're in development and after they've been released. But amidst the useful, helpful feedback are "ultra dark toxic comments that tell me how incompetent and stupid I must be and how I should go away somewhere where I cant harm people with my bad ideas and artwork." Infinity Ward developers have thick skins, he said, but sometimes, "it can get to you."

"I understand that there are people here that have things going on in their lives or they are upset about something to do with the game and they need to get the poison out and feel like they are being listened to. You are and yeah go for it, but keep it clean and maybe even a little creative. Get it out of your system but remember there's a team of human beings here at IW and we have crappy days just like you," Emslie wrote.
"Our interest is entirely in the game itself. There are some announcements that have come up this week that are official and some that are rumors. My ask of all of you is to focus on information that is actually fact and not get thrown off by ill informed people that want to make a name for themselves by spreading half baked inflammatory rumors."
One user said in response that Infinity Ward is effectively fanning the flames by not providing information on topics that gamers are upset about, like supply crates. "My intent and ask is simple," Emslie replied. "Focus on official announcements."
Infinity Ward has been front-and-center in handling the complaints about Modern Warfare so far, but the "official announcements" Emslie hopes people will pay attention to appear to be out of its hands. Earlier this week, narrative director Taylor Kurosaki strongly implied that publisher Activision was behind the decision to make the Special Ops Survival mode a year-long PS4 exclusive, saying the call was made "above our pay grade."

 

[Fuz]

many of them read the comments

Rookie mistake.

 

[NickFire]

I don't know what the ultra dark toxic comments were, but I don't really doubt there were some real bad ones that go well beyond what is a reasonable reaction. With that assumption, the dev's post seems very reasonable to me. They aren't attacking anyone, they aren't taking shots at audience expectations. They're just asking to be spoken of like real human beings.

 

[johncaveman12]

I don't know what the ultra dark toxic comments were, but I don't really doubt there were some real bad ones that go well beyond what is a reasonable reaction. With that assumption, the dev's post seems very reasonable to me. They aren't attacking anyone, they aren't taking shots at audience expectations. They're just asking to be spoken of like real human beings.

Agreed.

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

Reddit is a shithole. I'm proud of my -127 karma score on there. Fucking cunts.

 

[MiguelItUp]

I admire their attempt to curve the toxicity. It just sucks that they're involved in one of the most toxic gaming communities, so it's going to be easier said than done. On top of that, the people that are raging are passionate about COD (or just trolls), and they're raging because of the exclusivity issue, and the microtransactions. Basically the thing they love is being mistreated. So while I wouldn't even think to go anywhere near the degree some of those people are going in, I get why they're extremely upset and pissed.

I agree that the toxicity sucks, and believe me, I wish it would stop. But as gaming has become more and more popular (especially COD), it's only gotten worse. But coming out like this, especially with all of the negative news they're getting right now, ain't the best step to take. I mean, again, more power to them for saying something like this, it's completely understandable and harmless. I just think it's going to stir more pots than clear the smoke.

Also, yeah, comments and feedback from your community are always worth reading. But don't bother with the ones that are incredibly negative and toxic. You KNOW which ones are constructive and which ones are hateful, it doesn't take long to decipher it.

 

[Birdo]

It sucks. But it comes with the package when you produce a product consumed mostly by edgy teenage boys.

 

[johncaveman12]

Reddit is a shithole. I'm proud of my -127 karma score on there. Fucking cunts.

Reddit fucking blows! I got downvoted and called a racist cause I praised the addition of black psychos in Borderlands 3.

 

[Sub_Level]

No sympathy for the devs in this case. Its 2019; you should know not to read comment sections. Dont read twitter replies either. And if you are a dev who posts on reddit or era then you already know what to expect lol

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Fair comments since it's still beta time and nobody knows exactly what the final game will be like after some polish, bug squashing, and all servers are turned on.

But once the game releases and people paid $60, all bets are off.

Toxic comments or not. Release a shit product, get shitty remarks.

 

[Tesseract]

the toxicity of the city of the cityyyyyyyyyyyyy

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

No sympathy for the devs in this case. Its 2019; you should know not to read comment sections. Dont read twitter replies either. And if you are a dev who posts on reddit or era then you already know what to expect lol

Rockstar Games and Kojima Productions are experts at this.

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

Christ, 'toxic' has been ground into the dirt and stomped on repeatedly at this point. 'Toxic' = me no likey. We get it. Come up with a new, EXCITING word. Be a trendsetter.

Ya' boring cunt.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

It sucks. But it comes with the package when you produce a product consumed mostly by edgy teenage boys.

Yup.

Gaming is probably the most sour communities out there. And I thought some sports forums I used to read in the past between fans arguing which team/players is better was bad.

So combine a legacy of freakish gamers + Q&A + Twitter + Reddit + game designers and PR people responding + game previews + betas + official game forums = you ask for it, you got it. Gamers talking about your game good or bad

 

[Barakov]

I don't know what the ultra dark toxic comments were, but I don't really doubt there were some real bad ones that go well beyond what is a reasonable reaction. With that assumption, the dev's post seems very reasonable to me. They aren't attacking anyone, they aren't taking shots at audience expectations. They're just asking to be spoken of like real human beings.

Yeah, Emslie is being really reasonable here. This isn't a situation like with Respawn where they were actively attacking people in the community. Still the best course of action is not for individual members of the dev team to interact with the community and especially Reddit. ESPECIALLY REDDIT.

 

[-Arcadia-]

I don’t approve of language control in any way, shape, or form.

That said, just as commentary on fanbases, I agree that it goes way, way too far sometimes.

In general, and this is a bit tangential, any time I’m enjoying something and go to check out the fanbase, it ends up being an abomination every single time. You know that meme where everyone is conversing civilly, and then the stick figures come in and literally shit and vomit on everything? That’s what the experience always feels like.

 

[JokerMM]

i am sorry but why in the actual fuck would you willingly go read comments on the internet? why would you do that?

 

[JoeyWestSide]

What do you expect when the entire point of cross platform play is to break down walls and yet walls are back up again? Fans have been saying for years how to do exclusive/dlc/loot box content and it still falls short. I remember when people were more rightfully mad about gating dlc content that was already on the disc and we are kind of back to that again. For me I'm pissed about the value prospect but its still my most anticipated game and I love iw and feel for them because it seems like they searched my soul for what I want in a cod, and made it happen. So even if I have to wait a year I will (I won't miss it too much but damn). Thanks IW!

 

[-Arcadia-]

Yeah, Emslie is being really reasonable here. This isn't a situation like with Respawn where they were actively attacking people in the community. Still the best course of action is not for individual members of the dev team to interact with the community and especially Reddit. ESPECIALLY REDDIT.

They were being cunts to Respawn as well, and long before and even after the apology for the loot box controversy. I think Respawn was right to fire back. That was a real ‘Fuck, yeah!’ moment for me, and it’d be nice if more developers would sack up and do the same.

 

[Dr.brain64]

They're all gamers

 

[GamingKaiju]

Toxicity sucks but you never read comments on reddit or YouTube.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Toxicity sucks but you never read comments on reddit or YouTube.

Thank god I almost never use Reddit except for the occasional game news link or sports streams.

But YT for sure.

You can have a 10 year old genius proving to the world the meaning of life,. It has a billion likes, but there will always be those gems where some poster will come out of nowhere and say..... "He's a zit faced asshole!" Downvote.

Who cares. It's the net.

 

[Fake]

Go to facebook or globo.com and back when you learn what really toxic comments are.
This? This is kids prank.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Lol another super sensitive dev/professional lol. My God I wonder what these ppl would do if thy had to take the NYC subway everyday where at any given moment you have to curse someone out, get cursed out or have to punch someone

 

[Consumer]

it's a bit cringe/over the top to make a post like that; it really does fuel the flames of outraged fans that are praying for more opportunities like this to let their hate out

At least he was neutral and didn't embellish nor counter attack those "fans'"

 

[plushyp]

They were being cunts to Respawn as well, and long before and even after the apology for the loot box controversy. I think Respawn was right to fire back. That was a real ‘Fuck, yeah!’ moment for me, and it’d be nice if more developers would sack up and do the same.

I'm not sure that's the way to go at all given how people's complaints about the skin/lootbox issue snowballed after the Respawn devs turned into an edgy teen by starting the name-calling. The Community manager of all people made things worse by jumping in instead of moderating the developers. Really petty tit for tat bahaviour that will get you sacked in the professional environment of other industries.

 

[Tesseract]

sometimes you gotta bitch slap them turd nuggets

 

[-Arcadia-]

I'm not sure that's the way to go at all given how people's complaints about the skin/lootbox issue snowballed after the Respawn devs turned into an edgy teen by starting the name-calling. The Community manager of all people made things worse by jumping in instead of moderating the developers. Really petty tit for tat bahaviour that will get you sacked in the professional environment of other industries.

Disregarding petty, edgy teen, and starting the name-calling (maybe pay attention), I do agree. It isn’t a positive career move from the CEO, all the way down to the individual developer’s job, or good for the stockholders.

That said, maybe there’s something really wrong with things, when you have to sit there and take abuse from assholes, because money. Maybe our priorities are all fucked up, when we punish a human being for defending themselves against endless, far, far worse slander, because it might cause a temporary, relatively tiny dip in megabucks.

 

[Vawn]

Just Kevin Durant it. Create burner accounts to say nice things about yourself.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

It's Call of Duty, it's a wanker magnet.

In other news, the sky is blue.

 

[Catphish]

People = Shit

 

[Clear]

No sympathy for the devs in this case. Its 2019; you should know not to read comment sections. Dont read twitter replies either. And if you are a dev who posts on reddit or era then you already know what to expect lol

So, basically, assume your whole audience is composed of cunts then? Don't even bother trying to reach out to reasonable people, and let the marketing dept. handle all communications wherever possible because its not worth the hassle to do otherwise.

That seems like miserably defeatist attitude to cop, even if it is the path of least resistance.

 

[plushyp]

Disregarding petty, edgy teen, and starting the name-calling (maybe pay attention), I do agree. It isn’t a positive career move from the CEO, all the way down to the individual developer’s job, or good for the stockholders.

I did pay attention which is why I posted a reply to you asking why you're cheering a major gaffe from Respawn that didn't merit a direct response to the hateful community comments and instead should have issued a public press release to clarify their situation like a professional company would do. Like you say, it reflects badly on the members of the company the most. Respawn, like every other business is there to make money plain and simple so bringing your personal emotions into it is going to cause issues.

That said, maybe there’s something really wrong with things, when you have to sit there and take abuse from assholes, because money. Maybe our priorities are all fucked up, when we punish a human being for defending themselves against endless, far, far worse slander, because it might cause a temporary, relatively tiny dip in megabucks.

Speaking as an outside observer with no stake in the game I have to say this was a pretty major public relations screw up that even forced the CEO to step in and make a statement. They aren't the only ones to face backlash for their actions and certainly won't be the last ones. There has to be a modicum of professionalism in how you communicate in the work environment so you have to control your language flow whether you like it or not.

 

[stickkidsam]

This seems reasonable enough to me. It's a cry for civility amongst a sea of xXx4ssN1nja29xXx's. Nothing wrong with that.

You ain't stopping all of those ass ninjas though so prepare your anus devs.

 

[Sub_Level]

So, basically, assume your whole audience is composed of cunts then?

Yes. There is no communication possibility here. Most interenet discourse is not a conversation so much as its a depository where you leave your shit.

At the most, take any beta test comments for practical reasons to modify the game. But the general reactions from the public? Fuck the public. Look at this:

Infinity Ward's Infinite Warfare was fantastic and it got shit on by the internet. Why should Infinity Ward listen to youtube and twitter comments about Modern Warfare?

 

[-Arcadia-]

Yes. There is no communication possibility here. Most interenet discourse is not a conversation so much as its a depository where you leave your shit.

At the most, take any beta test comments for practical reasons to modify the game. But the general reactions from the public? Fuck the public. Look at this:

Infinity Ward's Infinite Warfare was fantastic and it got shit on by the internet. Why should Infinity Ward listen to youtube and twitter comments about Modern Warfare?

Tempted to agree. Take the useful suggestions and feedback, filter out the nonsense, and don’t engage. Make sure whoever reads through this stuff, understands that these communities are almost always Mos Eisley, and sometimes not even representative of the player base.

I’ve seen even attempts at positive communication backfire horribly, from more abuse, to grotesque entitlement when they ask for something, and don’t immediately receive it. I just don’t think a relationship between players and a developer is feasible until these people change the way they behave. Maybe with a complete moderation crackdown?

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Give them a reaction, and you’ve already lost.

Buckle up boys: this is what working for a major media outlet is like. Enjoy your lives Activision employees.

 

[Phase]

But will they change their shitty practices? Of course not. Look for sympathy elsewhere.

 

[Tesseract]

if you want good feedback play with the best and worst players and listen to them

you gotta put in the hours, there's no easy way to the top

 

[Crew 511A]

But will they change their shitty practices? Of course not. Look for sympathy elsewhere.

This. I'm absolutely NOT condoning toxic behavior or personal insults or threats.

But I'll say this much, IW and Treyarch have both, in their own little ways, insinuated they are not responsible for the unbridled avarice that are COD microtransactions. Oh, I get it that Activision is the one calling the shots, but you're kidding yourself if you don't think the dev teams get nice little bonuses when their microtransaction schemes rake in big profits. I'm a capitalist and have no problem with someone making money to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. But I've got a bit of a problem when companies engage in anti-consumer practices.

 

[quest]

I was surprised it was pretty tame when I looked. Unless I canceled my pre order because is toxic now. Dont lock game modes for a full year if you don't want backlash unless you discount it for those platforms. What they expect gamers to be happy to pay full price for 85% of the game lol. I won't get into disgusting lootboxes. I hope the EU legislators stop those one day.

 

[Clear]

Yes. There is no communication possibility here. Most interenet discourse is not a conversation so much as its a depository where you leave your shit.

At the most, take any beta test comments for practical reasons to modify the game. But the general reactions from the public? Fuck the public. Look at this:

Infinity Ward's Infinite Warfare was fantastic and it got shit on by the internet. Why should Infinity Ward listen to youtube and twitter comments about Modern Warfare?

Sorry, but I don't believe capitulating to noisy minorities is right.

The problem with the internet is the assumption that visibility is totality. Trouble is that digital communication has a magnifying effect, and a very small minority can create a huge stink. In the picture above you show 2million thumbs downs, which seems like an immense backlash but then you look above and see that's from nearly 20 million views.

10% of viewers making the minimal effort to click a button to harrumph isn't particularly significant. There's still a fuck-ton of people still onboard.
So no, "the internet" did not shit on IW, a small but highly visible minority did.

We need to stop pandering to those who shout loudest, especially when we all know that volume and intensity equates to sincerity, let alone insightfulness.

 

[TUROK]

Asking gamers to stop being bitter, vindictive little shits is like asking feces to stop stinking up the room.

 

[lukilladog]

I´m of the idea that, if it hurts, there is some truth to it.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Reddit is a shithole. I'm proud of my -127 karma score on there. Fucking cunts.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Braincels/

fire away here

 

[VisualFidelity]

It seems these days 90% of gamers are mostly just negative and toxic. Its like they dont even like videogames anymore. Back in the 90's it wasnt this way....

Modern Warfare is amazing, exactly what the franchise needed yet Im sure many overly critic reviewers will call it the worst COD ever because of footstep audio that is inaccurate due to poor audio settings...lol

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

It seems these days 90% of gamers are mostly just negative and toxic. Its like they dont even like videogames anymore. Back in the 90's it wasnt this way....

Modern Warfare is amazing, exactly what the franchise needed yet Im sure many overly critic reviewers will call it the worst COD ever because of footstep audio that is inaccurate due to poor audio settings...lol

Back in the 90s the internet didn't exist and games weren't coming out as fast either.

 

[brap]

On reddit? I'm assuming they just politely said they didn't like a thing.

Back in the 90's it wasnt this way....

Yes it was. Go read some old usenet posts.

 

[phil_t98]

Problem is social media, faceless keyboard warriors that think it’s ok to insult anyone or anything without any come back on it. They will say things they would never say to a persons face online and have no come back on that. People will say it’s freedom of sprang which is fair enough but the people on the other side who are working hard at trying to give us the best they can have feelings.

a lot of the time the comments come from people who have no intention of ever using the product they are bad mouthing which is bizarre. I mean why put effort into something your never going to use or play.

 

[Stimpak]

Recruit mistake.