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Do you believe "voting with your wallet" works?

Does voting with your wallet work?

  • Yes, it works

    Votes: 234 56.0%

  • No, it doesn't work

    Votes: 150 35.9%

  • I do not know, I am but a simple forum member

    Votes: 34 8.1%
  • Total voters
    418
Africa's Toto

Africa's Toto

Banned
Maybe it might for indie games, but for most games in the medium- to large-scale range (AA to AAA, I guess), I don't think "voting with your wallet" has any effect.

Whatever change people try to oppose by "voting with their wallet" will be judged by the market in the end.

Let's say a company makes a radical change in the sequel to a respected franchise, and you personally don't like that change.

If the game is otherwise good or If the greater market likes it? It will sell.
If it's shit and the greater market doesn't care for the game or for the change, then it won't.

What do you think?

edit: yeah, this turned into the general "do boycotts work" question, which I think is beyond gaming, and more of a sociological question, but, eh
 
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ManaByte

ManaByte

Gold Member
noboycott.jpg
 
Nautilus

Nautilus

Banned
It works in the sense that, if your audience dont buy it, the devs will try to pivot to another direction with the next entry.

But if you dont like it and are part of a minority, then its tough luck.Thats why competition exists.If the number of people with your tastes is significant enough, a dev will appear to make the game you like.
 
Africa's Toto

Africa's Toto

Banned
Nautilus said:
It works in the sense that, if your audience dont buy it, the devs will try to pivot to another direction with the next entry.

But if you dont like it and are part of a minority, then its tough luck
Click to expand...
Here's the issue with this though:
Whether or not you are part of the minority is the actual factor that determines whether or not the devs "listen" to one's unopened wallet.

Although, really, I guess all protests depend on the level of majority of the disgruntled.
 
MaestroMike

MaestroMike

Gold Member
of course it works supply and demand. if there's high enough demand for something someone will usually supply its all about business. businesses need to the supply just the right amount of people to make a profit. sometimes they become greedy ba$tards tho, make some bogus changes and betray/screw over their original fans to please a different market/type of customer and end up pleasing nobody and getting fukked. its hard to market to all demographics pick ur market wisely build your fanbase with them and stick to what they like. if u want to make money with another market design and build a game that fits their interests
 
Africa's Toto

Africa's Toto

Banned
ReBurn said:
Works for me. I don't buy things I don't like and I don't buy until something costs what it's worth to me.
Click to expand...
mortal said:
It works for me and that's all that matters.
Click to expand...
I understand not buying shit because you don't like what's being sold, that makes perfect sense. "Don't like it don't buy" it differs a little though, doesn't it?

When people say "vote with your wallet", it usually involves trying to change the minds of the developers so the next thing they release reverses their controversial decision.
I think.

They're trying to "vote" on the intention of the developers (like they actually have a say).
 
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reinking

reinking

Gold Member
It would work for me if it was not for all of those other asshats that are willing to part with their wallets....










:messenger_winking_tongue:
 
ReBurn

ReBurn

Gold Member
Africa's Toto said:
I understand not buying shit because you don't like what's being sold, that makes perfect sense. "Don't like it don't buy" it differs a little though, doesn't it?

When people say "vote with your wallet", it usually involves trying to change the minds of the developers so the next thing they release reverses their controversial decision.
I think.

They're trying to "vote" on the intention of the developers (like they actually have a say).
Click to expand...
Vote with your wallet can only be done at an individual level. Campaigns to get people to boycott a product so the producer changes it often include "vote with your wallet" messaging but it only works if individuals participate.

I'm perfectly happy to vote with my wallet and never pay $70 for a video game but there's a boatload of people perfectly happy to do it so there's no chance that it'll make a difference. But those are sales that won't be coming from me.
 
Nautilus

Nautilus

Banned
Africa's Toto said:
Here's the issue with this though:
Whether or not you are part of the minority is the actual factor that determines whether or not the devs "listen" to one's unopened wallet.

Although, really, I guess all protests depend on the level of majority of the disgruntled.
Click to expand...
Well, of course.If you are alone screwming while millions rejoicr, you wont be heard. Its simply a fact of life that a person(or in this case a company) cant please everyone.

But thats the beauty of competition: Even if what you want only sums up to a audience of 500k, like something really niche, indies exist for that.There are plenty of indies that pick up the slack of bigger companies when it comes to less popular genres.
 
PleaseWaitStation4

PleaseWaitStation4

Banned
It used to work, but no longer. As you've noticed, every franchise in entertainment that has been or currently is going woke is going broke. The next ones to be destroyed will be the upcoming Lord of the Rings series and Indian Jones (if made, will have a feminist misandrist take his hat and whip at the end). Now, you need to ask yourself, "how can any industry sustain such devastating loss"? Answer: The destruction of western art is being funded.
 
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L

LazyParrot

Member
Artistic said:
Can't think of any off top.
Click to expand...
Well, I can.

Days Gone: https://www.videogameschronicle.com...res-no-sequel-if-you-didnt-buy-it-full-price/
The Order 1886: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-order-1886-dev-wants-sequel/1100-6427908/
Dead Space: https://www.videogamer.com/news/dea...trouble-following-poor-sales-of-dead-space-3/
Epic Mickey: https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Epic_Mickey_3
Medal of Honor: https://www.pcgamer.com/no-more-medal-of-honor-ea-pulls-from-rotation-due-to-poor-reception/
Deus Ex: https://gamingbolt.com/deus-ex-mank...-and-if-the-sequel-releases-adam-jensen-actor
Dawn of War: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/dawn-of-war-3-expansion-news
 
Africa's Toto

Africa's Toto

Banned
ReBurn said:
Vote with your wallet can only be done at an individual level. Campaigns to get people to boycott a product so the producer changes it often include "vote with your wallet" messaging but it only works if individuals participate
Click to expand...
I agree only individuals actually do the "voting", but if it's solely on a personal level, not towards a boycott, then I don't see it as a "vote" It's simply one deciding not to buy something they don't like. They do not care whether or not their purchasing decisions have any effect on the product. That's don't like it don't buy it, to me.
Might be taking it too literally, but, eh.

I was asking more about the people who take part in campaigns like the ones usually associated with a "vote with your wallet" call.
But I think we're saying the same things, more or less.
 
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Lanrutcon

Lanrutcon

Member
Probably not.

But stalking popular game forums and shit talking the game right before launch probably does more!

...btw, I hear the next Horizon Zero Dawn game smells like cabbage. My source is super reliable.
 
Impotaku

Impotaku

Member
In an ideal world consumers could bring anything down if they teamed up even places like amazon could be totally crippled if people boycotted but for your one non purchase you'll have thousands that do so it never works. However like others have said, i vote with my wallet for myself as it's me earning that money if i think a game/company is trash i have no problems avoiding using their services/buying their product.

I don't buy anything that the main western AAA publishers put out. Activision/EA/Ubisoft you'll find none of them in my game library.
 
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ripeavocado

ripeavocado

Banned
It was working until the f2p revolution happened now few idiots that spend a lot of money on bullshit are the only ones with voting rights.

it’s not a democracy anymore
 
Saber

Saber

Gold Member
It should work for the person as a form of saying they don't want anything to do with the product or company anymore.

I did that decades ago with EA. You think I care if they still earn a bunch of money? Nah. It was a decision to get away from them, not to "boycott".
 
V

Valentino

Member
No. You all give it the biggen in here when it comes to not giving said game company your money. Or you say you’ll get the game in the bargain bin like you really did something with that threat. Stats come back soon after and the game is doing fine with out your whiny ass. Extremely fine actually. Yes.....I’m talking about TLOU2 as example.
 
S

Saint Boot

Banned
No. Because Naughty Dog and Disney make a shit load of money no matter what. So much for "go woke, go broke."
it did seem to work with Battlefield 5 though, so maybe sometimes...?
 
junguler

junguler

Banned
it works but depends on how fucked up a game or a decision by a gaming company is. most people won't take it to the extremes some of us here take it tho which is to be expected as they don't take gaming as seriously as we do.
 
Astral Dog

Astral Dog

Member
Yes it does work. Within reason of course

Just obviously not always in YOUR benefit, there are times even when people vote too much with their wallets that sequels don't even get made, Mario Kart 8,GTAV,Skyrim,etc
🤭

But as always, support what you like, don't buy what you don't like, and anything in between like buying used or on sale also works, sometimes change takes years, but companies are always listening
 
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TheInfamousKira

TheInfamousKira

Reseterror Resettler
No, because like it or not, enthusiasts don't make up the majority of gamers, not even close. Informed people, or even people who give enough of a shit to return/boycott a product they aren't satisfied with are LARGELY outnumbered by the random normies who have some spare money and just pick out something "that looks cool," at Walmart, or the out of touch grandparents shopping for holidays, or worst yet, the dumbass children. If Superman 64 was a modern game, it would probably sell gangbusters and have two sequels.

I think voting with ratios/dislikes/metacritic scores is the way of the future for this shit, honestly. And I kinda hate it. But companies *will* listen to noise made online. Resident Evil 3 with it's short campaign, FFVIIR with Barret not looking "black enough," or the infamous door. Even at a micro level, you see indie devs getting bullied into reforms by the SJW crowd all the time now. The internet is a weapon.
 
jigglet

jigglet

Banned
Generally no, I think in most cases it's pointless.

But I do it - not to vote mind you. As I mentioned I don't think it works. I do it for myself.

For example when Acti-Blizzard made it clear they would side with China I could not in good conscience buy their games anymore despite loving a lot of what they make.
 
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