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[Nautilus]

Ohh you mean the game that broke multiple records and got multiple awards and has outsold miles morales and GOT (other games up for nomination) in the US

unfortunely.

 

[NewYork214]

I vote with my wallet but I don't think it has an effect overall at all honestly

 

[Skifi28]

It works for my wallet and its contents, but for the industry? It has to be something really extreme for wallets everywhere to unite and make a difference.

 

[supernova8]

If you mean in the sense of people, who would usually buy a game/device in a given franchise/series, refusing to buy it because there were changes/omissions etc. that they didn't like... hmm then it depends on the franchise, doesn't it?

Xbox One is the clearest example because they started out with certain policies like:
- always online
- restrictions on used games
- must purchase and turn on your kinect

The market (i.e. we the people) very quickly showed them what's what. Pretty much all of the things we didn't like about Xbox One were gone within like 12 months.

I suppose this shows that voting with your wallet (and making a big noise about it) does work.

 

[Inviusx]

Yes it does work but publishers will usually spin the reason why the game isn't getting a sequel or why developers have stopped supporting it.

If you can think of a good reason why you shouldn't purchase a game there is probably thousands of other people thinking the same thing. So stick to your guns!

 

[AmuroChan]

Voting with your wallet absolutely works if enough people do it. It's just basic economics. Not enough people bought the Dreamcast, and so it died. Same for any other product that have failed commercially.

 

[TwiztidElf]

When you ask "Do you believe voting with your wallet works?", what is the definition of works?

For me personally, when I vote with my wallet, I choose not to buy products from companies like EA, because I expect a higher level of quality, and my morals and values do not align with that organizations behavior.
Therefore, yes, voting with my wallet "works" for me, because my desired outcome is simply not to engage with companies I don't like that produce products I don't believe are value.

As for contributing to companies building higher quality products and behaving more ethically, I don't really care, but I guess if enough people withdrew their custom, then the companies would have to change, or go out of business.

All videogaming is discretional spending. Don't need any of it.
I have bought three copies of Wreckfest on different platforms.

 

[PleaseWaitStation4]

We all end up paying Activision and EA, whether you buy their games or not. They made enough to terraform Mars, but they spam the same releases every year. I don't see it getting better, even if some walk away. Has to be a big movement.

 

[Jaybe]

EA seemed to finally recognize gamers want at least _some_ quality micro transaction free meaty single player games after Anthem, BF2, the buggy Mass Effect Andromeda. Based on Jedi fallen order’s release abs reception, and Dragon age 4’s rumoured change in direction, plus dead space getting some apparent love again.

 

[Pallas]

It works if people actually follow through with it but that’s just it, mist the time they don’t unless you can organize a big following to do it.

 

[Fuz]

Yes, I do it constantly. I don't buy anymore, I vote.

It's useless in small numbers and when it's an empty promise, like often happens with gamer (first reply to this is what I mean).
But it doesn't matter if it won't work and I know it. I still do it.

 

[Trogdor1123]

A single person? No. But a community at large? Of course. Lots of games have been completely sidelined due to this.

Voting with your wallet is also causing things like f2p to come about.

 

[ksdixon]

Well... all I know is WWE 2K20 was a steaming pile of ass. Both from the choices they made for it (fantasy story outfits for in-game wrestlers as your DLC; can't even use many of those parts in CAW mode, you got other fantasy themed parts - and devs LAUGHED about it saying "now that Yukes is gone, there's no one to tell us no!")... and from a glitches unplayable viewpoint.

From that backlash they stopped producing the annual games, something previously thought not doable because 2K had said they wanted an extra year on 2K15 development, and WWE wouldn't let them. They stopped a 20 year tradition since PS1's WWF SmackDown, to give themselves the needed 2 year development time for 2K22. They also did something else we all thought wasn't do-able, they kept the 2K19 sharing servers open for an additional year, covering the time period between Oct 2018 and probably Oct 2021 when 2k22 releases this year. They got a new 2K head, Patrick Gilmore, and so far his messaging has been 'we have 5 pillars', one being purely Creation Suite, where he's called-out female caws as needing more attention, especially hair choices. They put out fan feedback as pie charts and bar charts. So to me, if they don't skim the top requested features or match types etc off each chart and put those into 2k22, then they would be seen to literally be going against the fans wants. They even contracted-in a prominant creator figure VikingSizedGamer, temporarily before some drama and take2's larger policies saw him depart. In short.... they seem to be listening, and I'm expecting a good game in 2k22.

Voting with your wallet works, as does constructive fan backlashes. Like #PS4NoDRM, apparently Sony had a simillar policy to XB1's and they scrapped it right then and there when the immediate fan backlash happened... FROM PS FANS who didn't want the same shit XB was trying to pull. Poor ass pre-order numbers caused XB to pull their ''XB 180'" on those policies, and then their pre-order numbers went up.

 

[ReBurn]

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.

I mean boycotts/campaigns rarely work when it comes to video games. Most of them are based on hyperbole anyway. People say they want the EA's and Activisions of the industry to change but they show up cash in hand on day 1 for every release because they are full of FOMO. So it's really just a minority of people who don't play the games anyway who are grumbling.

it's up to each of us to decide how and when we spend our money. There are so few games that are worth showing up for on day 1, at least in my opinion. History teaches us time and again that if we wait a year we're probably going to get the best version of a game at one third of the price and most often that's all the content is really worth. So I vote to not overspend on video games and I vote to spend that money on things I think are worth it.

 

[BigBooper]

People don't know what it means. Yes, it works because you end up buying something you like instead of something you don't. Over time, if other people agree, the game you like will sell more, get more attention, and inspire others to make similar games.

It doesn't mean mr CEO will know every exact reason people don't buy their game as much anymore and reverse whatever changes caused it. It's a gradual nudge over years, not a situation where they'll completely change course on a sequel because their last game didn't sell as well.

Boycotts work if the attention is big enough and the outcome hurts the company less. Cancel culture is basically boycott culture, and lots of people have lost their jobs because of it. Stores refused to carry vulgar or "offensive" games because of it.

 

[kyliethicc]

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was the best-selling game of 2016 despite all your protests - but Battlefield 1 was hot on its heels

Call of Duty won the year. Again.

www.vg247.com

 

[Kratoswolverine]

Well, I don't believe voting in elections work... So, I'll try voting with my wallet

 

[haxan7]

It literally works. Anyone who disagrees is wrong and probably wants to mislead you.

 

[Danjin44]

One thing some of you guys forget that you are not the only ones "voting" with their wallets, just because you dislike something it doesn't everybody else does.

 

[llLeonhart]

It does work, the problem is a lot of people need to do it to bear any effect on some companies.

Nice thing is, I've been doing it for a while, and it has saved me a lot of money. So my conscience is clear. I support only the things I deem worth supporting.

 

[Bulletbrain]

Absolutely it works. The gaming market is made up of individuals like you and me. If enough of us don't like something and then "vote with our wallets" to not buy the said thing, that sends a strong message to the corporation. It is a strong tool we can use to keep corporations in line.

 

[Kuranghi]

Well I haven't really had a proper income for 10 years so that naturally works as a deterrent to buying crap that I shouldn't.

 

[Corgi1985]

It's really the only move consumers have. Maybe pokemon would be worth a fuck if the masses stopped buying baby's first videogame.

 

[Vagswarm]

I think so, but only in a massive, negative, word of mouth way. I've also noticed that the game that comes before has an impact on the one after -- whether in that series or from the company making the games. Which makes sense considering the person doesn't know how good (or bad) the game is until they've actually played it... up until that point, they just know the games prior were good (see Fallout vs 76).

 

[Ikutachi]

Too many idiots for it to take effect.

 

[dottme]

It works. But often, what I care is ignored by most. Like shitty DLC and MTX, so many are buying them so my vote got ignored.

 

[Vagswarm]

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was the best-selling game of 2016 despite all your protests - but Battlefield 1 was hot on its heels

Call of Duty won the year. Again.

www.vg247.com

That might be true (CoD almost always is #1 overall), but it sold far less than the one before and all the ones after. Despite selling 12 million copies, it was deemed a failure by CoD standards of 20-30.

 

[dorkimoe]

Can anyone give an example to where it has worked?

Didnt they take a few years off of ass creed when it stopped working?
Also ghost recon is gonna get a big change after the last one.
also cyber punk I bet

 

[odhiex]

It works for me, don't care about others hahaha.

 

[Warablo]

It works, but the weak are weak. So companies get away with a lot of shit.

 

[Woggleman]

It depends on if enough feel the same way you do.

 

[Raonak]

I vote with my wallet by buying games that I want to support.

Case and point, I bought TLOU2, and it seems to have done quite well

 

[MarkMe2525]

Can anyone give an example to where it has worked?

Any example of a product winning out in a competitive market. Look at Sega dreamcast vs ps2. Sega Saturn vs ps1. That gearbox hero shooter vs overeat has.

An individuals choice doesn't matter much, but capitalism at its core is "voting with your wallet"

 

[Woggleman]

I haven't spent a dime on shark cards in GTAO and yet it seems to be going so whatever.

 

[Quasicat]

It may not stop companies in doing what they do, but it makes me feel happy.

 

[Magnific0giganticus]

Indeed it does. People voted with their wallets and bought over a hundred million PS4s, over a billion PS4 games...and because of that you get Game Pass! Isn't that sweet?

 

[longdi]

vote with wallet, campaign on social media

yes it works

 

[DeepEnigma]

Can anyone give an example to where it has worked?

The Xbox One 180.

 

[Wooxsvan]

Of course it does. I only pay for what I want to play. it's games afterall, not a need in life.

 

[Crimson_Fate]

It works fore me. When it comes down to it you are the only one it has to work for. Pay the price your willing to pay. If it means you wait 4-6 months (or more) then who cares. You get the same experience and pay half the $ ..

 

[eyesabitdull]

I look at BFV as a good example of it working.

Watching the new trailer for BF6 and seeing zero SJW disease infecting the game was a clear indication that they got the message and stopped pandering in their branding message.

Do I think it's always effective?

No, but over time, some companies to learn a lesson or two and that's good enough.

And remember everyone, corporations aren't your friends.

 

[MastaKiiLA]

Yes, it works. This is evident when a new product launches (not just games), and lands in the clearance bin quickly. That indie dev thread also reinforces this. The dev was mad because he couldn't put his poorly-performing game on sale often enough. If people didn't buy a product, the price would drop on it. Lowered pricing is the way to spur interest/demand.

The reason people don't think it works, is because they usually overestimate the size of their movement. I boycotted Exxon-Mobil for over a decade, in order to try to force gas prices down. Of course that failed. People don't care nearly enough about high prices as they care about convenience. Likewise, people don't care about your distaste or a game, company, or business practices. The online enthusiast community is tiny in comparison to overall gaming public, to the point of being irrelevant. I chuckle everytime someone makes a post on here about how the optics of certain decisions are bad for a company, when in reality, most gamers are blind to said issues. It's a lot of bluster signifying nothing.

 

[Dr Bass]

Isn’t voting with your wallet the basis of society?

 

[Nico_D]

It works as long as it is about how you don't like something. It stops working when it turns into "we don't like this" and "this needs to change".

Personally I think it always should be about the former.

 

[Elbow Identity Shallow]

It works in that you haven't bought it and they haven't got your money.
I know that some people on places like this feel that their opinions are important but you don't choose to not buy something to try and change the world, you do it because it's right for you. Companies want to sell "stuff" or "services" and we assess whether what they feel it's worth to them is also what it's worth to us and if it isn't ant of a multitude of reasons then we don't make that exchange. It's very much what capitalism is, it happens every day when people elect to buy or to not buy something. There's nothing special about it.

 

[Mossybrew]

I don't even have the illusion of trying to effect change, I just take or reject what the market provides, not interested in "making a statement" or whatever fantasy some goons tell themselves.

 

[fersnake]

i think im still on that group xD

you vote with your wallet and you dont get to play the next game that's it.

 

[mxbison]

Yes, but in most cases the outrage and calling to "vote with your wallet" comes from a vocal minority that has pretty much no impact on overall success.

 

[Optimus Lime]

No. The kinds of idiots who loiter on video game forums believe that they have the power to change the course of the video game industry through the magical power that yelling on the internet has, and are completely oblivious to the reality that for every one of them who screams 'HA FUCK YOU EA I'M VOTING WITH MY WALLET' there's a thousand normal people who've never heard of NeoGAF or ResetERA and who just buy games and enjoy them because video games are fun.

Crazy, I know.

 

[Knightime_X]

Remember when ps3 was $599.99?
Yeah, that got a price drop REAL QUICK when nobody was buying it.