Class Action Lawsuit Over Killzone Resolution Moving Forward

[Sarah LeBoeuf]

Class Action Lawsuit Over Killzone Resolution Moving Forward

Douglas Ladore can move forward with his lawsuit alleging that Sony misrepresented Killzone: Shadow Fall's resolution capabilities.

Just how important is it that a game meets its advertised resolution? Important enough that one gamer is taking Sony to court over Killzone: Shadow Fall's failure to output at 1080p resolution in multiplayer. Douglas Ladore Game Informer [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136690-Gamer-Sues-Sony-Over-Killzone-Multiplayer-1080p-Claims].

As The Escapist elsewhere [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136690-Gamer-Sues-Sony-Over-Killzone-Multiplayer-1080p-Claims], but didn't specify that only certain portions of the game could achieve that natively. The game's multiplayer component, as it turns out, runs at 960x1080 resolution bumped to 1080p through interpolation, which Ladore claims is not an acceptable substitute.

Resolution has been a hotly debated topic this generation, with publishers like Ubisoft causing an outcry over claims of games [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/137955-Ubisoft-Responds-to-Anger-Over-900p-Assassins-Creed-Unity] have run at lower resolutions on the Xbox One than PS4, despite both systems having been on the market about the same amount of time.

Is all the debate over game resolution nitpicky? On the one hand, a fun game is a fun game, whether it's 1080p or 900p or from the pre-HD era entirely. On the other, consoles and games aren't cheap, and if we're paying hundreds of dollars, shouldn't we get what we're paying for? In the case of Killzone: Shadow Fall, the court thinks it's at least worth hearing about. Of course, this doesn't mean Ladore has won, or will win; his case just hasn't been dismissed. At least Sony managed to get the claim of negligent misrepresentation thrown out; the publisher can celebrate one tiny victory in an otherwise dismal month.

Source: Game Informer [http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/12/17/judge-allows-killzone-shadow-fall-resolution-lawsuit-to-proceed.aspx]

Permalink

 

[Barbas]

I wonder how much of this could have been avoided by simple and honest communication. Probably all of it. Good luck for next month, Sony.

 

[laggyteabag]

And this is just another obvious example of suing someone for the sake of suing someone. Sony really has had a bad month, and this doesn't really help anything.

 

[VincentX3]

Was their REALLY a reason to be this picky? and a lawsuit for the sake of lawsuits.
I mean unless the multiplayer drops too Sonic Boom levels of bad (Framerate halves the instant anyone joins and shadows turn into spots on the ground.. that sorta bad) then I don't see the problem.

Hell at least they tried to make it 1080p using some technique instead of doing an Ubisoft and being like "CINEEEEMATIIICCCC111!!"

I just really hate when stupid lawsuits like this happen. A waste of money going nowhere instead of using it to further develop these games or elsewhere.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

I wonder how much of this could have been avoided by simple and honest communication. Probably all of it. Good luck for next month, Sony.

Well, they were pretty up front about what could be at 1080p natively and what was bumped up to that when people asked, they just didn't offer that information.

Personally, I don't know the difference between resolutions, and don't really care about it either way, but I support the lawsuit on general principle of straightforward marketing.

 

[VladG]

It's a shame that we're getting so bogged down in this whole graphics power clusterfuck (again).. and the worst part is, this is all the console manufacturer's doing in the first place. If they hadn't pushed graphics expectations to unrealistic levels just so they had something to advertise... or failing that, at least admit to the limitations of the consoles, maybe we could focus more on the games themselves.

I'm sure most people would rather play a good game that looks "last gen" than a shiny but hollow shit that costs way too much to develop anyway.

And if you really want shiny graphics, push more towards the (significant) PC market, where a lot more people are willing to invest in the kind of power such games demand.

 

[The Bucket]

And this is just another obvious example of suing someone for the sake of suing someone. Sony really has had a bad month, and this doesn't really help anything.

A product claimed to do something that it patently, objectively couldn't. Thats a perfect valid reason to sue, if people didnt, then why wouldn't companies just lie about everything?

I have no sympathy for Sony; they aren't some startup who promised more than they could provide out of excitement, they're big boys who know how these things work.

I just really hate when stupid lawsuits like this happen. A waste of money going nowhere instead of using it to further develop these games or elsewhere.

Companies this size have money budgeted for inevitable lawsuits, this isnt going to kill any games or anything.

 

[Areloch]

And this is just another obvious example of suing someone for the sake of suing someone. Sony really has had a bad month, and this doesn't really help anything.

A product claimed to do something that it patently, objectively couldn't. Thats a perfect valid reason to sue, if people didnt, then why wouldn't companies just lie about everything?

I have no sympathy for Sony; they aren't some startup who promised more than they could provide out of excitement, they're big boys who know how these things work.

I just really hate when stupid lawsuits like this happen. A waste of money going nowhere instead of using it to further develop these games or elsewhere.

Companies this size have money budgeted for inevitable lawsuits, this isnt going to kill any games or anything.

What's particularly interesting is that you see discussions about this sort of thing all the time when companies fail to meet what they advertised and people complain no one takes them to task.

When someone calls them on their misrepresentation of facts in their marketing, suddenly it's a frivolous lawsuit.

If Sony had just stated what the game runs at, none of this would have happened.

 

[AstaresPanda]

I think we all now graphics do not make the game. BUT when that is all we have been hearing about how great a game looks graphic wise and how much its important and the recent watch dogs shit and then for KllZone ppls to come out with a lie or half truth. It does not do what they said it would do simple as that.

 

[VincentX3]

And this is just another obvious example of suing someone for the sake of suing someone. Sony really has had a bad month, and this doesn't really help anything.

A product claimed to do something that it patently, objectively couldn't. Thats a perfect valid reason to sue, if people didnt, then why wouldn't companies just lie about everything?

I have no sympathy for Sony; they aren't some startup who promised more than they could provide out of excitement, they're big boys who know how these things work.

I just really hate when stupid lawsuits like this happen. A waste of money going nowhere instead of using it to further develop these games or elsewhere.

Companies this size have money budgeted for inevitable lawsuits, this isnt going to kill any games or anything.

I'm not saying it is. But a waste is a waste none the less. It's still time and money they could dedicate to something useful and not meaningless lawsuits.

 

[The Bucket]

And this is just another obvious example of suing someone for the sake of suing someone. Sony really has had a bad month, and this doesn't really help anything.

A product claimed to do something that it patently, objectively couldn't. Thats a perfect valid reason to sue, if people didnt, then why wouldn't companies just lie about everything?

I have no sympathy for Sony; they aren't some startup who promised more than they could provide out of excitement, they're big boys who know how these things work.

I just really hate when stupid lawsuits like this happen. A waste of money going nowhere instead of using it to further develop these games or elsewhere.

Companies this size have money budgeted for inevitable lawsuits, this isnt going to kill any games or anything.

I'm not saying it is. But a waste is a waste none the less. It's still time and money they could dedicate to something useful and not meaningless lawsuits.

Define "useful"? If you mean they could be doing something to better the world, sure, but you could easily make that argument about playing videogames in general. This will involve little or no time for the consumer; who have a possibility of getting a (extremely small) remuneration for a product that did not do as it claimed it would, and it will cost the publishers legal department a relatively small amount of time and (even worse case law suit outcome) a small amount of cash, which will hopefully encourage them and others to be more truthful in their marketing in future.

 

[RicoADF]

I quite like KZ: SF, the gameplay, story and graphics were good. I'd consider the resolution abit picky but that said they did advertise it as such so I can support others that want to sue out of principle. As other's have said Sony should have advertised it on the box and unlike here in Australia the players in the US only have lawsuits to get this sorted (over here I could get a refund on the grounds of false advertising, the store has to take it back by law).

 

[kaizen2468]

Frivolous for sure but companies can't be allowed to get away with false advertising.

 

[VincentX3]

And this is just another obvious example of suing someone for the sake of suing someone. Sony really has had a bad month, and this doesn't really help anything.

A product claimed to do something that it patently, objectively couldn't. Thats a perfect valid reason to sue, if people didnt, then why wouldn't companies just lie about everything?

I have no sympathy for Sony; they aren't some startup who promised more than they could provide out of excitement, they're big boys who know how these things work.

I just really hate when stupid lawsuits like this happen. A waste of money going nowhere instead of using it to further develop these games or elsewhere.

Companies this size have money budgeted for inevitable lawsuits, this isnt going to kill any games or anything.

I'm not saying it is. But a waste is a waste none the less. It's still time and money they could dedicate to something useful and not meaningless lawsuits.

Define "useful"? If you mean they could be doing something to better the world, sure, but you could easily make that argument about playing videogames in general. This will involve little or no time for the consumer; who have a possibility of getting a (extremely small) remuneration for a product that did not do as it claimed it would, and it will cost the publishers legal department a relatively small amount of time and (even worse case law suit outcome) a small amount of cash, which will hopefully encourage them and others to be more truthful in their marketing in future.

Do I really need to define useful? Is it not clear enough?
Even if it doesn't involve the consumer, I still see it as a waste of the companys time and money to have do with this type of "lawsuit for the sake of lawsuit".

The difference between native 1080p and what they did to the multiplayer aspect of this game is so small graphically that this lawsuit, without a dought, is just absurd.

I'll just leave this here. These guys make my point better than I do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X56fFi9b6LM

 

[The Bucket]

And this is just another obvious example of suing someone for the sake of suing someone. Sony really has had a bad month, and this doesn't really help anything.

A product claimed to do something that it patently, objectively couldn't. Thats a perfect valid reason to sue, if people didnt, then why wouldn't companies just lie about everything?

I have no sympathy for Sony; they aren't some startup who promised more than they could provide out of excitement, they're big boys who know how these things work.

I just really hate when stupid lawsuits like this happen. A waste of money going nowhere instead of using it to further develop these games or elsewhere.

Companies this size have money budgeted for inevitable lawsuits, this isnt going to kill any games or anything.

I'm not saying it is. But a waste is a waste none the less. It's still time and money they could dedicate to something useful and not meaningless lawsuits.

Define "useful"? If you mean they could be doing something to better the world, sure, but you could easily make that argument about playing videogames in general. This will involve little or no time for the consumer; who have a possibility of getting a (extremely small) remuneration for a product that did not do as it claimed it would, and it will cost the publishers legal department a relatively small amount of time and (even worse case law suit outcome) a small amount of cash, which will hopefully encourage them and others to be more truthful in their marketing in future.

Do I really need to define useful? Is it not clear enough?
Even if it doesn't involve the consumer, I still see it as a waste of the companys time and money to have do with this type of "lawsuit for the sake of lawsuit".

The difference between native 1080p and what they did to the multiplayer aspect of this game is so small graphically that this lawsuit, without a dought, is just absurd.

I'll just leave this here. These guys make my point better than I do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X56fFi9b6LM

I like the way they seem to suggest that for a lawsuit to be valid, the product in question has to have had to murder your family or something; it doesnt, it just has to not work as described. 1080p is a big thing marketing wise, i'm glad someone is taking a company to count so they learn not to stretch or dilute the truth in future.

Edit: As for defining useful, that might be helpful because I don't quite follow, what should he be doing with his time instead of this in your estimation?

 

[Popido]

This might be the only way they learn to be honest.

Money talks, so let it do the talking for you.

 

[Saulkar]

If this means more honest marketing in the future then have at it. I do not care how frivolous people think this particular lawsuit is as the graphics being a big part of modern advertisement needs to be held to more honest standards.

 

[Pyrian]

I don't see this one winning. The single-player runs as advertised. So the game does, in fact, offer 1080p. I don't think the fact that it doesn't offer 1080p in all portions of the game is enough to prove false and misleading advertising.