Are you boycotting activision

[Whitenail]

I suppose I haven't, between Guitar Hero and Black Ops. I'm aware that they stinge out developers on well-deserved dosh and Bobby Kotick's apparently the spawn of Satan but the way I see it they're no more evil than any other company that ever got anywhere.

 

[Chibz]

If we have a problem with it we have only ourselves to blame for sucking up pablum. Boycotting activision would be shooting yourself in the foot to spite your leg if you enjoy the games they put out, if you don't, there's a massive indy community now thanks to new ways of publishing content and the magic that is the XBLA and Steam, buy indy if you want to see a change, but if you enjoy what the major studios are pushing out, and you know what, I often do, go for it.

There's a VERY large area between "Call of Duty 53" and "Experimental Indie Title". What Activision releases is shovelware pure and simple. They're milking all their franchaises literally to death, to make short term profits. And once (for example) call of duty is no longer profitable (Due to their own poor business decisions) they'll drop it like that. *Finger snap*

This is no way to run a business, and this is not a business I will support.

 

[darksakul]

I never was interested in Activision games to begin with.
Only Activision game I own, Guitar Hero Metallica was given to me as a gift because my friends knew I was a Metallica fan.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

No I have no reason to.

 

[qazmatoz]

I am for their lack of respect towards games as a meaningful medium. It's the same as I would never go see a film like Paul Blart or anything that Adam Sandler does anymore.

 

[Smooth Operator]

I'd love to boycot Activision itself, problem is they are at the helm of good developers and they only get money through Activision.

The other problem is Activision will be the last to suffer if the cash flow stops, they don't mind putting all of their subordinates on the streets just to make a buck or two extra.

But I don't buy all that many of their games, the only ones in recent years were CoD games, but now that they killed off Infinity Ward they probably can't make even a single decent one.

 

[dWintermut3]

I never was interested in Activision games to begin with.
Only Activision game I own, Guitar Hero Metallica was given to me as a gift because my friends knew I was a Metallica fan.

If we have a problem with it we have only ourselves to blame for sucking up pablum. Boycotting activision would be shooting yourself in the foot to spite your leg if you enjoy the games they put out, if you don't, there's a massive indy community now thanks to new ways of publishing content and the magic that is the XBLA and Steam, buy indy if you want to see a change, but if you enjoy what the major studios are pushing out, and you know what, I often do, go for it.

There's a VERY large area between "Call of Duty 53" and "Experimental Indie Title". What Activision releases is shovelware pure and simple. They're milking all their franchaises literally to death, to make short term profits. And once (for example) call of duty is no longer profitable (Due to their own poor business decisions) they'll drop it like that. *Finger snap*

This is no way to run a business, and this is not a business I will support.

You have a point, of course, but on the other hand some surprisingly innovative-but-still mainstream titles have come out of activision, like Singularity.

I did simplify, of course, and other publishers are proving you can be judicious in your use of a license and make serious bank with it (bungee, bioware, both have been careful not to oversell a good thing with Halo:reach being the confirmed last Halo title and Mass Effect being confirmed at three titles in a trilogy and no direct sequels).

In the end burnout will show them that it's not a good way to do business, and I am leery of picking up activision titles because they do tend to be fairly derivative. But it is cutting off your nose to spite your face not to buy a game you're interested in just because of who made it.


Recent events have also shown companies that they can parcel out a license slowly and get far more milage. Fallout3 and New Vegas proved that it's possible to necro a series from a beloved part of gaming history into a worldwide bestseller IF and only if you back it up with quality. I'd be surprised if no one in the gaming business learned a big lesson there. Especially because the Fallout series was at risk of being over-exploited (lackluster releases of tactics and BoS put the series down for a good long time) and was resurrected because of attention to quality.

 

[superbatranger]

I don't consciously boycott Activision. If they put out a poorly made product, I won't buy it. If it's fun for me, then maybe I'll buy it. Simple.

 

[teqrevisited]

I stopped with CoD4 and since then nothing they've published / developed has interested me enough to even consider buying it.

Kotick's all-consuming greed has a hand in it too.

 

[darksakul]

You have a point, of course, but on the other hand some surprisingly innovative-but-still mainstream titles have come out of activision, like Singularity.

I did simplify, of course, and other publishers are proving you can be judicious in your use of a license and make serious bank with it (bungee, bioware, both have been careful not to oversell a good thing with Halo:reach being the confirmed last Halo title and Mass Effect being confirmed at three titles in a trilogy and no direct sequels).

In the end burnout will show them that it's not a good way to do business, and I am leery of picking up activision titles because they do tend to be fairly derivative. But it is cutting off your nose to spite your face not to buy a game you're interested in just because of who made it.

Recent events have also shown companies that they can parcel out a license slowly and get far more milage. Fallout3 and New Vegas proved that it's possible to necro a series from a beloved part of gaming history into a worldwide bestseller IF and only if you back it up with quality. I'd be surprised if no one in the gaming business learned a big lesson there. Especially because the Fallout series was at risk of being over-exploited (lackluster releases of tactics and BoS put the series down for a good long time) and was resurrected because of attention to quality.

I do not get it, how I am included in that statement? Only reason I have that Guitar hero game was because it was a gift. I am not going to be so callous when my friends think, how he is a Metallica fan, he might like this; to reject their kindness and getting me a gift.
I just plain never had any real interest in Activision titles, ever. Ever since the early PS1 days I felt that Activision games was too flashy with no substance or miss the point of the genre the game was in. Before PS1, if Activision existed, I never notice or did not care enough to notice. If it was not for the media and people pointing out Activision products to me, Activision would be one of those companies that would be lost to obscurity. I would honestly cared more in who made the foam cups my McDonald's Sweet tea came in, than a game developer who I feel isn't worth my effort noticing.

So am I boycotting Activision? For me to boycott them, I have to care about them first, I have to invest time and energy so they be detected on my radar first. Such as I almost forgot that Activision published Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2, that is how low Activision is on my priorities and my radar of noticing.

 

[dWintermut3]

You have a point, of course, but on the other hand some surprisingly innovative-but-still mainstream titles have come out of activision, like Singularity.

I did simplify, of course, and other publishers are proving you can be judicious in your use of a license and make serious bank with it (bungee, bioware, both have been careful not to oversell a good thing with Halo:reach being the confirmed last Halo title and Mass Effect being confirmed at three titles in a trilogy and no direct sequels).

In the end burnout will show them that it's not a good way to do business, and I am leery of picking up activision titles because they do tend to be fairly derivative. But it is cutting off your nose to spite your face not to buy a game you're interested in just because of who made it.

Recent events have also shown companies that they can parcel out a license slowly and get far more milage. Fallout3 and New Vegas proved that it's possible to necro a series from a beloved part of gaming history into a worldwide bestseller IF and only if you back it up with quality. I'd be surprised if no one in the gaming business learned a big lesson there. Especially because the Fallout series was at risk of being over-exploited (lackluster releases of tactics and BoS put the series down for a good long time) and was resurrected because of attention to quality.

I do not get it, how I am included in that statement? Only reason I have that Guitar hero game was because it was a gift. I am not going to be so callous when my friends think, how he is a Metallica fan, he might like this; to reject their kindness and getting me a gift.
I just plain never had any real interest in Activision titles, ever. Ever since the early PS1 days I felt that Activision games was too flashy with no substance or miss the point of the genre the game was in. Before PS1, if Activision existed, I never notice or did not care enough to notice. If it was not for the media and people pointing out Activision products to me, Activision would be one of those companies that would be lost to obscurity. I would honestly cared more in who made the foam cups my McDonald's Sweet tea came in, than a game developer who I feel isn't worth my effort noticing.

So am I boycotting Activision? For me to boycott them, I have to care about them first, I have to invest time and energy so they be detected on my radar first. Such as I almost forgot that Activision published Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2, that is how low Activision is on my priorities and my radar of noticing.

That's basically what I mean.

"boycott" implies wanting to buy something but not for a political/moral reason. If you have no interest in activision games it's not a boycott, it's just, not buying things you aren't interested in.

If you are interested in the games it's stupid, IMHO, not to buy them just because Activision published them. You're punishing yourself and the development studio more than activision.

 

[darksakul]

That's basically what I mean.

"boycott" implies wanting to buy something but not for a political/moral reason. If you have no interest in activision games it's not a boycott, it's just, not buying things you aren't interested in.

If you are interested in the games it's stupid, IMHO, not to buy them just because Activision published them. You're punishing yourself and the development studio more than Activision.

Okay I see your point now.

To me Activision is so lack-luster to me, I am surprised they are still in business. I do feel pitty on those smaller game studios, the independent guys, those go unnoticed for different reasons that Activsions mainstream titles. Sadly with Indie titles unless you read about it somewhere, or heard of it by word of mouth, you never will know about that indie game. To me surprisingly alot of Indie games are quite imaginative, more innovative that Nintendo thinks/pretends to be with a small fraction of the resources and 10 time the passion in their work. That deserves its own thread.

 

[MoNKeyYy]

In short, yes. In french, oui. In long and spanish, CIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.

Activision are assholes. I'm not a fan of EA either. But Activision in worse. And Bobby Kotick can suck a big fat evil money grubbing dick.

 

[dWintermut3]

That's basically what I mean.

"boycott" implies wanting to buy something but not for a political/moral reason. If you have no interest in activision games it's not a boycott, it's just, not buying things you aren't interested in.

If you are interested in the games it's stupid, IMHO, not to buy them just because Activision published them. You're punishing yourself and the development studio more than Activision.

Okay I see your point now.

To me Activision is so lack-luster to me, I am surprised they are still in business. I do feel pitty on those smaller game studios, the independent guys, those go unnoticed for different reasons that Activsions mainstream titles. Sadly with Indie titles unless you read about it somewhere, or heard of it by word of mouth, you never will know about that indie game. To me surprisingly alot of Indie games are quite imaginative, more innovative that Nintendo thinks/pretends to be with a small fraction of the resources and 10 time the passion in their work. That deserves its own thread.

As an aside, I find the "new releases" and "best sellers" section of Steam is very good for finding new indy games. It's how I found out about Gratuitous Space Battles, Guns of Icarus, Racettear and several other games I've enjoyed immensely. Okay Guns of Icarus was a bit short, but still I'll buy anything steampunk it's just a weakness I have. The "under 5 dollars" and "under 10 dollars" searches are also great for finding indy gold.

Also, flash gaming sites. Oh where would indy devs be without them. Yes in many cases the "full version" they're proffering is actually an iPhone or Android app but still, it's one of the last refuges of the clever programmer.

 

[blankedboy]

I've been boycotting Activision since before I knew they were evil.
I've been boycotting them because they're games suck

You clearly haven't played Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure.
That game was awesome ^^

 

[almostgold]

What?? No. If there is a good game I want, then I will buy it. Intentionally withholding products you want from yourself doesn't seem like a very good plan...

 

[dWintermut3]

I never was interested in Activision games to begin with.
Only Activision game I own, Guitar Hero Metallica was given to me as a gift because my friends knew I was a Metallica fan.

If we have a problem with it we have only ourselves to blame for sucking up pablum. Boycotting activision would be shooting yourself in the foot to spite your leg if you enjoy the games they put out, if you don't, there's a massive indy community now thanks to new ways of publishing content and the magic that is the XBLA and Steam, buy indy if you want to see a change, but if you enjoy what the major studios are pushing out, and you know what, I often do, go for it.

There's a VERY large area between "Call of Duty 53" and "Experimental Indie Title". What Activision releases is shovelware pure and simple. They're milking all their franchaises literally to death, to make short term profits. And once (for example) call of duty is no longer profitable (Due to their own poor business decisions) they'll drop it like that. *Finger snap*

This is no way to run a business, and this is not a business I will support.

You have a point, of course, but on the other hand some surprisingly innovative-but-still mainstream titles have come out of activision, like Singularity.

I did simplify, of course, and other publishers are proving you can be judicious in your use of a license and make serious bank with it (bungee, bioware, both have been careful not to oversell a good thing with Halo:reach being the confirmed last Halo title and Mass Effect being confirmed at three titles in a trilogy and no direct sequels).

The guys that made Singularity were my favorite FPS developer of all time, they did Hexen/Heretic, Soldier of Fortune, Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force, Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2+3 (JK2 is still my fav FPS but it's dead) and also Quake4 and Wolfenstein lately...

What did Activision do? They fired almost half of the dev team: g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/698729/Activision-Confirms-Raven-Software-Layoffs.html

And now the rest is working on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raven_Software

Call of Duty: Black Ops downloadable content (2011)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (in development)

Oh trust me I know.

I live in Madison, WI, I know quite a few of the Raven boys, I hang out with them on occasion. It's a crying shame what Activision did but their latest games just haven't sold well. I know the guys on both the Wolfenstein and Singularity teams and that's why I can't really ever boycott activision.

Hexen and Jedi Knight for the absolute win. I'm just sad that activision couldn't hand winners like that to my friends. Sometimes the developers get screwed by the company it's true.

But to boycott the publisher hurts the development corporation EVEN WORSE. and that's why I think boycotting activision is stupid. Sure, you'll hurt activision, you'll hurt companies like Raven even worse. And trust me if not hampered by corporate politics those guys can program like mad.

 

[Denariax]

The above message actually saddens me. I came in here to put a mediocre troll with the lines "Activision is boycottable? Eh." and only that, but to see Raven going downhill like that legitimately makes me want to cry.

Jedi Academy was a great game. PC-wise, it's STILL GOING on GameFront (No, I don't know why FileFront changed it's name). I used to work as staff there. It was, and still is, an easily modifiable game, yet had its own quirks to keep you interested.

Seeing them being forced to resort to the constant failure that I have always believed the CoD series is, makes me want to turn off the internet altogether.

That being said, I'm still not boycotting them. I can bet you Raven is being forced into this.

 

[dWintermut3]

The above message actually saddens me. I came in here to put a mediocre troll with the lines "Activision is boycottable? Eh." and only that, but to see Raven going downhill like that legitimately makes me want to cry.

Jedi Academy was a great game. PC-wise, it's STILL GOING on GameFront (No, I don't know why FileFront changed it's name). I used to work as staff there. It was, and still is, an easily modifiable game, yet had its own quirks to keep you interested.

Seeing them being forced to resort to the constant failure that I have always believed the CoD series is, makes me want to turn off the internet altogether.

That being said, I'm still not boycotting them. I can bet you Raven is being forced into this.

well said as well. And that's the problem. Activision won't feel a thing, they have the residuals from World of Warcraft, which makes more money than most third-world countries. But as you hurt Activision you gut companies like Raven, who are locally-owned, socially-responsible corporations that are trying desperately to make it in a recession entertainment economy.

 

[captaincabbage]

I guess I'm boycotting unintentionally? I don't buy their games because they suck.