I hate to be the guy, but why the hate for COD?

[Eacaraxe_v1legacy]

I don't think the hate is for the franchise itself, but rather what it represents to the gaming community: the pitfalls of gaming becoming a mainstream entertainment medium.

When something goes mainstream, the focus shifts from artistry, conveying a message, or furthering the medium as a whole, and to making money. Money is made by appealing to the broadest audience possible. That's accomplished by simplification, ease of access and use, and mass exposure. That has the unintended consequence of drawing in people who, without mincing words, are stupid, crass, or simply clueless. Those people were in games before (god knows I had to deal with my fair share of idiots in my earliest days of online gaming from Diablo to TFC), but the tactics used in broadening an audience also brings in bad elements in greater proportions, and the larger an audience the tougher it is for a given community to self-regulate.

Call of Duty, whether it rightfully deserves the status or not, is the face of that.

 

[Hyper-space]

Incidentally, its turning more into a multiplayer game and less into a singleplayer. Now the singleplayer campaign can already be completed during a toilet break, so why even bother?

...But why is that wrong? to say that its wrong for COD to have single-players that can be completed in hours is liking saying its wrong for Metro 2033 to not have a multi-player at all.

If you don't play multi-players and don't find them fun, then don't buy a game that clearly focuses on multi-player, that it.

 

[Vault boy Eddie]

I have 4 issues with the game:

1. The game is good, but never great. Despite this, every game reviewer in the world gives it a 10 (when it deserves about an 8) and tells everyone it is the video game manifestation of Christ.

To prove your point, IGN. Or, as I know it, the Call of Duty Official Website. Where they all get 10s and every game, including barbie games, get compared, and fail to live up to, all CoD games.

 

[Dr Jones]

Oh man, such a dummy reading a post asking for ereasons people hate a game and the giving reasons. Only to be told thats not a reason.

Was your post, Convince me COD sucks?

Oh it wasnt? Then maybe you shouldnt attack people for giving you an answer to your question. "don't use that arguement" "delete you post" are not polite debating phrases you know?

Your missing the point of that arguement and the whole thing. You cant just pretent something isnt a reason for peoples hate because you disagree with the arguement.

Sad and narrowminded.

I did in fact not miss your argument. When i said "Dont use that argument" i ment that please, dont effing use that argument because it's being overused and its in fact not entirely true. I am sure that you based that argument on abseloutely nothing, which does not help it's credibility at all. What i said were aggresive tactics that actually are often used in debates. Now look at us, we are debating Why the fuck we are debating. Im ending it here.

 

[bombadilillo]

Oh man, such a dummy reading a post asking for ereasons people hate a game and the giving reasons. Only to be told thats not a reason.

Was your post, Convince me COD sucks?

Oh it wasnt? Then maybe you shouldnt attack people for giving you an answer to your question. "don't use that arguement" "delete you post" are not polite debating phrases you know?

Your missing the point of that arguement and the whole thing. You cant just pretent something isnt a reason for peoples hate because you disagree with the arguement.

Sad and narrowminded.

I did in fact not miss your argument. When i said "Dont use that argument" i ment that please, dont effing use that argument because it's being overused and its in fact not entirely true. I am sure that you based that argument on abseloutely nothing, which does not help it's credibility at all. What i said were aggresive tactics that actually are often used in debates. Now look at us, we are debating Why the fuck we are debating. Im ending it here.

I graciously accept your resignation.

 

[Spandexpanda]

I dunno, I always thought any CoD game not made by Treyrarch was pretty great. Rushed out to buy MW2 and all. Maybe it's just me, but I find it a great game to play with friends. If you wan't summat' sophisticated, it's probably not your best bet. But then again, not every game is meant to be sophisticated, just like every movie isn't meant to be artsy.

Honestly though, I could totally live without Treyrarch shitting out a new sequel every year. One every two years would do me fine.

 

[Accountfailed]

Because it is popular, hurr durr hurr.

I've had the exact same thought, i think that all people no matter what are biased in their subcouncious towards things and/or people that are popular. And the "true" gaming crowd that dislikes COD also like more "artistic" games and such (this is speculation), as if COD is doing some huge disservice to games.

Jim Sterling said it best;

"Call of Duty is popular, that means it shit! That appears to be the common sentiment among gamers; which is true of anything that becomes big. Angry Birds for instance is now ruining videogames despite the fact that no one had a problem with it when it first came out. Farmville is the sentient vomit of the devil according to some even though it's on Facebook appealing to a totally different demographic, bothering nobody. Call of duty similarly is one of the biggest franchises in entertainment, therefore it must be shit."

go watch this episode of the jimquisition for the rest of his argument. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/3285-Defending-Call-of-Duty]

 

[Dr Jones]

I have 4 issues with the game:

1. The game is good, but never great. Despite this, every game reviewer in the world gives it a 10 (when it deserves about an 8) and tells everyone it is the video game manifestation of Christ.

To prove your point, IGN. Or, as I know it, the Call of Duty Official Website. Where they all get 10s and every game, including barbie games, get compared, and fail to live up to, all CoD games.

That ain't COD's fault guys.. Really.. If you disagree with several reviewers upon a game fine, your opinion, but still if they find the game good and you dont.. Is that the reason that COD sucks? Reviewers like it instead of other games?

 

[blankedboy]

I don't hate CoD, but I don't exactly understand it's popularity either. I played Call of Duty 4 around the time when it first came out and it bored me. Not only that, but I find the all the Call of Duty games since 4 more or less indistinguishable.

Pretty much this. The only times I found CoD4 enjoyable was in 2-4 player LAN parties on Shipment or Killhouse.

Oh yeah, and the community is absolute dick.

 

[Zantos]

As far as I can tell people don't like CoD because it's not the sort of game they like to play, and are upset that apparently it's stopping the games they want to play being made. To which you have to sit and explain to them that no, it's the fact that they outsell other genres by a massive margin that means they keep getting made. Seriously, people seem to want more games like Portal and don't understand why more games can't be like that. At a guess, I'd probably say it's the sales, since Black Ops sold some 8 times more in the first 24 hours than Portal 2. Maybe, if you're really lucky, publishers will build up enough CoD gold that they'll be able to push that money into independent projects and everyone will be happy. Except for people complaining that the new games are dirty because they were paid for by CoD money.

Also, I don't really see how the focus to multiplayer is really an arguement. The vast majority of playtime is done in the multiplayer, I'm shocked these latest games have any single player at all, but I'm glad they did since they're pretty good stories.

 

[senordesol]

Well i would probably have found it more shocking if the whole web started yelling about it. Srsly only reason not to know it and get the game after release is living under a rock.
But ya, the dead protagonist was kinda cool (until MW2 decided that EVERYONE had to die)..[/quote]

Guess I was living under a rock, then. However I think you've pointed out the reason for the series' decline in that they don't seem to understand the reason for their own success. MW1 defied the expectation of the average shooter in that we're used to either dying because we were careless or dying in some noble pre-scripted way worthy of a Shakespearean Epic. We weren't used to being treated as a battlefield statistic. But that is only the MEANS to the end, not the end itself. If you do it a thousand times, then it's no longer impressive.

This might also be another reason for the CoD hate in that they almost NEVER try anything remotely new or edgy. IW had to FIGHT to just bring CoD out of WWII, and now with some actual artistic integrity they were actually able to DO something creative. But when THAT was proven successful, Activision acted like...itself...and decided to cut open the goose that lays. Now MW is so far removed from its original artistic premise that it's just boring.

 

[Dr Jones]

Snippoh

Exactly! He actually got me thinking, thats the reason i made this thread! I mean he is kinda right.. Within time Minecraft is an abomination from hell..

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

1) Because it's popular. People think it's hip to hate popular things.
2) Because a significant portion of the CoD playerbase are absolute morons. It's actually a much higher percentage than most games (other than Halo). Note: not all CoD/Halo fans are morons.
3) Because the game has changed very little since CoD4.
4) Because all 3 games since CoD4 have been terrible.

Take your pick.

 

[hermes]

Because it is popular, hurr durr hurr.

Exactly, because hardcore gamers think of themselves as the cream of the crop, they can't stand the idea that they like the same thing as millions of people... makes them insecure.

I am not saying that the games or the franchise are perfect (far from it), but most of the hate comes from trolls being trolls.

The rest of the hate comes from the gaming community to the practices of the publisher (axing Infinity Ward, 15$ map packs, Kotick in general, etc), and the fact those practices doesn't seem to make a dent in the sales. While those complains are unfair to the developer and doesn't speak of the quality of the game, I guess they are more legit that the other reason.

 

[Zhukov]

*sigh*

I'm part of the CoD-hating crowd. However, I don't really hate CoD. I just... eaarrg. I suppose the best term would be "ambivalent".

On the one hand I think the online multiplayer is actually good. Not my thing, but I can acknowledge good design when I see it. On the other hand, the single player is... not so great. Yeah, MW1 was pretty good. But MW2 was like something made by Michael Bay and Black Ops' campaign was an unmitigated turd.

The main source of my ambivalence is the effect it has on the industry as a whole. Because a vapid, militaristic, meaningless and pseudo-realistic shooter sells like diamond-encrusted hot cakes, developers promptly start pumping out a parade of vapid, militaristic, meaningless and pseudo-realistic shooters. (Why, hello there Homefront, howzit going?) As someone who is not particularly fond of vapid, militaristic etc etc shooters, this makes me a bit grumpy.

I realise that this isn't really CoD's fault, strictly speaking. But it does not make me well disposed toward the series.

 

[Trololo Punk]

I don't hate call of duty, I thought everything pretty much before modern warfare 2 were great.
For me personally, by the time MW2 was released, I had become bored by the "call of duty" style of first person shooter's.

 

[nbamaniac]

It is so wildly popular that other games try to copy it and bring down other series. Thats why its hated.

Also this^

Completely agree. Other games need to try new things instead of copying Cod (Looking at you Medal Of Honour)

Actually the 1st CoD (with the WW2 stuff) was influenced by the great MoH: Allied Assault. And yeah pardon me for being a douche

EDIT: And on a side note, i believe CoD: MW was wonderful, MW2 was ok, Black Ops was decent, and the new MoH was batshit boring.

 

[Dr Jones]

Now MW is so far removed from its original artistic premise that it's just boring.

I have never, EVER expect to hear MW and artistic in the same sentence. (naw) But i agree to a degree (heh). Activision has been, is, and always will be an arse. And true that CoD does not really take any chances anymore. It's the same-ol' same-ol'.
But i think that you're overrating the death scene. Twas cool, but again, people were back then genuinely excited for the multiplayer. It was a huge draw.

 

[Jodah]

Many people here prefer or only play single player. The success of CoD has lead to a large decline in the amount, and quality, of single player FPS. Why make a good single player FPS when you can make a decent multiplayer and then force feed DLC maps to those that do play after all?

 

[4RM3D]

Incidentally, its turning more into a multiplayer game and less into a singleplayer. Now the singleplayer campaign can already be completed during a toilet break, so why even bother?

...But why is that wrong? to say that its wrong for COD to have single-players that can be completed in hours is liking saying its wrong for Metro 2033 to not have a multi-player at all.

If you don't play multi-players and don't find them fun, then don't buy a game that clearly focuses on multi-player, that it.

That's why I said "incidentally". My original point still stands, that the game is a cash cow. Also, the multiplayer part of the game is unbalanced. It has too many issues, like the fixed respawn points + camping, among other things.

Regardless, what you said is true. Although it doesn't really apply here.

BTW, I would like to mention that Metro 2033 was a pretty nice game; good atmosphere. There were flaws, but I like Metro 2033 for trying some different.