What companies do you actually refuse to buy from?

Chrishu

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Activision in general. It isn't about my intense personal hatred for them, it's just that I hate their games.
 

StrixMaxima

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I play game by game, although I must say that Blizzard just killed everything I liked about them since SC2 and their current business practices.

So, if the company doesn't treat me like a menace or a criminal-to-be, I'm ok with judging solely by the game's merits.
 

DJDarque

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Aug 24, 2009
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migo said:
Please tell me what anti-consumer practices Stardock, GamersGate and Good Old Games have? What about Mojang? Ambrosia SW?
I'm not going to comb through every business practice or business dealing of a company to give you an example just because you don't want to admit that somewhere along a line, be it in the past or sometime in the future, nearly every company will do something to violate someone's trust.
 

b3nn3tt

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May 11, 2010
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Yeh, like most people I base whether or not I want to buy a game on the merits of the game itself, rather than the company that made it. I can perhaps understand boycotting franchises, if you feel strongly that they're getting stale or whatever, but I don't think boycotting an entire company is the best move.

Take Activision for example. Generally not the most popular company, and yes they employ a number of money-making tactics that don't do much to improve their standing. But not every game they release uses these tactics, so if you want one such game then I say go for it.

Also, as with any personal belief, I dislike it when people try to enforce their views onto others. Granted, the OP may have problems with these companies, and is well within their rights to refuse to buy products from them. But it becomes a problem when you tell others what to do based on your own views. That needs to stop.
 

GundamSentinel

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Aug 23, 2009
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None really. If a company offers something I want to buy, there's a good chance I'll buy it. I may not like certain business practices, but that usually won't stop me getting the stuff I want. I'm not the boycotting type and I admit I don't really have knowledge about whether a company is good or bad. Frankly, aside from some limits when it comes to labor and environmental practices, I don't really care either.

I'll just keep buying the
.
 

Arkham

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Jan 22, 2009
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I don't mean to complain (yes I do) but could you edit your original post a bit, OP? A few things are unclear and a few companies are mentioned twice with different explanations. I ended up just skimming it. I also dread to think that your sole goal was to convince others to agree with you.[footnote]"Haven't been successful getting anyone to stop playing Activision games, everyone has moved on to EA Skate or Rock Band already, and in the case of CoD, well the people who agree with me don't play it. Blizzard, I've got one friend to decide not to buy Diablo 3."[/footnote]

On topic, I had to think hard about what company I hate enough to boycott. I couldn't think of a specific company, but I absolutely refuse to pay microtransations. I fell for it once with Team Fortress 2's Mannconomy and despite using everything I purchased I regret ever doing it when there was an alternative. I could list all the games I play with ridiculous prices on virtual items I refuse to buy, but suffice it to say it's a habit I don't want to encourage.

For the most part I buy whatever I wish to play and occasionally borrow a friend's copy if it is convenient. The game itself is worth playing, after all. If I really disagree with a company's policies I will organize a campaign to spread my belief, but I'm holding out until I feel my rights have been legitimately violated before going to war fighting with bows, spears, and swords.
 

migo

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DJDarque said:
migo said:
Please tell me what anti-consumer practices Stardock, GamersGate and Good Old Games have? What about Mojang? Ambrosia SW?
I'm not going to comb through every business practice or business dealing of a company to give you an example just because you don't want to admit that somewhere along a line, be it in the past or sometime in the future, nearly every company will do something to violate someone's trust.
What you really mean is that you spoke without thinking and are weaseling out of admitting that not only are you wrong, but that your argument was a red herring to begin with.
 

Blatherscythe

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Oct 14, 2009
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Apple. I don't dislike their products, I hate how they make newer versions of them every year. However these improvements seem to result in a smaller, easier to break and misplace product. It makes keeping up to date a serious financial investment.
 

infohippie

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Oct 1, 2009
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There's a few companies I dislike and will carefully scrutinise any of their products before deciding to purchase, but the only one I refuse to buy from is Ubisoft. Screw Ubisoft and their DRM. I haven't bought anything of theirs since Assassin's Creed (the first one).[footnote]And no, I did not turn to piracy either.[/footnote]
 

migo

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BabyRaptor said:
migo said:
So...Do you buy anything nowadays?

Edit: This is not meant as a troll...It's a serious question. That's a rather long list.
It's a short list, consisting of 4 companies.

There's still EA, Ubisoft, THQ, Microsoft among the big names. Tons of smaller ones beyond that.
 

No_Remainders

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Sep 11, 2009
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DJDarque said:
No offense, but you sound like you'd be insufferable to be around when it comes to buying anything. If you don't like something don't buy it, but you don't have to spread your hatred to other people.

I don't refuse to buy anything based solely off of who makes it. That's just stupid.
You, sir, hit the nail on the head.

I don't see the point in not buying something because of who made it. That's just utterly retarded. I think that one should buy something based on its quality.
 

Arkham

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Jan 22, 2009
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migo said:
BabyRaptor said:
So...Do you buy anything nowadays?

Edit: This is not meant as a troll...It's a serious question. That's a rather long list.
It's a short list, consisting of 4 companies.

There's still EA, Ubisoft, THQ, Microsoft among the big names. Tons of smaller ones beyond that.
You named nine companies, each accompanied by a wall of text. As I said before it's a little unclear. It might help to say what you want with as few words as possible and explaining only what you feel is necessary.
 

Miles000

is most likly drunk righyt noiw!
Apr 18, 2010
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migo said:
That's 2 counts of companies I boycott because they're tied to another company I boycott.
That bit makes the least sense to me out of that whole post...

You seriously avoid buying from a company because they are tied to another one you don't like?
That is beyond stupid...

OT: I don't boycott companies at all.
I don't buy from some because I don't like their products.

But never because I don't like the company itself... That's dumb.
 

migo

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ArkhamHorror said:
I don't mean to complain (yes I do) but could you edit your original post a bit, OP? A few things are unclear and a few companies are mentioned twice with different explanations.
That's because I dislike them for multiple reasons, not just one.

I ended up just skimming it. I also dread to think that your sole goal was to convince others to agree with you.[footnote]"Haven't been successful getting anyone to stop playing Activision games, everyone has moved on to EA Skate or Rock Band already, and in the case of CoD, well the people who agree with me don't play it. Blizzard, I've got one friend to decide not to buy Diablo 3."[/footnote]
Errr.... no, but if some people do agree that's fine. I did preface it pretty clearly, if you don't follow a regular show that's featured here on the Escapist, I don't really feel like doing any extra hand-holding.

On topic, I had to think hard about what company I hate enough to boycott. I couldn't think of a specific company, but I absolutely refuse to pay microtransations. I fell for it once with Team Fortress 2's Mannconomy and despite using everything I purchased I regret ever doing it when there was an alternative. I could list all the games I play with ridiculous prices on virtual items I refuse to buy, but suffice it to say it's a habit I don't want to encourage.

For the most part I buy whatever I wish to play and occasionally borrow a friend's copy if it is convenient. The game itself is worth playing, after all. If I really disagree with a company's policies I will organize a campaign to spread my belief, but I'm holding out until I feel my rights have been legitimately violated before going to war fighting with bows, spears, and swords.
Yeah, I'm not sold on Microtransactions either, they're way too similar to monthly fees. At the same time I do appreciate a game that's free to play to start and makes its revenue from people who like it enough to make those transactions - as long as said transactions are for added depth in the game rather than to give people who buy stuff an advantage. Depends on how it's handled.
 

migo

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Miles000 said:
migo said:
That's 2 counts of companies I boycott because they're tied to another company I boycott.
That bit makes the least sense to me out of that whole post...

You seriously avoid buying from a company because they are tied to another one you don't like...
That is beyond stupid...
No, boycotting a company and then buying from another company that sends money back to the same shareholders is stupid.
 

Techno Squidgy

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Nov 23, 2010
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Apple.
Their products are far too expensive, I can't stand OS X, and there are many cheaper products that do the job just as well. Also, I mercilessly took the piss out of a mac using friend (Not in spite, just banter) and the consequences would be out of this world. Also, I don't like the way the iPods look.

Game companies... No one I would refuse to buy from, yet. I dislike some business practices from some companies but not strongly enough to miss out on games.
 

Voulan

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Jul 18, 2011
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If any, Activision. Mostly because I've never particularly liked their games, but also because of their really odd behaviour in the past.