Profile of squippy

Jump back to quoted post14 Aug 2015, 03:19 AMGoldeneale

I don't really think blobbing is a problem. In the end it's just concentration of force minus any tactics. You can always beat a blob using tactics as long as it isn't significantly larger than your force. If it is, then you lost the fight not to your enemy's tactical acuity but instead their economic and strategic superiority.

There once was a time video game reviews and word of mouth played the most important part in determining the success of a new title. There'd be a chance for either professional critics or like-minded peers to get their hands on a game and tell you whether it's actually worth your time or money. With games being so expensive, those opinions can be - and to be sure, are still in some way (especially word of mouth) - important!

They can also be bad for business if you're in the business of making or selling video games, though, so removing that roadblock is in both the publisher's and retailer's best interests. The cult of preordering is how this is achieved. By getting your commitment to purchase a game in advance, when all you've got to go on is a marketing campaign, you're signalling that you, as a consumer, are totally cool spending $40-$60 on a game simply on the strength of how it's been marketed.

And it works, with many games tallying up preorder counts in the millions.

Want to know why there aren't any demos anymore? This is why. Want to know why content is withheld from everyone's game and is instead sprinkled across various competing retailers? This is why. Want to know why there's now an accepted norm where those paying more for a game can sometimes gain competitive advantages? This is why. Publishers don't need to sell you on their games, because by slavishly throwing money down before they're even out, you've signalled your intent to take whatever it is they give you.