I am genuinely ashamed and appalled by the so-called video game community.
The community complains endlessly about publishers performing anti-consumer behavior such as buying exclusivity, or buying the rights to lock other platforms out of specific games, but then turn around and defend those very anti-consumer practices when those actions are performed a company they personally care for. They go further and attack anyone who dares point out the hypocrisy of their position.
The community complains about companies using excessively greedy mechanics like pseudo-gambling loot boxes and gacha-game mechanics, but then turn around and spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, on items such as Overwatch loot boxes, FIFA/Madden Ultimate Team packs, GTA Online SHARK Cards, or Genshin Impact. They then have the audacity to wonder why companies keep putting those mechanics in their games.
The community complains about "lazy developers" re-releasing the same game multiple times, a la Bethesda and Skyrim, Rockstar and GTA5, or Nintendo and Mario/Zelda games, yet they keep buying those "lazy" remasters for full price every time they come out.
The community acts appalled when reports come out regarding poor working conditions and abhorrent behavior within the development industry, such as the lawsuit filed against Activision-Blizzard. They spend a week or two spewing righteous outrage, demanding boycotts, at least until that developer releases a new trailer, a new demo, or a new game. Suddenly they don't care about the issues anymore and perform significant mental gymnastics justifying buying the games they said they were going to boycott just a few days before.
And this is without getting into the capital-G "Gamers" out there. The openly racist, bigoted, misogynistic, gatekeeping pieces of human rubbish who believe gaming is solely their outlet where they can congregate, spread their hatred, and attack anyone they disagree with -- including developers, journalists, and Twitch streamers.
Publishers know they can get away with murder -- almost literally -- because their customer base is too cowardly to maintain a principled stance and because they know they will always have irrational 'fans" who will defend them no matter what. Actions by employees and management at Activision-Blizzard literally led to an employee committing suicide and there are fans who are willing to excuse that so long as they get Diablo 2: Resurrected on time.
The video game community at large is an embarrassment.
