I respectfully disagree with your "And that's bad" unspoken conclusion. The facts are solid though.

I respectfully disagree with your "And that's bad" unspoken conclusion. The facts are solid though.

If you can elaborate on that, I am willing to clarify as necessary.

I could only think of Yahtzee's review of Portal 2 when reading this. 

^Why? I say a lot of different things than that guy. Though there might have been stuff I missed because I couldn't understand what he said because he talks too fast.

Meh, it brings up some good points though.

Okay, so let me get this straight. Valve is a greedy, money whoring company because of micro-transactions? Let's see if I can possibly allude to you why this is nothing more than a good business practice for them and does absolutely nothing at all to hurt you.

First off, Portal 2. Memes? So what if they're forced? I didn't particularly feel that they were, but I honestly didn't care that much. Why? Because I still enjoyed the game for what it was: A damn good game. Portal and Portal 2 are both undeniably classic hits of this generation, and will never be viewed as anything less. They pioneered a whole new kind of puzzle-solving game and gave birth to yet another exceedingly popular character who doesn't talk, as well as talking robots that everyone loves.

Memes are everywhere for these games, you're right. And they may have done that on purpose. But ultimately it's us, the gamers, who are at fault, because after all, we make the damn memes. Not like memes ever affect you playing the game, though. Doesn't change the gameplay. There isn't a "keyboard/nyan/lol cat" puzzle to solve or anything.

Also, as for the micro-transactions in Portal 2... They're OPTIONAL and PURELY COSMETIC, meaning they do not affect gameplay, give players any advantages, etc. So, therefore, if someone wants to sink money into something that is, effectively, quite worthless, then why does it bother YOU that Valve gave them that option to buy a hat for their robot?

Meanwhile, to make a complaint about how the game has a perpetual lineup of levels to play by way of a very well thought out level editor is just foolish. Valve is a large company that is busy, believe it or not. They still publish updates for their games, including Team Fortress 2, a game you seem to hold disdain for, but they don't necessarily have the time to exactly create a veritable Portal 3.  Therefore, having community made maps gives players more to do for, what, $20 these days? It's nothing if not an amazing value.

Then there's Team Fortress 2. To complain about this game is the equivalent of receiving free candy, chewing it a bit, and then spitting it back out and saying: "Well, thanks for the candy, but I don't like lemon flavor, jackass!"

This game is completely free with optional in-game purchases that are completely unimportant and unnecessary! You can enjoy the entire gameplay of this game for free, having never paid a dime for it. Not only that, but Valve finds the time to continuously update this game in which they could quite possibly make no profit off of and add new content to it. When people buy items from the Mann Co. store, it's of their own free will, and it's the only profits TF2 sees. Without these people who enjoy hats and guns, TF2 may not be able to receive the updates that help it remain a fun game.

Not saying Valve is perfect, here, but come on... They're not money-grubbing anymore than any other company you love out there, and they're sure as hell providing good enough service to constitute something. My rant is finished now.

Okay, so let me get this straight. Valve is a greedy, money whoring company because of micro-transactions? Let's see if I can possibly allude to you why this is nothing more than a good business practice for them and does absolutely nothing at all to hurt you.

 

First off, Portal 2. Memes? So what if they're forced? I didn't particularly feel that they were, but I honestly didn't care that much. Why? Because I still enjoyed the game for what it was: A damn good game. Portal and Portal 2 are both undeniably classic hits of this generation, and will never be viewed as anything less. They pioneered a whole new kind of puzzle-solving game and gave birth to yet another exceedingly popular character who doesn't talk, as well as talking robots that everyone loves.

 

Memes are everywhere for these games, you're right. And they may have done that on purpose. But ultimately it's us, the gamers, who are at fault, because after all, we make the damn memes. Not like memes ever affect you playing the game, though. Doesn't change the gameplay. There isn't a "keyboard/nyan/lol cat" puzzle to solve or anything.

 

Also, as for the micro-transactions in Portal 2... They're OPTIONAL and PURELY COSMETIC, meaning they do not affect gameplay, give players any advantages, etc. So, therefore, if someone wants to sink money into something that is, effectively, quite worthless, then why does it bother YOU that Valve gave them that option to buy a hat for their robot?

 

Meanwhile, to make a complaint about how the game has a perpetual lineup of levels to play by way of a very well thought out level editor is just foolish. Valve is a large company that is busy, believe it or not. They still publish updates for their games, including Team Fortress 2, a game you seem to hold disdain for, but they don't necessarily have the time to exactly create a veritable Portal 3.  Therefore, having community made maps gives players more to do for, what, $20 these days? It's nothing if not an amazing value.

 

Then there's Team Fortress 2. To complain about this game is the equivalent of receiving free candy, chewing it a bit, and then spitting it back out and saying: "Well, thanks for the candy, but I don't like lemon flavor, jackass!"

 

This game is completely free with optional in-game purchases that are completely unimportant and unnecessary! You can enjoy the entire gameplay of this game for free, having never paid a dime for it. Not only that, but Valve finds the time to continuously update this game in which they could quite possibly make no profit off of and add new content to it. When people buy items from the Mann Co. store, it's of their own free will, and it's the only profits TF2 sees. Without these people who enjoy hats and guns, TF2 may not be able to receive the updates that help it remain a fun game.

 

Not saying Valve is perfect, here, but come on... They're not money-grubbing anymore than any other company you love out there, and they're sure as hell providing good enough service to constitute something. My rant is finished now.

I agree with you that Valve is a decent company. Hell, I'd call them one of the best! There's a reason I've enjoyed the Half-Life series, as well as the Portal series, and Team Fortress 2 before it went down the pot. Most of what inspired me to make this was just how some people treat Valve like some kind of messiah, when in reality they've done their own fair share of bullshit.

Most of the reason I hate forced memes in media is because they detract from the media itself. Instead of traditional video game storytelling, which can be timeless due to not being completely focused on pop culture, video games that attempt to create memes of themselves get forgotten as easy as the memes they create. It feels like a lazy cash-in, similar to how the '90s had a slew of mediocre films with some kind of spirit/etc. that spouts pop culture references that got forgotten. The memes get overused to the point they become a type of anti-joke, and, as I said, get forgotten. Look at other memes from the past. Who references "This is Sparta!" anymore? How about "Angry Homo Kid" or hell, even that dancing baby GIF?

My reason for disliking the "micro"transactions is not so much their very existence, but what they represent: A quick, cheap way to artificially extend profitability. A way to be able to add less content but still make money. I'm going to bring up another game off the top of my head as an example: Sanctum doesn't have "micro"transactions. Instead, you can choose to purchase optional DLC such as maps. If somebody owns a map, even those who don't own it can join their game. Makes it fair to non-payers, and isn't just the sugar pill that is purchased hats and skins.

Another reason I despise skins is that they're a slap in the face to those who make custom skins. What people were once allowed to do for themselves free, they now have to pay for. Sure, other players couldn't see it, but many games have fan-made skins that look better than anything that would ever be official. And the fan-made skins for games don't cost a penny.

With Team Fortress 2, well, I don't know if you played it in the past, but I'm going to say this: If you played it back in the day, you would know how much of a slap in the face what they've done to it is. Sure, getting the candy for free is great, but when it has maggots crawling in it, many of us don't want it. The weapons and such being sold, honestly, I would have no problem with it, had they not broken the game's balance beyond repair by adding skill crutch weapons so people could buy "skill".

Another reason I despise skins is that they're a slap in the face to those who make custom skins. What people were once allowed to do for themselves free, they now have to pay for. Sure, other players couldn't see it, but many games have fan-made skins that look better than anything that would ever be official. And the fan-made skins for games don't cost a penny.

 

With Team Fortress 2, well, I don't know if you played it in the past, but I'm going to say this: If you played it back in the day, you would know how much of a slap in the face what they've done to it is. Sure, getting the candy for free is great, but when it has maggots crawling in it, many of us don't want it. The weapons and such being sold, honestly, I would have no problem with it, had they not broken the game's balance beyond repair by adding skill crutch weapons so people could buy "skill".

"They now have to pay for."

That's the thing, they DON'T have to pay for. By no means is it a requirement.

"Sure, other players couldn't see it"

And that's why skins and other cosmetical items are sold; because these aren't clientbased and are seen by you and everyone else for the one who wants to add some eyecandy to their gameplay and that shouldn't be something to despise at.

About TF2: Sure, there's annoyning weapons and such - but you have access to them as much as anyone else. But I'd still say that what really matters is skill rather than weapons: A new player using the Machina/Huntsman isn't instantly a better sniper than a veteran sniper for example.

"Buy skill"

Weapons must be the least purchased items from the store if I am not wrong. Not much point into buying them either, as they are easily obtained through other free methods. 

About TF2: Sure, there's annoyning weapons and such - but you have access to them as much as anyone else. But I'd still say that what really matters is skill rather than weapons: A new player using the Machina/Huntsman isn't instantly a better sniper than a veteran sniper for example.

"Buy skill"

Weapons must be the least purchased items from the store if I am not wrong. Not much point into buying them either, as they are easily obtained through other free methods. 

While I stick by my stance on buying skins, I will agree on your point.

And yes, TF2 noobs do purchase the overpowered weapons from the store. Here's a screenshot I once took (because seeing it made me mad a bit) of the Huntsman, possibly the most infamous skill crutch, being the #5 top seller in the Mann. Co store.