gaming Activision PR Responds to Negative Criticism for Infinite Warfare

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,594]

Now this, will make for an interesting discussion. Infinite Warfare is a game that is sparking a ton of controversy, with Activision purposely locking the Modern Warfare Remastered game behind an $80 paywall, among other things. The reveal trailer for the game has quickly become one of the most disliked videos on YouTube.

 

Recently, Activision has responded to this negative criticism...

 

It is as follows:

 

 

“First of all, you gotta love the passion of gamers. This is an industry like no other, and a fanbase like no other, and we love that our fans treat this franchise like it’s their own and have such strong points of view about it. There just aren’t many entertainment franchises on Earth that can generate the kind of passion that Call of Duty can, and that’s a good thing.

Secondly, of course we know that there are people in our community that are nostalgic for the “boots on the ground” style gameplay, and that’s why we made Modern Warfare Remastered.

But we also have millions of people in our community who wannt to have new and innovative experiences in the game this year, and Infinite Warfare is going to deliver that. The good news is that this year we found a way to deliver both in one package while keeping our community together.

While of course we see the passionate opinions online, we also look at other measurements, and the fact is that it’s very early: pre-orders are off to a very strong start, views of the reveal trailer that you refer to are up, and the number of likes per view on the Infinite Warfare reveal trailer are also the highest we’ve ever seen.

We have seen this in the franchise before: the reveal trailer for Black Ops II, which took the franchise into the future for the first time, had the most dislikes of any reveal trailer we have ever made at that time, and that of course went on to become our most successful game ever.

And right now the franchise has never been stronger: we have more people in Black Ops III, a game that takes place in the future with boost jumps and fictitious weapons and all the rest, than in any game in our history.

So what we know for sure is that if we always just did what worked in the past, and never took any creative risks, we wouldn’t have a franchise. The day to worry is the day we stop trying new things.”

 

Okay, I am not gonna go into this for now, but let's discuss this. What is your opinion on this PR response?

 

[Guest]

Their PR response sounds like a cop out. I mean someone I recall DID point out a GOOD thing they said: is that despite negative feedback they are willing to take new risks even if people don't like them. People should be more frightened if they decide to not take risks.

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

 

 

"So what we know for sure is that if we always just did what worked in the past, and never took any creative risks, we wouldn’t have a franchise. The day to worry is the day we stop trying new things.”

 

Says the guys making yet another space shooter on an already crowded market.

 

This sucks for me the most, because I actually really like Call of Duty in general. I still have fond memories playing the first two Modern Warfare games online, and the single player campaign of CoD 1 blew my mind the first time I played through it. At its root, Call of Duty is responsible for some really incredible games. So seeing Activision spit on the fans like this, and turn it into yet another generic space shooter (while Battlefield is the one actually trying something new this year) really pisses me off.

 

I saw a reddit post a few days ago, where a guy took the Infinite Warfare press release and simply removed the adjectives. The result was exactly what we were expecting:

 

 

I may be a Call of Duty customer again in the future, but not this time. Certainly not at full price. Battlefield 1 got it right this time, and Activision fucked up spectacularly.

[1Bit 1,531]

It just sounds like they are trying to save face by somehow turning the hate and criticism into something positive. Talking about how it proves the passion behind Call of Duty as a franchise just makes me laugh.

[Guest]

It just sounds like they are trying to save face by somehow turning the hate and criticism into something positive. Talking about how it proves the passion behind Call of Duty as a franchise just makes me laugh.

To be fair... It kind of does. I mean think of all the crappy games that no one even cares about or mentions. The fact that people are this outraged DOES show that there is a lot of passion behind this franchise. That's not a valid criticism really...

[Concerned Bystander 2,902]

People who play video games can never be satisfied.  If the developers make the next iteration of the franchise too similar to the last one, they get criticised for cashing in instead of innovating, if they try to innovate and make it too different from the last one, they get criticised for not respecting the roots of the franchise.

 

I'm not saying they should totally ignore their fans, but they shouldn't take what they say too seriously because if they try to please everyone, then they end up pleasing no one at all.  They should just make the games they want to make, and let the sales figures be the judge.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Concerned Bystander

[Guest]

People who play video games can never be satisfied.  If the developers make the next iteration of the franchise too similar to the last one, they get criticised for cashing instead of innovating, if they try to innovate and make it too different from the last one, they get criticised for not respecting the roots of the franchise.

 

I'm not saying they should totally ignore their fans, but they shouldn't take what they say too seriously because if they try to please everyone, then they end up pleasing no one at all.  They should just make the games they want to make, and let the sales figures be the judge.

 

This is a very valid point. I mean fans have become super hyper critical to the point where predicting what they want is near impossible nowadays. If you give them what they want, they call it pandering, if you don't they complain you're not listening.

[viper213 224]

personaly i dont like the futuristic games they are doing but i can see why people like em they just aint for me. over and over again they use the same scenes from previous games such as death animations ect ect. the parts that annoy me most is the fact that the games now have essentially micro transactions (i call this the EA effect) and the fact that you must buy the 80 pound game to get cod 4 is just scummy i want cod 4 remaster seperate i dont want to buy a game i know i wont play so i wont be buying the infinite warfare its 80 quid less for activision. sorry for the rant its been kinda overdue *drinks down 3 bottles of cider*

[SRN 146]

I just saw the trailer... the heck is this?!

 

Looks like Starwars. ^^

 

Man they're trying to milk this franchise as much as possible. Didn't they release a new CoD like 5 months ago?

[viper213 224]

I just saw the trailer... the heck is this?!

 

Looks like Starwars. ^^

 

Man they're trying to milk this franchise as much as possible. Didn't they release a new CoD like 5 months ago?

 

heh call of halo. no no wait wait call of duty the awakening no no no you cant stop me *gets dragged of stage*

[SRN 146]

@@viper213, Who needs a bayonet when you can put a friggin lightsaber on your weapon?!  

[viper213 224]

@SOM3D4Y hahahaha yeah massive mechs too call of the decepticons I cant stop wait no don't drag me away

Edited May 8, 2016 by viper213

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,594]

See, here is a huge, huge problem with the PR response, which to me that response was only damage control: He mentions NOTHING about the biggest concern many are having; The fact that Modern Warfare Remastered is locked behind an $80 paywall and you HAVE to buy IW just to get it. He basically says 'we are giving both groups what they want!' yet they are not allowing either group to pick just one, they have to buy BOTH, or at least, the group that wants Modern Warfare and not Infinite Warfare, they HAVE to buy both. So he essentially threw probably the biggest issue under the rug.

 

Many people are pissed because of this issue, not just IW looking to be another generic COD title.

[Scrubbed user 3,416]

"and the number of likes per view on the Infinite Warfare reveal trailer are also the highest we’ve ever seen."

 

I would like to point out that as of this post, of 13,659,233 views, 254,651 are likes and 1,121,577 are dislikes. For Black Ops 3, last years CoD which was also set in the future, out of 22,787,648 views, 397,215 likes, and 80,477 dislikes. If we go back to Advanced Warfare, which again, is set in the future, it has 30,829,496 views. 223,129 likes and 51,620 dislikes.

 

I wouldn't want any of whatever it is they are smoking.

[Guest]

"and the number of likes per view on the Infinite Warfare reveal trailer are also the highest we’ve ever seen."

 

I would like to point out that as of this post, of 13,659,233 views, 254,651 are likes and 1,121,577 are dislikes. For Black Ops 3, last years CoD which was also set in the future, out of 22,787,648 views, 397,215 likes, and 80,477 dislikes. If we go back to Advanced Warfare, which again, is set in the future, it has 30,829,496 views. 223,129 likes and 51,620 dislikes.

 

I wouldn't want any of whatever it is they are smoking.

 

Chances are they mean over the time period. Remember those other trailers have been there for months/years. They more than likely means views for a reveal.

 

 

See, here is a huge, huge problem with the PR response, which to me that response was only damage control: He mentions NOTHING about the biggest concern many are having; The fact that Modern Warfare Remastered is locked behind an $80 paywall and you HAVE to buy IW just to get it. He basically says 'we are giving both groups what they want!' yet they are not allowing either group to pick just one, they have to buy BOTH, or at least, the group that wants Modern Warfare and not Infinite Warfare, they HAVE to buy both. So he essentially threw probably the biggest issue under the rug.

 

Many people are pissed because of this issue, not just IW looking to be another generic COD title.

 

It is the elephant in the middle of the room, I mean I understand WHY they did it, but I don't agree with it. Fear that IW wouldn't sell, this was insurance.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

I'd like to point out how this bares a striking resemblance to the whole Google+ integration with Youtube that happened awhile back.

 

Just like this, they wanted to bundle an undesirable product with a desirable product to boost the sales of the undesirable product. If you paid attention to the Google+ fiasco, it didn't go well. People feel REALLY resentful when they are forced to get something they don't want just to get at something they do want. 

 

As for the game itself; I'll be honest, all these first person shooters look the same to me. They are just a bland homogeneous mass to me and I never really saw the appeal. That being said, I do understand where people are coming from when what they want is being held at ransom in order to practically force their hand to buy a product they don't want. That's not a classy move by any degree. 

[Guest]

I'd like to point out how this bares a striking resemblance to the whole Google+ integration with Youtube that happened awhile back.

 

Just like this, they wanted to bundle an undesirable product with a desirable product to boost the sales of the undesirable product. If you paid attention to the Google+ fiasco, it didn't go well. People feel REALLY resentful when they are forced to get something they don't want just to get at something they do want. 

 

As for the game itself; I'll be honest, all these first person shooters look the same to me. They are just a bland homogeneous mass to me and I never really saw the appeal. That being said, I do understand where people are coming from when what they want is being held at ransom in order to practically force their hand to buy a product they don't want. That's not a classy move by any degree. 

 

I have friends who are going to get the game, download the Modern Warfare Remaster and trade in the game to get back a good $40.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

I have friends who are going to get the game, download the Modern Warfare Remaster and trade in the game to get back a good $40.

watch them make the game not work unless you have the other game with you or something. They seem like someone who'd do that. 

[Guest]

watch them make the game not work unless you have the other game with you or something. They seem like someone who'd do that. 

From my understanding the game will come  with a code to download MW Remastered. But if Activision plays some dirty trick like needing the Infinite Warfare disk to play it... Well let's just say it won't be nice.

 

Also I am sure many others have this same mentality. The amount of pre-owned copies flooding stores will be insane, making the game virtually worthless to trade in. The other issue is well... PC gamers... Sorry guys, you literally will have no choice but to pay the $80. If you return the game through steam, they are going to want Modern Warfare Remastered back too because they don't really have a set price for it, so how would they refund it? To my knowledge Steam doesn't do partial refunds and since there is no official set price for MW Remastered, Steam can't just "decide" a price and let you keep it.

 

And if you buy the game as a physical copy for the PC you can't return it anywhere once the code is used anyways.

 

Ah one of the flaws of PC gaming.

 

Seems like PC players will be screwed the most.

[Limeblossom 482]

And if you buy the game as a physical copy for the PC you can't return it anywhere once the code is used anyways.

 

Ah one of the flaws of PC gaming.

 

Seems like PC players will be screwed the most.

One of the reasons why I don't buy physical copies for PC games anymore.

 

And also the triple-A's obsession with Internet connection. Like the free day one DLC maps for Battlefield 1. It's kinda neat they made it free, but it should've been included in the game from the start .

[Guest]

One of the reasons why I don't buy physical copies for PC games anymore.

 

And also the triple-A's obsession with Internet connection. Like the free day one DLC maps for Battlefield 1. It's kinda neat they made it free, but it should've been included in the game from the start .

You'll run into the same problem if you get the digital one too.

[Limeblossom 482]

You'll run into the same problem if you get the digital one too.

Inevitable, right?

 

It's just that I've always used to the old ways of PC gaming; buying, installing and playing without Internet connection and other current gen stuff. Lived under a rock when it comes to PC gaming.

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,985]

It may also be worth mentioning that Activision complimented DICE for the BF1 trailer after DICE insulted CODIW's trailer, making DICE look even more in the wrong.

 

People who play video games can never be satisfied.  If the developers make the next iteration of the franchise too similar to the last one, they get criticised for cashing in instead of innovating, if they try to innovate and make it too different from the last one, they get criticised for not respecting the roots of the franchise.

 

I'm not saying they should totally ignore their fans, but they shouldn't take what they say too seriously because if they try to please everyone, then they end up pleasing no one at all.  They should just make the games they want to make, and let the sales figures be the judge.

That's something I noticed. Because I remember many complaining about MW3 being too similar to previous COD games, and by the time of BO2, people were complaining that it "didn't feel the same anymore". If you try to take into account criticism of the game from as many people as possible, many of those criticisms will contradict with one another.

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

watch them make the game not work unless you have the other game with you or something. They seem like someone who'd do that. 

 

I'd just like to point out that the hardened edition of Modern Warfare 2 came packaged with a remaster of Call of Duty 1. You could download it once, and play it without the disc forever.

 

 

 

And also the triple-A's obsession with Internet connection. Like the free day one DLC maps for Battlefield 1. It's kinda neat they made it free, but it should've been included in the game from the start

 

Well... It is a multiplayer map pack. If you ever planned to use those maps, you had to log in anyway.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

 

 

I'd just like to point out that the hardened edition of Modern Warfare 2 came packaged with a remaster of Call of Duty 1. You could download it once, and play it without the disc forever.

 

I'm assuming that bundle didn't have nearly the backlash this did though. I'm just saying if they are going for damage control they might pull something like that.