Keen: Vote with your wallet

[Morreion]

Vote with your wallet (Keen & Graev)

I suck at the whole voting with my wallet concept. It’s the idea that you show your opposition or inability to tolerate something about a game by abstaining from purchasing said game. The adage started becoming relevant to games, especially MMOs in this sphere, because of the fact that gamers (like me) tend to just buy everything new regardless of the games questionable development. A few weeks later we quit, probably have buyer’s remorse, then complain about the game until we repeat the process again.

I knew WildStar would tank. I pushed myself into it anyway. I knew ESO was going to be ‘meh’ but I pushed myself into it anyway. I do rationalize some of it by saying to myself, “Hey self, you can play and write about the game so it’s not a total loss.” It’s just an excuse.

...It’s the whole idea of missing out. I hate missing out on things, and sometimes I would rather grumble about $60 wasted than having not picked up the next best thing. A huge part of the problem is my inability to trust my instincts. I have amazing instincts — a golden gut — that tell me exactly how something will turn out. I need to learn to have confidence in those instincts and allow them to serve me well.

Yes, if we could all vote with our wallets maybe crap would stop making it to the shelves with AAA budgets. I do believe in and agree with the sentiment. If only it was easy.


Keen is honest in pointing out the problem, as well as the fact that he can't resist.

[Regolyth]

A huge part of the problem is my inability to trust my instincts. I have amazing instincts — a golden gut — that tell me exactly how something will turn out. I need to learn to have confidence in those instincts and allow them to serve me well.

This is my problem too. I think I have good instincts on this thing too, I just don't always listen to them. Recently I've been able to more than in the past, simply because I don't have the time or money anymore. I've probably got about 25 console games on my shelf I've purchase and not played. I've got about 50 in Steam that way. I even have one MMO, GW2, that I picked up and have only played one quest out of. It's getting ridiculous. I've only purchased two games in the past two years (Banished and Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm), one of which I have yet to play (SC2: HotS). I have been playing a bit of League of Legends, but it's free. Anyways, I'm getting off topic...

I completely understand this problem. I collect comic books. In doing so, I think that Marvel/DC charges an outrageous amount for their comics: $3.99. That's for a 32-page comic. I can buy a 120-page magazine with tons more content for that much. I can get a yearly subscription to them for $12.00 a year. I do realize that a comic has all original content, the story and art, but still. It's really steep. I can see an independent publisher charging this much because their costs are much higher. They aren't buying in bulk the way the big two are (the more you buy, the less it costs per page to print). I think one day, some big wig in charge at the big companies said "Hey, these little guys are getting a dollar more for their comics than we are. Let's raise our rates." And because OCD people like me don't want a gap in their Amazing Spider-Man run, we pick up the higher costing issues with sub-par story anyways.

People like Robert Kirkman speak out about this all the time - how we, the customers, need to vote with our wallets and stop buying these overpriced, under-produced comics until the big guys listen. But I don't know how to stop myself. It's a problem. Especially when you can't afford it.