#gaslighting-gamers

I personally, am all for it. What we're dealing with right now, is akin to what would have happened with digital music (and mp3s) - save for/hadn't been for certain key individuals and judges that ensured music purchasing was its own form of ownership and therefore a right.

Instead of there being landmark cases (similar to the ones we saw with mp3s), video game publishers and console-makers - one after another - went the way of Adobe and SaaS software development firms: with the perpetual temporary/revokable ability to download/access the games using digital storefronts. The publishers continually make false claims that:

• Fans have been asking for this
• Fans' concerns over losing access to ownership of digital games and perpetual future access (via standalone discs) and ensuring video game preservation are "overblown"
• Some publishers/console-makers claim that moving to digital-only simplifies their processes and keeps costs down (and yet we actually see the opposite, with prices increasing - even amid these cuts)
• Is yet another example of how unchecked (unregulated) capitalism favors profits and businesses' rights over consumers' "rights"
• All decisions made have been unilateral. And from my memory, it began with Nitnendo's release of the Switch 2 console: which introduced physical game cards containing only the license key to download from the Nintendo e-Shop. Other console manufacturers followed suite; but since Nintendo uniquely uses cartridges: Microsoft and Sony are not providing BR-DVDs that contain license keys, alone; moreover, manufacturing costs on disc media is notoriously inexpensive, compared to ROM-based cartridges. Rather disingenuously, following fans' backlash to these moves and gaslighting of the corporate interests and removing perpetual licensee access (hence some level of ownership and ability to archive their game library and play it offline - or without storefront (when these storefronts often go offline and invariably sunsetted 7-10 years following the lifetime of a console): Nintendo claimed unlike Sony and Microsoft, they will keep producing the game cartridges in perpetuity. However, the problem and blatant lie/lack of truth behind this statement is of course obvious: first - they set this industry standard of moving away from physical media (and level of ownership); and second - none of the Switch 2 game cartridges contain the full-standalone game.
• These goals/approach/philosophies are bery much in line with what has been echoed by the top 1% of the top 1% for the past several years: "you will own nothing and be happy." Yet, the fans have a very different and opposite story to tell; and find it all the more troubling that with the difficulty (and ever-increasing cost) of living - they now find difficulty in enjoying the escape that video games has previously provided them - when lack of video game ownership/preservation - is an aspect that stares them straight in the face.
• We've seen similar unilateral moves and decision-making having been made the past several years in the lead up to this decision, with PSN Online and X-Box Season Passes (and now Nintendo Switch Online): with not only implementing multiple tiers and increasing cost (while decreasing value), but additionally - in some/many instances - essentially tying ability to play behind a perpetual monthly pay-wall. This is the classic "bait-and-switch tactic" (one I suspected that was coming for years): when subscribers were receiving easily over $200 of value for only $15-$20 per month. Of course the goal was to hook people onto their online platforms, for them to obtain widespread adoption, then to transition all games over to "subscription only" (and likely, eventually - "stream-only" play).

From my point of view, they are screwing their best clients and life-long fans and putting profits over fans (and consumers). It renders a bad taste not only in the mouth of gamers, but consumers alike. Everything is literally becoming a subscription; yet even some subscriptions - like Amazon Prime - have transitioned to monthly/yearly subscription, and have since then added advertisements on top of those immense costs (requiring additional fees to remove the subscriptions). These marketing practices are inherently exploitative in nature. Similarly, Duolingo used to have free and Duo Plus plans... only later to introduce Max plans (which when you combine with the lack of grandfathering early adopters into receiving the premium plans automatically, while supporting a freemium model - demonstrates little to no thanks - instead, only more and more entitlement).

As citizens and consumers, it's time we fight back against the lobbying and corporate interests. Behinds, the capitalistic model that operates out of regulation that forces laissez-faire/competitive economics (not the current version that ignores antitrust and monopolies): is only a market of exploitation. Besides, the corporate model cannot persists and remain sustainable/viable forever - when it requires the investors earn year-after-year, quarter-after-quarter: record-breaking profits, above all else. It has noticeably hurt the art form and gamers are some of the most unforgiving and the most exposing of such practices (just look at Robin' Hood and GameStop) - relentless: and I'm all for it. As Americans and consumers - we're the majority and we must hit them where it hurts the most - their pocket books. However, it likewise requires that we stand up, use our voice, and refuse their gaslighting and projection shenanigans and continually call them out on any/all abuses and boycott where necessary; this is beyond principal - it sends a message of influence and what kind of world we want to live in.

I will mention that I am extremely disappointed that the final installment to the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilology: Final Fantasy VII: Revelations, will - in fact - not be offered as a physical release; even though the digital-only policy was set to go into effect starting in 2028 for Sony's PS5. This was confirmed to be the case when Final Fantasy VII creator and veteran (been around since OG), Naoki Hamaguchi, tried personally appealing to Sony to ensure Revelation received a physical release - like its 2 (3 if counting Reunion) predecessor physical releases.

Lastly, I will mention that we were headed down this road of "watered down" game art and substandard triple A (AAA) release titles, when we saw what transpired in 2015 with the release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (TPP) - when game development took nearly a decade (for the art, for the fans) and as a result, Konami ousted their then Vice President, Hideo Kojima - because he refused to go the way of sub-standard game art and the push towards commoditization of micro-transactions via gatcha games. Following its release, later that year - not only was he fired, but when MGV: TPP won game of the year in 2015 - Konami forbid he be present at the 2015 Games Awards to accept the trophy prize; instead, voice actor Keifer Sudderland (who replaced the infamous/coveted David Hayter) who took on the role of Solid Snake, received the trophy in Hideo's place - in lieu of him being present. Instead of this spelling the end for Hideo Kojima, he later worked with Sony and the developers of Horizon Zero Dawn (adopting their game engine) for the purposes of producing Death Stranding. Of course, it seems obvious to say between both series' ability to foretell the future, that Hideo Kojima cared much about the art form of video game creation and certainly creating surprise, delight and occasionally rage (frustration) with fans - but all the same, it was art.