Do gamers have a misplaced sense of entitlement? It’s an accusation that has become quite fashionable in recent years, and one that’s quite often made by games journalists when defending a developer or publisher against what they see as unwarranted criticism from gamers.
That the people who review and write about video games feel the need to act as defenders of multibillion dollar corporations is probably worth an entire series of articles on its own, so let’s leave that aside for now and focus on the accusation itself.
The issue
Let’s take a look at the typical chain of events that lead to the latest article bemoaning gamers’ aforementioned sense of entitlement and to much clutching of pearls on social media about the uncouth behaviour of the masses.
It usually starts with the hyping of a new release by publishers, dutifully assisted by the games media. There will be preview articles, multiple features about its development, maybe some interviews with key people involved. Expectations are created – not ones that merely come out of the blue, but that are the result of the extensive coverage just mentioned.
Next, in our hypothetical series of events, said game is released. Reviews from professional critics may be rapturous, or enthusiastic but tempered by a mention of this or that missing feature. But soon the rumblings of discontent start bubbling to the surface. On social media, gamers start complaining that the game is missing features or options that were touted in the run-up to its release. They complain about a perceived lack of quality or failed execution in this or that area. It could be anything – graphics that have been downgraded from what was shown before release, multiplayer servers that can’t handle the surge of many people suddenly logging on, or delivering an experience that is simply not what most people expected or wanted.
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Read more:
How video games are reshaping the entertainment world
Destiny 2: Forsaken and a new Call of Duty mode: do they live up to the hype?
Playstation Classic: Sony brings out mini version of original console
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If you visit a website that contrasts professional review scores with those provided by gamers, you’ll notice that professional reviews may hover somewhere around a 9/10, while the user reviews average closer to 5/10 and below. There may even be a bunch of 0/10s, complete with assessments not fit for print.
By this time the think pieces are coming thick and fast, bemoaning the terrible sense of entitlement of gamers and wondering why they are not more grateful for the hard work that developers put into the game.
Before we go on, one thing has to be said: the internet, and social media in particular, can be an ugly place. There is no doubt gamers express their unhappiness in completely unacceptable ways, but this is no different from any other topic of discussion on social media – just go browse some posts about Donald Trump or Brexit, if you need a reminder.
But remember, the criticism being levelled at gamers is not a lack of social media decorum, as such, but rather that they suffer from a sense of entitlement. They wrongly think – so the accusation goes – that developers owe them something. This, we are told, is wrong, and probably the result of too much time spent in mum’s basement (games journalism is one of the few genres where you can repeatedly get away with insulting your target audience).
Out-of-line entitlement?
The latest example comes in the form of some games journalists' reaction to the scathing response from gamers to Blizzard's announcement of the next release in the long-running Diablo franchise: Diablo Immortal. The source of gamers' unhappiness? Diablo Immortal is a mobile game, and you will have to scour the planet for many months before you'll be able to find one Diablo fan who wants a mobile Diablo game.
An expansion to Diablo III? That would have gone down well. A mention that Diablo IV is in the works? Even more so. But a Diablo game on your phone? It's like going to a Ferrari reveal event and watching as the covers are taken off of a Ferrari-branded vacuum cleaner. Who asked for that?
At the Blizzard event, an audience member summed up the feelings of many when he asked if this was “an out-of-season April Fool’s joke” (he has since, bizarrely, been accused of bullying the developers by asking this question).
Mashable.com's Kellen Beck referred to those who complained about Diablo Immortal as "entitled crybabies". "Grow up," he wrote. "You are entitled to nothing. Game companies owe you nothing."
Other commentators chimed in to say that instead of complaining, gamers should be thankful that there are people out there working very, very hard to produce games for our entertainment.
The bottom line
But that is missing the point entirely. Being disappointed in a product is not the result of a sense of entitlement. Games are products, just like any other. Yes, we can appreciate the work that goes into making them, but companies aren’t making these games out of the goodness of their hearts – they’re making them to make money. They are putting them out there into the market to meet a perceived demand.
If someone reviews a local restaurant poorly, would anyone retort that you can’t criticise the food, because the cooks worked hard to prepare it?
Do game developers owe gamers anything? Yes, and no. They very much owe paying customers what they promised them. But are they obliged to create the sort of experiences gamers want? Of course not. And if they do not, then in the long run they will simply fade into obscurity.
Developers, then, should appreciate the negative feedback they get in the aftermath of events such as the Diablo Immortal reveal. It shows that fans are passionate enough about your product to let you know you're going down the wrong track.
They want to give you their money. But, if you insist on creating something nobody wants, then they’ll simply walk away. You won’t have to worry about being insulted on social media because your game will simply never trend.
Wanting a product that meets your demands and the expectations set by previous versions is not a case of being entitled. It’s simply human. And listening to those demands is just plain, good business. As for those who find this state of affairs problematic – we’ll leave it to someone else to figure out what that is.
South and West: From a Notebook
Joan Didion
Fourth Estate
Champion%20v%20Champion%20(PFL%20v%20Bellator)
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Section 375
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat
Director: Ajay Bahl
Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL
Rating: 3.5/5
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.
HWJN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Yasir%20Alyasiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Baraa%20Alem%2C%20Nour%20Alkhadra%2C%20Alanoud%20Saud%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2-litre%204-cylinder%20petrol%20(V%20Class)%3B%20electric%20motor%20with%2060kW%20or%2090kW%20powerpack%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20233hp%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20204hp%20(EQV%2C%20best%20option)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20350Nm%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20TBA%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMid-2024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBA%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
2pm: Handicap Dh 90,000 1,800m; Winner: Majestic Thunder, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.30pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,950m; Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m; Winner: Native Appeal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Classic Conditions Dh300,000 1,400m; Winner: Thegreatcollection, Adrie de Vries, Doug Watson.
4pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Oktalgano, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.30pm: Conditions Dh250,000 1,400m; Winner: Madame Ellingtina, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Mystery Land, Fabrice Veron, Helal Al Alawi.
5.30pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,000m; Winner: Shanaghai City, Jesus Rosales, Rashed Bouresly.
Lowest Test scores
26 - New Zealand v England at Auckland, March 1955
30 - South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, Feb 1896
30 - South Africa v England at Birmingham, June 1924
35 - South Africa v England at Cape Town, April 1899
36 - South Africa v Australia at Melbourne, Feb. 1932
36 - Australia v England at Birmingham, May 1902
36 - India v Australia at Adelaide, Dec. 2020
38 - Ireland v England at Lord's, July 2019
42 - New Zealand v Australia in Wellington, March 1946
42 - Australia v England in Sydney, Feb. 1888
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Supercharged%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20400hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20430Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh450%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WITHIN%20SAND
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2)
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SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Sri Lanka World Cup squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal.