Let me preface this blog saying that if you fit into the descriptions that I'm going to make in the blog, don't bother to comment because you're just wasting everyone's time. In fact, if you're one of those people that sees only what they want to see, then leave now. You won't enjoy the blog, no one will enjoy your comments, you'd be better served looking for something relevant to your tastes. Now that that's out of the way, let's begin.
So what's up with people either outright refusing to read, or seeing only what they want to see (regardless of its actual contextual presence) all over this site?
My last blog was about my opinion that I don't want games as art because it opens games up to the political agendas and social justice platforms that miss the point of what gaming was designed to do, and how it really does a disservice to gamers, game developers (who are constantly insulted for their design choices), and the industry at large.
Many people understood what I was trying to say. Many disagreed, which is fine, but they still understood. And then you had the people who completely missed the point entirely. People who made comments that either had nothing to do with what I was saying, but that they thought had some kind of connection (incredibly loose by the way) with the blog, or people saying some stuff that... well I'll forgo placing an adjective in the interest of not sounding insulting.
I'll give you an example of what I'm talking about. My blog was about games classed as an art form right? More than one person took the position that games are art because, and I'm simplifying the point to its base level here, you have to know how to draw to make games. Yep, that's right. Because some people take art classes which they use in developing games, games are immediately art.
Let me ask you all a question. Do you think that the mainstream media, or the entertainment world in general, classifies games as A)Computer entertainment, or B)An art form, and do you think that taking any art classes for game development is responsible for said classification?
Sound off about that in the comments as I move on to other examples.
Here's another example. The Playstation 4. There are people out there who continue to state, adamantly, that Sony removed Playstation 4 DRM at the last minute at E3 based on the negative reactions Microsoft received from gamers on their DRM.
This despite the fact that plenty of people have provided links to the contrary going back MONTHS before E3 2013. Those links don't matter, people will ignore them and continue saying Sony made a last minute decision like that.
Now, here's another question for you the reader, and please feel free to correct me about this if you think I'm mistaken. Isn't it not only a bad business decision, but also legally and logistically impossible to make that kind of massive decision at the very last minute based on nothing but twitter feedback, without the knowledge or consent of shareholders, and disregarding the possibly monumental cost involved in such a decision?
Please, continue to sound off about that as I once again move on to other examples.
The lack of desire, or the inability, to actually read and attempt to comprehend what has been written even goes so far as to be a problem with the articles on this site. Content contributors know that many here (and let's face it, all over the internet) have the attention span of a newt and will only read a title, MAYBE a description, for a story and base entire paragraphs of comments on that alone. This is why we see so many flamebait titles designed to spark controversy and misinformation. We've all seen it before, we've all made the "did no one actually read the article" comment.
Then there's reviews. I recently read Playstation Lifestyle's review of Final Fantasy XIII-3 in which the reviewer specifically states that he, prior to playing the game, was hyped up for it to release based on demos and trailers he was exposed to. When he played the game, he was very disappointed and gave it a low score. Rather than accepting that, people actually said "I think he went into the game expecting to hate it."
It was right in the review that he went into it hyped for this release yet because he gave the game a bad score, and because people didn't read the review, he was accused of going into the game hating it already.
Is it really so difficult to actually read what's being said? Is it so hard to comment based on the context of what is said and not what you want to be said or what you think is being said? I understand that the internet can be a difficult place to interpret nuance and emotion sometimes, but most of the time what is being said has a pretty clear intent behind it.
Maybe it's just the "instant gratification" phase people are always so fond of throwing out there as a reason for today's attention issues, maybe it's legitimate illiteracy, or maybe it's just trolling. I don't really have the answer to that. I really just wish people would stop having the mentality that shouts out "Screw you, this is the internet not school. I don't have to read anything."
Think of how much less confusion there would be if people took a few seconds to read something and actually catch that vital piece of context they were missing before. Wouldn't that make conversation so much easier even if it would still be console war bickering? I think so. What do you think?
Oh, and on an unrelated note to this blog, I have a suggestion for a few people. Certain individuals who know who they are love to wait until people, or possibly just me specifically, can no longer comment on something before they directly address them with their own comments. They do this in tandem with a PM block so that they can say their piece and have no reply from the person they are specifically talking to/about. You are free to judge me however you wish, I can't stop you from doing so, but it's my personal opinion that such a tactic is cowardly and reminiscent of a certain "Pop Culture Critic" who claims to be all for discussion yet prevents discussion every chance they get.
If you're going to target someone, whether it be myself or anyone else on the site, in your comments; at least be adult enough to allow for a reply if even only once. That's just my 2 cents on that.
Have a good day everyone, and I hope the irony of a blog like this isn't lost on those who actually did read through all of it and took the time to understand what's being said.
Microsoft announced its financial results for Q3 of fiscal year 2026, including an update on its gaming Xbox business and more.
Not looking good. Hopefully Asha Sharma is able to turn Phil’s disaster around.
To me it's still quite remarkable how they can cash-in 5.3bn in revenue in a single quarter, since their hardware is basically dead.
The stock mark is what makes Microsoft remarkable, They have convinced every institutional and retail investor to just keep piling money into them. Like many big tech giants they are just a big growing pyramid scheme. As long as people keep dropping money into ETF's that cover the market Microsoft will always be liquid. At the same time it is completely stifling innovation and competition. People need to start being more discreet in how they invest their money as it's killing the system.
Riiiiight because people will just flock back to them for one or two games per year.
15+ years of bad performance is what they call irreparable in business. It is time for them to sell off the assets and get out of entertainment.
These declines are on the back of extra revenue received from releasing games like Forza horizon 5 on PlayStation. So I’m being sarcastic here when I said they should go back to exclusives. Killing off a revenue stream from Ps5 sales will only make things worse
The charity event will be streamed live from Gamescom in August.
Thanks to the slip-up of an artist working on the title, we now have more evidence that a new Injustice game is in the works.
Well, I think you're dumb. BTW I only read the first sentence...
Truth be told, people see what they want to see. It's human nature and we do it all the time. Take the recent sales reports for X1 and PS4. Some point out that X1 sold more than PS4 in December. True, from a certain point of view. Others point out that 360 sold double what PS3 did in NA, so for PS4 to be neck-and-neck could be a sign of things to come. True, from a certain point of view. Others might point out that the first two months of sales really don't matter since these sales occurred during a holiday. Also true, from a certain point of view.
But then certain people come along and say "WHAT? Using facts to say something negative about the X1? WHAT? Using facts to express your opinion about the PS4's launch library?" and then a riot starts, simply because certain people get mad when facts are used to prove a point that they disagree with. The rational thing to do would be to bring up your own facts as a counter-point. This is a process known as "discussion". One user in particular, Septic, and I disagree with pretty much everything related to Xbox vs Playstation. And yet, he and I have completely civil discussions in the comment sections (well, I usually get a bit sarcastic, but that's not his fault).
But typically these certain other people don't actually have any facts, so they simply slander you.
I suppose one reason the 'games not art' notion you stand behind doesn't fit for me just comes back to the history of growing up and seeing the idea of games being considered art as something scoffed at back in the day while still being tied with political/religious agendas, all the way back to Mortal Kombat and violence or even...Pokemon and demonology (or something far out like that). I just don't see how that's the key to make all that hubbub you're annoyed with go away.
And, overall, the sphere of influence of determining games are just fun or saying "they're only games" seems to be one of the most damning things to do to the medium. As regurgitated earlier, the gamer side seems to want to avoid the responsibility of what it means to be a maturing medium. Even worse for the corporate side, it's in that excuse of just how afraid much of the industry seems to be to step outside the comfort zone and tackle deep, possibly controversial issues, like when Nintendo said Imagination Is The Only Escape was a no-go for them or Konami running for the hills when Six Days In Fallujah started getting flack. It's why the idea of exploring the deepest themes possible in video games and having the stance of them "just being games" seem to butt heads with each other.
Disclaimer: read the entire blog.
I have never eye rolled so much my entire adult life. What melodramatic self-soothing, self-assuring garbage. Wow!
I had to go and read your comments in your previous blogs, just to see if there was a pattern and there is. And how fitting that someone else whom I am discovering is no better than you at propagating his agenda is first comment.
Surely somebody has said this to you both at one point or another, but are you sure you aren't the same person? Or at least related? How 2 people can be so overly stuffed with self importance and be so transparent without being one and the same is giving me nausea and blowing my mind simultaneously.
Allow me to summarise your comments and the 2 blogs I've read from each of you: I love Sony and my thoughts and views are above reproach. The End.
Last straw this one. I'm off this site. How people here stomach all this is beyond me.
Where are you from? What country? (If the USA) what state?
I live in the Northeastern USA. When I google my city (population 144,000) and the word bookstore, I get 408 results. I regularly go to the local Barnes and Noble bookstore and it is constantly packed with people buying books.
If I google Laredo, TX (population 244,000) and the word bookstore, I get 21 results. A city of 100,000 more people has HUNDREDS of fewer bookstores.
I must also add that my county has an amazing library system. When you go to the libraries here (Including the 5 story one at the city center) you will find it packed.
Our inner city school system was named a "Pacemaker in Children's Literacy."
So, it might be a matter of relativity. Where you are may not be one of the most literate places. However, there are places where reading is important to the citzenry and reading is what that citizenry does.
EDIT: Great blog, BTW! I have never had a problem with the promotion of literacy!
i think that most games are def not art. However, i do think that a few games have achieved this status (at least for me).
Deus ex 1, God of war III, Last of us, Warcraft III.... I hold them as surpassing almost anything else out there. so for me they are kinda more than a game... like art.
but most games imo are not art at all. Copy and paste sequels, etc...