Crossing the Line of Brand Loyalty - Editorial

[InstaTrent]

All of us have a place in our hearts for at least one franchise or developer, but how much love is too much? Is your brand loyalty doing a disservice to the video gaming community and industry?

http://www.rpgamer.com/editor/2012/092612ts.html

[Quin]

Gamers love discussion, but who enjoys talking to a fanboy? I can't tell you how many conversations about the consistency of the Final Fantasy series, tri-Ace's viability as a developer, and XSEED's publishing habits that I've deliberately avoided due to partisan fanboys frothing at the mouth whenever a less-than-favorable comment regarding their favorite brand was made. Such behaviour is counterproductive to legitimate dialogue (as Adriaan den Ouden can attest).

Where you find Fan Dumb, you find Hate Dumb.

Wearing blinders when it comes to your favorite brands and franchises not only makes you seem like a narrow minded conversation killer, but also forces others to endure games that capitalize off your audience and therein may potentially hurt their experience. Supporting your favorite franchise or brand is a great thing, but not when doing so means spending your money on something that isn't actually worth it — especially when that action is followed up by twenty forum posts about how everyone's opinion is wrong except your own.

I have a pretty big problem with this. To me, this says "If you buy X, <Developer> will make X2, but I want Y & Y2!" with a dose of dictating people's opinions to them. Care to elaborate further?

[DarkRPGMaster]

I've seen this cult-level brand loyalty, and it's nothing short of ridiculous IMO. The best way I work it is just buying the game I want after it drops in price if I'm not too sure about it, that way I don't waste money on a game I don't like.

[flamethrower]

Over at TVtropes, they call it "fan dumb" or "fanboy."

[TG Barighm]

It's unfortunate there are idiot fanboys out there that make fan loyalty seem like a bad thing. It's a simple thing really. I can count on Final Fantasy to deliver an excellent and engrossing RPG experience (once upon a time). I can count on Halo to give me top-notch multiplayer and some subtle story exposition to think on. I can count on some other franchises for other things. When those things change...well, I can't count on that franchise anymore and that's too bad and a little disheartening, but hey, it's not like I don't keep an eye out for new titles. I can be a little sore about it, and I may say a little something to the dev, but anything after that is unnecessary. Certainly not like what the ME3 fan trash did over that stupid ending.

[Strawberry Eggs]

Yeah, fandumbism can be irritating, but it can be amusing in small amounts. While there are certain franchises and developers/publishers that I follow, I can recognize when a title just isn't that good. And heck, if someone dislikes what I like, I say live and let live. I don't understand why some people let it really get to them.

[LOLOttertard]

I've come to learn that liking something and being a fan of something are not the same thing. "Fan" is short for "fanatic," and I think that word accurately describes the constant complainers, akin to political or religious fanatics.

[MasterChief]

Unfortunately, anything with a possible choice will end up with people who are fanatical in their devotion to their choice, be it gaming, sports, politics or anything else. Fan Dumb/Hate Dumb are interesting things, and quite frankly, they're older than the internet, probably older than the Bible. Humans are, unfortunately, tribal creatures, and for many, fandoms are a modern stand-in for tribes.

[The Last Paladin]

Great article and I really, REALLy agree with the point on how these fanatics (not fans) can really make games worst. I like square-Enix but I also expect a certain amount of quality from them because I know what the company is capable of doing. When they don't meet that standard, I won't continue to praise them as if all is fine, I let them know that I expect better of them. Not all games are going to be gems of course, and my taste varies from someone else's, but the consensus is that the game company isn't producing as well as we believe they can produce for whatever reason.

I remember people defending FFXIV heavily before the "remake" regardless of what the majority of the gamesites and fans were saying how bad the game was. They were simply defending the game because it had a "Final Fantasy" name in the title. If that game went by any other name and was made by any other company but with the exact gaming features, those same people would not be so quick to defend the game.

So yeah, fanaticism in gaming is becoming a huge problem because we need to let these guys we love know when they're not delivering. At the end of the day, they are in the gaming industry to make money, we are there to consume their product, that is really as far as it should go in a gamer/game company relationship. Anything else is a bit....well, creepy.

[omegabyte]

Unfortunately, anything with a possible choice will end up with people who are fanatical in their devotion to their choice, be it gaming, sports, politics or anything else. Fan Dumb/Hate Dumb are interesting things, and quite frankly, they're older than the internet, probably older than the Bible. Humans are, unfortunately, tribal creatures, and for many, fandoms are a modern stand-in for tribes.

Ok, that would make an absolutely amazing tongue-in-cheek dystopian novella. I so want to write that now.

[Jitawa]

I find age has tempered most of my more fanatic notions. It's a pretty short list of publishers/developers I still look out for by reputation. I like Atlus, for example, but my affection for the company didn't make me want to buy a fighting game (Persona Arena) even for a franchise I'm really into. There was a time when a company like Square could do no wrong with me, but it twas a different era.