DISCLAIMER:
This is not a thread about any specific game, please, you can take your talk elsewhere if it is about a single game. Also, please refrain from any inflamitory, console wars post. This thread is to explain and have a discussion on why it exists, the problems presented with it, and how companies themselves have made the culture of port begging pliable.
**PLEASE READ THE OP BEFORE POSTING**
So, here we are Era. The Switch is not only a success, it is one of the fastest selling consoles ever created, with a wealth of great games to play. However, there has been an increasing amount of vitriol between Switch owners and other console owners. Mostly, the qualms come through "Port Begging". Switch owners are really starting to get tired of feeling left out with specific games, and feel there are many games that are suited for the system. Other console owners are really tired of Switch owners coming into game threads wishing for Switch port. Now, both sides, are not really right here. There are times where fans have attacked each other on such matters. However, this thread is to perhaps try to explain why Nintendo fans are "entitled", why port begging is way more prevalent in todays market, the concept of "leaving money on the table", and Port Begging culture on Era.
The Entitlement Complex One Test at a Time:
One of the biggest complaints I see against Nintendo Switch users, is how "entitled they are". They expect that nearly every game could come to their system, but do you really blame them?
Let's freeze frame, and go back into a darker time, the Wii U era. In the death of third party games after the first year, Nintendo had pretty much nothing to keep them afloat. The ports that Nintendo fans got were way more expensive, had no extra features, and in general, didn't sell welll. Of which, third party support ended abruptly, causing some huge game droughts. Now, what did publishers say towards this. They merely said that the games did not sell well, and the games never came back again. These late ports of Wii U games were merely tests, and Wii U owners failed the "test".
Now, lets go back to the launch of the Switch. The thing was already sold out everywhere. However, publishers were, well. Still looking to a quick buck. So they said in various financial reports that underutilized ports with barely any work done on them, were tests to see "what kind of market the Nintendo Switch holds". This basically was a threat of, "If you don't buy X game, you will not see any other game". Some notable examples of this are from Capcom, both with Ultra Street Fighter 2, and Monster Hunter XX Switch Version(Japan Only). Bandai Nampo was also seen doing this with Dragonball Xenoverse 2, as well. Seeing this, Switch owners opened up their wallets and shelled out premium prices for games they can find cheaper elsewhere. Lo and behold, these games were "Smash hits", meaning Switch owners passed the "test". Only for publishers to still be sheepish regarding the Switch. Game development takes time and money, that much is clear. So it may perhaps be a while until "full support comes". But let me question you this: If you were a user who payed a premium price for a game on your console for the reasoning of wanting more games in the future, having the game sell well, only to not get the support you were expecting. How would you feel about that?
Switch owners act entitled.... Because they feel they are. They went through multiple "tests" from multiple different publishers, only to not get what they actually wanted. Now, its to say, that it isn't all bleak. Switch has gotten really good support from numerous companies, where they openly communicated where their support is for the Switch. Bethesda, Sega, Square Enix, in general, have had open communication with how they feel about the Switch. This is the reason why Switch owners are not busting down the doors of Square Enix, demanding game after the game. They also are not attacking the publisher either, because of the clear communication and acts of support. They will state their wish for what they want, and these publishers will say, "Perhaps Later", or "We are certainly looking into it". Now, it is not good at all to attack any sort of developer(or any person in general). However, the ambiguity is the thing that frustrated people. Publishers such as Capcom, never really state where they are in this cancel, so they use these ambitious "tests" just to generate advertising to sell cheap games in premium prices. Which will continue running a theme.
The Port Beg. Why Now?:
So, this really begs the question.
Why is port begging so much more prevalent on the Switch, more so than any other console seen to date? This really comes into two camps of reasoning. First, portability. The Switch has found itself in a peculiar position, in that it actually grants users more times to play games. They are able to play games on the go, giving them more time to play these games. If I had a dollar every time anyone said, "Oh man, I wish I could take X game on the go", I would probably be able to buy a luxury island. It is true, gamers have more time to game on the go. The Switch's snappy interface means that people can jump straight into a game, put it down, play it on the TV right when they get home. This is why software sales have been booming for the Switch, simply because gamers have more time to play and finish games.
The other camp is:
Again. Publishers. There have been a lot of times that publishers have stated, either through PR or Twitter. "If we see enough demand for X game, we will make a Switch port". This has encouraged Nintendo Switch owners to be extremely vocal about what games they want to see on the system, because they need to "prove" that there is a demand for a certain Switch port. This is why you have countless Twitter, YouTube, and Era posts stating "Oh I so wish this was on the Switch". Publishers have actively encouraged this type of talk, because it is free advertising. Even making a statement of "X game is not coming to Switch", provides advertising to the game, because these statements make their rounds within the media. While it may not be good news, it certainly provides more visibility for the game. Publishers are using the popularity of the Switch on social media, to their advantage. You even have celebrities(who are not being paid), asking for ports of their favorite games on the Switch. That is really nice advertising in itself, which is why this Port Begging will continue to be encouraged.
Leaving Money on the Table:
A lot of Switch owners say this, but what does this term mean, and it it actually right?
Companies, have a fiscal responsibility to their shareholders, their employees, and to themselves, in order to make as much money as possible. It is simply economics 101. You want to make as much money as possible, so you make decisions that are best to the company.
So, if you have games coming to other consoles, but not the Switch, the question is, is it fiscally responsible to leave the Switch out? Well, that completely depends.
So far, Switch games have sold really well, far more than they should of. It has cases of being the highest selling version of multi platform games(especially Indies), and has cultivated a gameplay focused hardcore audience. To the blind eye, where someone is not aware of development. It is easy to see, "Oh wow, all of these games are doing well, so X game will sell very well". Of which, that user is somewhat half right. It is very clear to see how, even if a port sells particularly well, it may not be worth it. There could be problems getting a game to run, it could lead to a negative impression of a series, it may not sell well. Yes, there are a lot of times where it is very clear that putting a game on Switch could make it sell more. However, especially with independent developers, that may mean a delay to their PS4 and XBO versions that they might not be able to afford. Delaying a game for a platform in lieu of 2 other platforms that have been working on for 1-3 years could be devasting, especially indie developers who are tight for cash.
So yes, perhaps a game might sell more for the Switch, but it may be extremely destructive to developers to use resources and make the port. At least in my opinion, the saying "Leaving money on the table" is not a good one. And that should not be our responsibility as gamers to carry out opinions in this way. Leave that for shareholders and developers.
PORTable Era, the Port Begging Culture of Era:
The ports never stop coming, and the arguing never ceases. Both sides of this fence, those who port beg, and those who hate port begging, have got out of hand. Port Begging is actually not allowed through Eras own rules, with their statement being that it would be best to contact developers directly. The rules have gotten a bit lax, as so much of gaming jouralism and financial briefings have been talking about Era's favorite portable console. Publishers are talking about the Switch, we are talking about the Switch, Media is talking about the Switch. It is just a never ending cycle of wanting games on this thing, don't you think?
Now, port begging on OT threads, and discussions about the game is totally not cool. Switch fans, imagine Sony fans going into Bayonetta 2 threads and clogging it up with "Why isn't this on PS4". This has happened before, and it is not cool nor prohibitive to discussion either way.
At the end of the day though, we all want to play our favorite games on our preferred console do we not? It is reasonable in my opinion to put in an opinion of what console people want a game on, so long as it is in a proper, isolated thread. So, for those of you who are absolutely sick of port begging, perhaps think about what you would do if your next anticipated game isn't coming to your preferred platform. Some people simply don't have the time, nor the money to own a PS4 Pro, a godly PC(especially with this market), Switch, and Xbox One X. And that is okay, because in the end we are still fans of video games. We should all remember that.
Now Switch Owners. Please, attacking other users and developers because a game isn't coming to a system is tactless, and makes you be quite the jerk. It is possible to want a game on a console, and publishers have actually conditioned the Switch fan base to do this. Ports simply won't happen without being vocal about it. Whether on here, or Twitter, or other social media, please be respectful. When a developer gives a firm "no" as well to a game. Leave it at that. If they do not want to support your console, just move on. By keeping up harrasment after a firm no, you are actually giving developers free marketing for the game which you cannot buy on your system. Move your talents of typing and wanting a game, and simply go for another game. Sometimes it just isn't possible to port a game, so move your interest to games that are coming to switch. Support the developers that are supporting the Switch, and give them more visibility. It will make for a healthier market, and actually will do a lot more to nudge more support for the Switch.
Conclusion:
So, with all that said. I want to open discussion to all of you. There have been wrongs on both sides, that I have wanted to clear up for a while. There has been a lot of vitriol between both sides, so I wanted to bring up some points as to why things are the way they are. Do you agree with these things? I think we can have a great conversation on communication between developers and fans, as that seems to be the main source of all of this craziness. So, I open the floor to all of you! Keep it civil, keep it safe. Don't be console warriors, and keep an open mind on both sides.
I think it is very important to have this discussion as the schism between console users and Switch users have been growing rapidly. There has been a lot of things wrong with how the Switch is treated, but it is important to see why users port beg. It is also equally important to support the developers who are all in on the Switch, and to take "no" for an answer. So, Era, the floor is up to you and discussion is now open.
This is not a thread about any specific game, please, you can take your talk elsewhere if it is about a single game. Also, please refrain from any inflamitory, console wars post. This thread is to explain and have a discussion on why it exists, the problems presented with it, and how companies themselves have made the culture of port begging pliable.
**PLEASE READ THE OP BEFORE POSTING**
So, here we are Era. The Switch is not only a success, it is one of the fastest selling consoles ever created, with a wealth of great games to play. However, there has been an increasing amount of vitriol between Switch owners and other console owners. Mostly, the qualms come through "Port Begging". Switch owners are really starting to get tired of feeling left out with specific games, and feel there are many games that are suited for the system. Other console owners are really tired of Switch owners coming into game threads wishing for Switch port. Now, both sides, are not really right here. There are times where fans have attacked each other on such matters. However, this thread is to perhaps try to explain why Nintendo fans are "entitled", why port begging is way more prevalent in todays market, the concept of "leaving money on the table", and Port Begging culture on Era.
The Entitlement Complex One Test at a Time:
One of the biggest complaints I see against Nintendo Switch users, is how "entitled they are". They expect that nearly every game could come to their system, but do you really blame them?
Let's freeze frame, and go back into a darker time, the Wii U era. In the death of third party games after the first year, Nintendo had pretty much nothing to keep them afloat. The ports that Nintendo fans got were way more expensive, had no extra features, and in general, didn't sell welll. Of which, third party support ended abruptly, causing some huge game droughts. Now, what did publishers say towards this. They merely said that the games did not sell well, and the games never came back again. These late ports of Wii U games were merely tests, and Wii U owners failed the "test".
Now, lets go back to the launch of the Switch. The thing was already sold out everywhere. However, publishers were, well. Still looking to a quick buck. So they said in various financial reports that underutilized ports with barely any work done on them, were tests to see "what kind of market the Nintendo Switch holds". This basically was a threat of, "If you don't buy X game, you will not see any other game". Some notable examples of this are from Capcom, both with Ultra Street Fighter 2, and Monster Hunter XX Switch Version(Japan Only). Bandai Nampo was also seen doing this with Dragonball Xenoverse 2, as well. Seeing this, Switch owners opened up their wallets and shelled out premium prices for games they can find cheaper elsewhere. Lo and behold, these games were "Smash hits", meaning Switch owners passed the "test". Only for publishers to still be sheepish regarding the Switch. Game development takes time and money, that much is clear. So it may perhaps be a while until "full support comes". But let me question you this: If you were a user who payed a premium price for a game on your console for the reasoning of wanting more games in the future, having the game sell well, only to not get the support you were expecting. How would you feel about that?
Switch owners act entitled.... Because they feel they are. They went through multiple "tests" from multiple different publishers, only to not get what they actually wanted. Now, its to say, that it isn't all bleak. Switch has gotten really good support from numerous companies, where they openly communicated where their support is for the Switch. Bethesda, Sega, Square Enix, in general, have had open communication with how they feel about the Switch. This is the reason why Switch owners are not busting down the doors of Square Enix, demanding game after the game. They also are not attacking the publisher either, because of the clear communication and acts of support. They will state their wish for what they want, and these publishers will say, "Perhaps Later", or "We are certainly looking into it". Now, it is not good at all to attack any sort of developer(or any person in general). However, the ambiguity is the thing that frustrated people. Publishers such as Capcom, never really state where they are in this cancel, so they use these ambitious "tests" just to generate advertising to sell cheap games in premium prices. Which will continue running a theme.
The Port Beg. Why Now?:
So, this really begs the question.
Why is port begging so much more prevalent on the Switch, more so than any other console seen to date? This really comes into two camps of reasoning. First, portability. The Switch has found itself in a peculiar position, in that it actually grants users more times to play games. They are able to play games on the go, giving them more time to play these games. If I had a dollar every time anyone said, "Oh man, I wish I could take X game on the go", I would probably be able to buy a luxury island. It is true, gamers have more time to game on the go. The Switch's snappy interface means that people can jump straight into a game, put it down, play it on the TV right when they get home. This is why software sales have been booming for the Switch, simply because gamers have more time to play and finish games.
The other camp is:
Again. Publishers. There have been a lot of times that publishers have stated, either through PR or Twitter. "If we see enough demand for X game, we will make a Switch port". This has encouraged Nintendo Switch owners to be extremely vocal about what games they want to see on the system, because they need to "prove" that there is a demand for a certain Switch port. This is why you have countless Twitter, YouTube, and Era posts stating "Oh I so wish this was on the Switch". Publishers have actively encouraged this type of talk, because it is free advertising. Even making a statement of "X game is not coming to Switch", provides advertising to the game, because these statements make their rounds within the media. While it may not be good news, it certainly provides more visibility for the game. Publishers are using the popularity of the Switch on social media, to their advantage. You even have celebrities(who are not being paid), asking for ports of their favorite games on the Switch. That is really nice advertising in itself, which is why this Port Begging will continue to be encouraged.
Leaving Money on the Table:
A lot of Switch owners say this, but what does this term mean, and it it actually right?
Companies, have a fiscal responsibility to their shareholders, their employees, and to themselves, in order to make as much money as possible. It is simply economics 101. You want to make as much money as possible, so you make decisions that are best to the company.
So, if you have games coming to other consoles, but not the Switch, the question is, is it fiscally responsible to leave the Switch out? Well, that completely depends.
So far, Switch games have sold really well, far more than they should of. It has cases of being the highest selling version of multi platform games(especially Indies), and has cultivated a gameplay focused hardcore audience. To the blind eye, where someone is not aware of development. It is easy to see, "Oh wow, all of these games are doing well, so X game will sell very well". Of which, that user is somewhat half right. It is very clear to see how, even if a port sells particularly well, it may not be worth it. There could be problems getting a game to run, it could lead to a negative impression of a series, it may not sell well. Yes, there are a lot of times where it is very clear that putting a game on Switch could make it sell more. However, especially with independent developers, that may mean a delay to their PS4 and XBO versions that they might not be able to afford. Delaying a game for a platform in lieu of 2 other platforms that have been working on for 1-3 years could be devasting, especially indie developers who are tight for cash.
So yes, perhaps a game might sell more for the Switch, but it may be extremely destructive to developers to use resources and make the port. At least in my opinion, the saying "Leaving money on the table" is not a good one. And that should not be our responsibility as gamers to carry out opinions in this way. Leave that for shareholders and developers.
PORTable Era, the Port Begging Culture of Era:
The ports never stop coming, and the arguing never ceases. Both sides of this fence, those who port beg, and those who hate port begging, have got out of hand. Port Begging is actually not allowed through Eras own rules, with their statement being that it would be best to contact developers directly. The rules have gotten a bit lax, as so much of gaming jouralism and financial briefings have been talking about Era's favorite portable console. Publishers are talking about the Switch, we are talking about the Switch, Media is talking about the Switch. It is just a never ending cycle of wanting games on this thing, don't you think?
Now, port begging on OT threads, and discussions about the game is totally not cool. Switch fans, imagine Sony fans going into Bayonetta 2 threads and clogging it up with "Why isn't this on PS4". This has happened before, and it is not cool nor prohibitive to discussion either way.
At the end of the day though, we all want to play our favorite games on our preferred console do we not? It is reasonable in my opinion to put in an opinion of what console people want a game on, so long as it is in a proper, isolated thread. So, for those of you who are absolutely sick of port begging, perhaps think about what you would do if your next anticipated game isn't coming to your preferred platform. Some people simply don't have the time, nor the money to own a PS4 Pro, a godly PC(especially with this market), Switch, and Xbox One X. And that is okay, because in the end we are still fans of video games. We should all remember that.
Now Switch Owners. Please, attacking other users and developers because a game isn't coming to a system is tactless, and makes you be quite the jerk. It is possible to want a game on a console, and publishers have actually conditioned the Switch fan base to do this. Ports simply won't happen without being vocal about it. Whether on here, or Twitter, or other social media, please be respectful. When a developer gives a firm "no" as well to a game. Leave it at that. If they do not want to support your console, just move on. By keeping up harrasment after a firm no, you are actually giving developers free marketing for the game which you cannot buy on your system. Move your talents of typing and wanting a game, and simply go for another game. Sometimes it just isn't possible to port a game, so move your interest to games that are coming to switch. Support the developers that are supporting the Switch, and give them more visibility. It will make for a healthier market, and actually will do a lot more to nudge more support for the Switch.
Conclusion:
So, with all that said. I want to open discussion to all of you. There have been wrongs on both sides, that I have wanted to clear up for a while. There has been a lot of vitriol between both sides, so I wanted to bring up some points as to why things are the way they are. Do you agree with these things? I think we can have a great conversation on communication between developers and fans, as that seems to be the main source of all of this craziness. So, I open the floor to all of you! Keep it civil, keep it safe. Don't be console warriors, and keep an open mind on both sides.
I think it is very important to have this discussion as the schism between console users and Switch users have been growing rapidly. There has been a lot of things wrong with how the Switch is treated, but it is important to see why users port beg. It is also equally important to support the developers who are all in on the Switch, and to take "no" for an answer. So, Era, the floor is up to you and discussion is now open.
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