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The Jimquisition: Shut Up, Stop Thinking, And Play Games Guilt-Free!
- Thread starter fhqwhgads
- Start date
See you all in 20 minutes after we've had a chance to watch the full video before giving our opinions.
I thought that thread about slaves being used on console production lines might cause people to think twice before buying a next gen console this fall. It got to about 12 pages before it fizzled out and the mods unpinned it.
People are happy to fight the good fight when they don't have to sacrifice anything. So sad that the bridge too far is video games.
Is it? Generally speaking, boycotting of consumer goods on a large scale never happens. And we know a lot of them are mass produced in ethically dubious conditions. I'm starting to wonder if there are alternate methods of taking action because expecting consumers to...well, not consume, is not realistic for the most part.
Big ol' sarcasm. Threads for Jim's videos are filled with takes where it's obvious that the person didn't watch the video itself.
That'll make for a good showing.
I'd want Jim Sterling to stop talking about industry issues when there's a reason to stop talking about companies literally shitting the bed and smearing the feces on all of our collective faces.
I can't believe (well I can but still) that the latest Ubisoft onslaught of trailers could drown the fact that the company heads are literally condonning sexual harrasment.
I'd want Jim Sterling to stop talking about industry issues when there's a reason to stop talking about companies literally shitting the bed and smearing the feces on all of our collective faces.
I can't believe (well I can but still) that the latest Ubisoft onslaught of trailers could drown the fact that the company heads are literally condonning sexual harrasment.
It's not just video games. Mass consumerism as a whole is like this. For good or for bad, the changes here don't seem to be motivated from the consumer side of things.
Yup. This thread proves that some people are willing to dish out justice as long as it does not affect them.
I doubt change will ever come from consumers (until the atrocities and controversies actually starts affecting them and become too bad to ignore), and companies have money. Otherwise constant education and voting with your wallet is the best you can do at this time.
I lasted all of 10 mins trying to watch the show yesterday before giving up and just turning it off. I mean shitty industry doing shitty things is nothing new sadly but the sheer scale of the shit at Ubi makes it hard to have any positive thoughts while they try to put on a happy face and ignore everything. It just tainted the whole thing.
This is a sadly true for me as well. I can "boycott" Ubi games just like I do THQ games but truth be told I dont bother much with the stuff they put out anyway so its easy for me. If this was Fromsoft or Capcom idk if I'd be able to go on any type of boycott that doesn't end up with me eventually getting the game because I think I've punished them enough.
Presuming that your default state is "consumer" is part of the problem. That's a label put on you by companies. It isn't what you are. You don't have to buy a PS5.
Good video. The industry is certainty giving him plenty of horrific material/practices to look at. I like that, in previous videos, Jim has referred to himself as a 'consumer rights show', but here also shines a light on what is effectively consumer entitlement, willingly putting on the blinkers that the industry wants you to have regarding the countdown to 'day 1'. It's easy to tear down the stuff you were never interested in anyway. But when something you like (or are hyped about) comes under fire? That's when a critical eye really starts to matter as suddenly you have to do what you've demanded of others and move past the reflexive response of 'but all the crap around the thing I like is fine'.
Top Shelf from Jim. Still my fave even if sometimes he is silly or flails when nothing's going on. No one else gives the industry the big Fuck You it deserves.
Cant wait until next week, the way the video ends and saying mondays coming I assume the next one will be a dissection of Ubisoft. If so shine that spotlight Jim, thank god for Sterling.
Cant wait until next week, the way the video ends and saying mondays coming I assume the next one will be a dissection of Ubisoft. If so shine that spotlight Jim, thank god for Sterling.
I mean, you know what consumerism is right? You can say that about most consumer goods outside of food and clothes, and even the fashion industry has a long history of labour exploitation. Which is my point - this speaks to a wider issue than videogames that needs to be tackled. Expecting people to not buy a PS5 or whatever it is due to ethical issues attached to the company behind it is unrealistic. We know from countless other examples in other industries that also produce consumer goods that seldom works at scale.
Not sure what the answer is, but this is a societal problem top to bottom which needs to addressed.
This is a good post and your last point is critical as I'm of the belief that a lot of people throwing shade at others for still indulging in buying things despite the ethical issues attached, would find it difficult to do what they're asking of others depending on what it is they were being asked to give up. Collectively as a modern society, we're slaves to consumerism. No one should be getting on their moral high horse here because every one of us contributes to it and there's bigger issues on a macro scale which need to be actioned.
Consumer is nothing more than an economic term to categorize and separate customers and consumers. Individual people buying products and services are consumers. Companies that interact with other companies for products and services are customers. You have rights as a consumer. You have people who are advocates for consumer empowerment. This battle to relabel or reject the label of "consumer" isn't a worthwhile endeavor. We're consumers. It doesn't mean that we're giant, open mouths sucking everything into our mouths like Kirby. It's an economic term.
Unionization would help, but implementation is tricky. Are there software based unions?
But I agree, the efficacy of boycotts for consumer goods Is dubious.
But it turns out that's not the way that boycotts usually work," he explained. "The typical boycott doesn't have much impact on sales revenue."
One reason is consumers' habitual nature. Even people who publically denounce a company might still purchase that company's products. Plus, the people boycotting a company might not be its target consumers.
"Think of PETA activists who are boycotting KFC," King explained. "That's a boycott that's not going to have much of an impact on sales revenue."
Nevertheless, boycotts can still be effective, according to King's research. He finds that while boycotts rarely hurt revenues, they can threaten a company's reputation, especially by generating negative media coverage.
"The no. 1 predictor of what makes a boycott effective is how much media attention it creates, not how many people sign onto a petition or how many consumers it mobilizes," he noted.
His research shows that the most successful boycotts are those that generate the most media coverage, typically to a single, high-profile company. These headline-grabbing boycotts lead to a greater fall in stock prices and are more likely to cause a company to change its behavior.
I'll say it again, I really believe people don't care because it's minorities. At least not enough to talk about the issue. I feel largely we're ignored.
Because Sterling is independent and not like countless other "gaming journo" outlets, youtubers or streamers that don´t want to lose access to their preview/review copies and privilege invites to gaming events.
gaming websites/news outlets are more often than not just an advertising arm of the video game industry which is really sad.
Social media has proven is that outrage and activism are effortless on a keyboard. You don't have to actually do anything, as long as the homies in the thread see you flip off Trump/Crunch/Sexism/Racism/INSERT HERE, you're good. You've filled your SOCIAL JUSTICE quota for the day.
The more complex issues inextricably tied to the Games Industry require a more nuanced approach and while it is important that we consider all the implications and ramifications, we shou-HOLD ON, IS THAT ELDEN RING?!?!
It's all fun and games until I realize that in reality, to truly take a stand, I might not be able to buy an Xbox Series S/X or Playstation 5 console. That I might have to stop supporting publishers and developers who make games that succeed on the crushed spines and dreams of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, and other marginalized groups. To actually follow a path of social justice ... I might have to miss out.
And I can't do that.
Because how can I come on here when everyone is talking about the next SHINY GRAPHICS thing and I haven't experienced it. What will I do then? Will my moral and ethical stance give me 30+ hours of excellent, grounded, faithfully rendered gameplay that makes me feel emotions and consider the narrative implications for characters who don't exist?
There's so much at stake here, you have to understand.
Please understand.
I need my video games.
OT: This is the first time I've ever watched a Sterling video. He's right. All of it.
Hearing Jim say triple A in a (relatively) normal voice is one of the more uncomfortable things I've felt in a while.
Cracking video though, albeit a particularly sobering one.
Cracking video though, albeit a particularly sobering one.
Even when the topic is serious people love to shit that thread by making dumb posts because it was in the wrong forum, is not even funny
much needed video especially after the discussions that have been happening in his past threads regarding tlou 2
thank the gods for Jimith, blessed be his name
thank the gods for Jimith, blessed be his name
Yeah, this is a really interesting study and matches up with what we've seen. The key seems to be exposure and while it stipulates that boycotts can work if they generate exposure to the issue, you still have the problem of consumer habits to account for. So then the question is, how else can you generate that kind of exposure?
Like I say, simply pointing at people saying "you don't care" is meaningless. Every single person in this thread is complicit in corporations getting away with nonsense due to how we spend our capital. We need to be working out how to make change rather than pointing fingers, even if the solution may be difficult to come to.
This is a fantastic video - informative, entertaining and infuriating. Perfect Jim.
I hate this "it's not political" thing so much. Companies want us to accept their games as art and then they don`t have the balls to stand up and say that the games have a message? That`s not how that works!
Oh and fuck Ubisoft. Just reading about what happens is enough to make you sick.
I hate this "it's not political" thing so much. Companies want us to accept their games as art and then they don`t have the balls to stand up and say that the games have a message? That`s not how that works!
Oh and fuck Ubisoft. Just reading about what happens is enough to make you sick.
I feel this is more of a failure of people to give a shit. Boycotts could work (better) if more people made the decision to not buy (& stuck with it) and weren't all "oh well, it's not my problem, I must have this Nestle chocolate bar/Ubisoft game!"
Great video. The praise Yves is getting for finally firing (allowing people to resign) is ridiculous. He either knows exactly what is/has beenhappening or he has incompetent fool for 30 years.
It really says something when him talking with those tiny sausages in his mouth and him spitting said tiny sausages out aren't nearly as disturbing as hearing "triple A" said normally...
Really puts into perspective Yves Guillemot's colossal failure and/or being complicit in the abuse that went on for years.
Honestly, fuck Ubisoft.
Honestly, fuck Ubisoft.
God, it's depressing how on point he is. The lengths people will go to in defending these gigantic corporations is downright embarrassing. The video also highlights how fucked up everything really is. This is something above gaming, how many products do you own that weren't produced under inhumane conditions? No one can escape the consumption of immorally made goods, at least in some capacity. The whole system is rotten to its core.
Boycotting products in of itself won't yield notable results, but it is a way of raising awareness to the disgusting practices and ruthless work environments that permeate the industry. I commend Jim and every other journalist who is actually doing something more than issuing glorified PR statements. Everything is still fucked, but there is a silver lining in the fact that these issues are actually being put into public light and victims of workplace harassment are starting to voice their traumatic experiences within the industry. The more people, and especially public figures talk about these issues, the more will these practices become public knowledge and something more people will voice their discontent around.
No matter how many corporate shills and "keep politics out of my video games" nerds there are, it's important to recognize that in the last couple of years, strides were made in regards to recognizing and condemning the toxic elements of the industry. It is paramount that we don't let this discourse die out.
Boycotting products in of itself won't yield notable results, but it is a way of raising awareness to the disgusting practices and ruthless work environments that permeate the industry. I commend Jim and every other journalist who is actually doing something more than issuing glorified PR statements. Everything is still fucked, but there is a silver lining in the fact that these issues are actually being put into public light and victims of workplace harassment are starting to voice their traumatic experiences within the industry. The more people, and especially public figures talk about these issues, the more will these practices become public knowledge and something more people will voice their discontent around.
No matter how many corporate shills and "keep politics out of my video games" nerds there are, it's important to recognize that in the last couple of years, strides were made in regards to recognizing and condemning the toxic elements of the industry. It is paramount that we don't let this discourse die out.
Seriously. He is going to personally oversee the overhaul? Really? The guy that enabled this shit to go on for years upon years? Nah.
I'm sure lots of developers pushed out of the industry would have loved to just focus on games instead their own leadership.
I mean people happily wears clothes and phones made in dubious settings. I'm complicit as well. People will buy or use a PS5 or SeriesX despite being made by slaves, probably Jim Sterling as well. Voting with your wallet is not a thing that most people do.
But you can still put pressure on publishers and companies in an effort to make them be better in fear of bad press.
But you can still put pressure on publishers and companies in an effort to make them be better in fear of bad press.
Yeah, it's hard to disagree with much of what's said here. Ubisoft has proven to be a truly disgusting company and nothing less than a ground up rebuild can salvage their image at this point. Guillemot should totally have resigned by now, no question.
Yeah. I could gladly go with never hearing Sterling talk about TLOU2 (Or anything ND related in general tbh) again. I lost a lot of respect for him since the leaks due to his handling of that.
Hopefully we're done with that shit now though.
Yeah. I could gladly go with never hearing Sterling talk about TLOU2 (Or anything ND related in general tbh) again. I lost a lot of respect for him since the leaks due to his handling of that.
Hopefully we're done with that shit now though.