These aren't psychologists. I've never disputed that game companies hire monetization specialists. I've disputed that they hire psychologists (people with an advanced degree in psychology) to work on monetization in a capacity that involves utilizing their academic background and knowledge.
After some searching (the subreddit is tamer than I expected honestly. Lot's of people agreeing with the devs, a lot of "gets popcorn" posts.. You should visit it if you have the itme, I don't see how it's some giant field of toxicity honestly)
why are gamers even playing games online if they can't respect other people
If you continue to liken the points someone is making to the ones the people harassing the devs are making, sooner or later they'll stop making these points. That's all there is to it.
And as someone else already said, whether or not they have PhDs in psychology specifically, they definitely use the same tricks. We all know how much time goes into making loot boxes have the right sound when opened, a great flash of colour and lights, and animate even before opening to build suspense. Even Skinner box odds for maximum repeat sales with minimum rewards. It's the same tricks that go into gambling machines to keep people hooked, and the same tricks that went into Destiny's loot system. No psychologists? Okay, but lots of physchology designed to monetize the playerbase susceptible to it as much as possible.
The thing is, there will always be people who don't manage to be polite. That's not specific to gaming either. What's specific to gaming is shit like harassing female devs and sending them deathtreats. That didn't happen here, though. I don't really care about the asshat stuff. What I don't agree with is calling people freeloaders after you listened to them and changed your pricing model because it was so bad.
But that's not why we're having this conversation. This whole thread started because of someone perpetuating the "they're literally hiring psychologists to exploit us" myth, which isn't true.
I've lived with freeloaders before for a substantial amount of time and hated it so so much. It is not a harmless quip to freely apply to masses of people utilizing something thats meant to be free (be it f2p, freeware, shareware, fangame, with or without microtransactions). Not the same at all as having to pay extra higher utility and food/etc. bills due to having someone living with you who you didn't even want there to begin with. They're equating their players to that kind of thing while claiming they love them anyway. Wonder if they'd also love sharing the same home with realdeal freeloaders.
I think they aren't legitimate to demonize all the people who work on it and to start useless discussion with insults and nothing more. I really don't get it such attitude.
...seriously? Why do you think the industry even has the term "whale"? This is a horrific way to ignore the predatory impact of modern monetization. Yes, it works, but so does online gambling that drives consumers to bankruptcy even when they can see how much and how often their small % of big spenders are gambling.
That's one and the same with exploitation. Back before academic psychology occurred that's how con-men operated, it's also how the gambling evolved.
Nah, she gets that right. Devs are cracking from constant harassment, and the moment they are not seen as professional and speak any sort of truth about how gamers are often entitled pieces of shit, it's the dev that gets fired and nothing is done about those who have been causing it. Many devs don't get employee protection from harassment campaigns and hate mobs.
How would you know, actual game developer?
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Fortnite doesn't have lootboxes. And their $20 skins are visible, are bundled with backpacks, look better and sometimes have different styles.
I knew a lot who did. Many felt they were just a little bit safer when he was gone because TB had a history of dog whistling.
