J. Schreier: "Don't let billion dollar marketing convince you it's a spoiler" [See Threadmarks for further clarification]

[mindatlarge]

My stance on this issue is this, if my company had millions invested in a product and planned an event to show it off officially, I would want the power in my hands to create a worthy reveal. When things are leaked, my product may not be represented correctly. That is the danger for the creators and owners of the product. If people get the wrong first impression, that could have a lasting negative effect on your product. Using the argument that it doesn't matter because it is marketing in disguise is silly. Of course a company wants to market their product in the best possible way, that is how successful business works. I also find it ironic that a person who profits off of leaks and such makes a comment like this. I don't get it.

 

[Deleted member 56580]

Sup Jason, how do you feel about Nintendo sending lawyers to a leaker. much love

 

[stan_marsh]

I am glad Keanu moment wasn't leaked. Leaks of this nature suck.

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Yea,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB2RtqyCReg&t=245

4:06

 

[Javier]

Leaks most definitely kill the hype that can be built around an announcement.

 

[Meia]

Not sure why you're trying to take some high ground when you're seriously here trying to question people's empathy (even more ridiculous) because some people don't give a damn if a game title gets leaked. I find that to be the most obnoxious argument in the thread. Ultimately, the majority of posters here are talking about people who act like E3 is ruined or spoiled because they found out a game title, not troubled youths in need. No one should have to feign empathy over this matter of all things.

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The only "ground" I'm trying to take is others telling others how it's wrong to "feel" certain ways. I'm not going after any greater thing that talking about video games here, but apparently something like empathy only comes from real life and death issues? Sure, that's the way emotions work. Feeling things for anything other than life/death is silly!


Again, talk about it all you want when it happens, nothing wrong with it. Just understand by that person leaking something literal hours from it being revealed, they're literally taking something from someone else for their 15 minutes, usually the fans who care about things like E3 in the first place. In other words, it makes the leaker(AND NO ONE ELSE FOR THE LAST TIME) an asshole. That's all.

 

[TheRuralJuror]

The only "ground" I'm trying to take is others telling others how it's wrong to "feel" certain ways. I'm not going after any greater thing that talking about video games here, but apparently something like empathy only comes from real life and death issues? Sure, that's the way emotions work. Feeling things for anything other than life/death is silly!


Again, talk about it all you want when it happens, nothing wrong with it. Just understand by that person leaking something literal hours from it being revealed, they're literally taking something from someone else for their 15 minutes, usually the fans who care about things like E3 in the first place. In other words, it makes the leaker(AND NO ONE ELSE FOR THE LAST TIME) an asshole. That's all.

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You immediately going to an extreme claim that I didn't make is pretty indicative of the general mindset of people who get upset over this stuff. That's probably where the "unhealthy" claims come from, but I'd hesitate needlessly going down that road. In either case, I'm quite sure there's a happy medium between life and death issues and questioning people's empathy because they don't share a similar opinion regarding the leak of a game title. Give me a break.

 

[Meia]

You immediately going to an extreme claim that I didn't make is pretty indicative of the general mindset of people who get upset over this stuff. That's probably where the "unhealthy" claims come from. In either case, I'm quite sure there's a happy medium between life and death issues and questioning people's empathy because they don't share a similar opinion regarding the leak of a game title. Give me a break.

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I'm talking about feeling bad that others may have gotten a surprise ruined by a leak. You're equating this with me talking about troubled youths. THAT is unhealthy.

 

[JYOUNG188]

Knowing about it before had kills the hype but whatever, it doesn't mater to me the day after the conference anyway.

 

[Deleted member 896]

Not sure why you're trying to take some high ground when you're seriously here trying to question people's empathy (even more ridiculous) because some people don't give a damn if a game title gets leaked. I find that to be the most obnoxious argument in the thread. Ultimately, the majority of posters here are talking about people who act like E3 is ruined or spoiled because they found out a game title, not troubled youths in need. No one should have to feign empathy over this matter of all things.

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I mean, I myself am cynical on this, but I still get it. There are people who really get a kick out of in-person get-togethers, or chatting here or on a discord as people react live to the same thing. This communal experience doesn't work if everyone is viewing the leaks at a different time. Even if I think there's something kind of unsettling about how we treat a trade show whose ultimate goal is to sell us products, I stop short of acting like the enthusiasm is alien to me. I'd be lying myself if I pretended that a surprise announcement can't put a smile on my face.

Where I digress is just that I do think that some of the takes go too far. Like, there's this sentiment out there that leakers are like the grinches who ruin gamer Christmas. And when we reach that specific level -- where they are regarded as villains who are spoiling things for us -- is where I just find myself taken aback at wondering where it all went wrong. I mean, I'm not trying to do some Captain Obvious take of trying to seem like the smartest person in the room for calling a trade show a trade show. But even people that claim some self-awareness I think are losing the script. The idea that this is Gamer Christmas is just appalling to me. I'm not saying it's wrong to like ads. But acting like the coordinated efforts of marketing companies and developers to tap into the ultimately uncontrollable force that is the Consumer Hype Machine is some sort of benevolent act that deserves not to be ruined for us is just... I honestly don't know how to respond at that point.

And I'm not even strongly anti-corporate. I have no ill will towards developers, publishers, marketing firms, etc. I know that a lot of work goes into this stuff. For their sake I hope that they can pull off their big reveal and have their moment. But if it leaks it leaks. It's always a risk. Ultimately, I think the fact that people care this much to be so impatient as to not be able to wait for the official reveal just feeds into the machine even more. This is a good problem to have. And as consumers we still get a show to watch even if there's one less surprise. Even if they prove to be big talking points, there's more to E3 than just surpirse megatons. Even if you know the thing is going to be there, don't you still want to see it?

 

[TheRuralJuror]

I'm talking about feeling bad that others may have gotten a surprise ruined by a leak. You're equating this with me talking about troubled youths. THAT is unhealthy.

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No one should have to feel any one way about it. That's the thing. You say stuff like this:

"The only "ground" I'm trying to take is others telling others how it's wrong to "feel" certain ways."

Then you're in another questioning the empathy of others because people don't feel a certain way about it that you personally find acceptable. Anyhow, not going in circles with ya further. Especially when you're trying to be literal about what was clearly sarcasm. Feel how you like.

 

[AzVal]

My dumb take is that I would not like to have a surprise birthday party spoiled to me or anyone, sure domeone can tell the birthday person beforehanf and he can be surprised and happy to know. But cmon you all know it would not be the same.
The silliest thing I gathered here is that game journalist have some kind of moral responsability or obligation to report on game announcement leaks or actively seek them (which totally is a responsability in other fields of journalism), you know they do it because is either profitable to them in some way or mere attention whoring (and I only kinda respect the former while despise the latter).
Also daily reminder that journalism is as well a billion dollar business, paid mostly by the marketing branch of other billion dollar businesses, dont let them fool you either.

 

[s_mirage]

The very idea that the announcement of a trailer/video game is fucking spoiler is mindblowing to me.

You are actually getting mad over a fucking video game AD A FUCKING VIDEO GAME AD being 'spoiled'.

Holy shit people get a grip. Not to mention most of the games were just CG trailers that told you absolutely fucking nothing about the games.

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Same.

I also find it rather depressing how many people seem to want a gaming press that is little more than an extension of the game industry's marketing departments. A press only allowed to publish info received from official sources that they've been given them permission to use.

 

[TheRuralJuror]

I mean, I myself am cynical on this, but I still get it. There are people who really get a kick out of in-person get-togethers, or chatting here or on a discord as people react live to the same thing. This communal experience doesn't work if everyone is viewing the leaks at a different time. Even if I think there's something kind of unsettling about how we treat a trade show whose ultimate goal is to sell us products, I stop short of acting like the enthusiasm is alien to me. I'd be lying myself if I pretended that a surprise announcement can't put a smile on my face.

Where I digress is just that I do think that some of the takes go too far. Like, there's this sentiment out there that leakers are like the grinches who ruin gamer Christmas. And when we reach that specific level -- where they are regarded as villains who are spoiling things for us -- is where I just find myself taken aback at wondering where it all went wrong. I mean, I'm not trying to do some Captain Obvious take of trying to seem like the smartest person in the room for calling a trade show a trade show. But even people that claim some self-awareness I think are losing the script. The idea that this is Gamer Christmas is just appalling to me. I'm not saying it's wrong to like ads. But acting like the coordinated efforts of marketing companies and developers to tap into the ultimately uncontrollable force that is the Consumer Hype Machine is some sort of benevolent act that deserves not to be ruined for us is just... I honestly don't know how to respond at that point.

And I'm not even strongly anti-corporate. I have no ill will towards developers, publishers, marketing firms, etc. I know that a lot of work goes into this stuff. For their sake I hope that they can pull off their big reveal and have their moment. But if it leaks it leaks. It's always a risk. Ultimately, I think the fact that people care this much to be so impatient as to not be able to wait for the official reveal just feeds into the machine even more. This is a good problem to have. And as consumers we still get a show to watch even if there's one less surprise. Even if they prove to be big talking points, there's more to E3 than just surpirse megatons. Even if you know the thing is going to be there, don't you still want to see it?

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Thanks for sharing this. You touch on some great points. I'd respond further, but I do need to get some work done. Overall, I probably feel about the same as you regarding the matter. I don't think the simple act of enjoying surprises makes anyone a loon, but some do take it further than others regarding the importance they place on it, imo.

Same.

I also find it rather depressing how many people seem to want a gaming press that is little more than an extension of the game industry's marketing departments. A press only allowed to publish info received from official sources that they've been given them permission to use.

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Same, I saw poster saying they hope other companies send C & Ds to leakers in general and such as Nintendo did with that Sabi person. I'm not anti-corporate, but I couldn't imagine cheering something like that on from the consumer side of things. I'd generally prefer journalists not solely exist to provide information in the ways that corporations prefer.

 

[Tfritz]

Same.

I also find it rather depressing how many people seem to want a gaming press that is little more than an extension of the game industry's marketing departments. A press only allowed to publish info received from official sources that they've been given them permission to use.

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gamers be like "games journalism is a joke, they just post corporate press releases", but then the second an outlet steps out of line it's suddenly "evil shitty clickbait journalists ruining carefully crafted marketing campaigns that are half a game's budget"

 

[Jeb]

gamers be like "games journalism is a joke, they just post corporate press releases", but then the second an outlet steps out of line it's suddenly "evil shitty clickbait journalists ruining carefully crafted marketing campaigns that are half a game's budget"

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Way to simplify things to a pointless degree.

The leaks we are talking about are the ones that reveal only what projects are in the works, the only thing these leaks do is ruin the surprise that devs have been working towards, we've would have gotten this information anyway but we got it in the worst first impression possible.
Who does it benefit? The only people I can think of is the leakers internet cred and the publishing sites traffic, but on the expense of the game's devs and marketing team.

I'm with Kotaku on leaking the employee abuses on Bioware's employees, now that's helpful in exposing the industry's uglier side, but ruining reveals can fuck off.

 

[Dodgerfan74]

My dumb take is that I would not like to have a surprise birthday party spoiled to me or anyone, sure domeone can tell the birthday person beforehanf and he can be surprised and happy to know. But cmon you all know it would not be the same.
The silliest thing I gathered here is that game journalist have some kind of moral responsability or obligation to report on game announcement leaks or actively seek them (which totally is a responsability in other fields of journalism), you know they do it because is either profitable to them in some way or mere attention whoring (and I only kinda respect the former while despise the latter).
Also daily reminder that journalism is as well a billion dollar business, paid mostly by the marketing branch of other billion dollar businesses, dont let them fool you either.

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This is depressing as hell and says a lot about why Americansl journalism is in such a rough state across the board right now.

 

[Professor Beef]

Doesn't amplifying it give it a credence few others could? He helps it along if nothing else.

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I asked a simple question.

 

[Deleted member 16657]

The best reveal of Microsoft's conference for me was Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk. I obviously would not have been surprised at his cameo had I known about it beforehand. (I know it leaked beforehand) My friends and I enjoyed the surprise.

I think that journos' have an obligation to leak things but I don't think people are wrong for wanting to avoid those leaks if they care about being surprised by announcements. I don't fully understand why people think this is unhealthy or otherwise outlandish behavior.

 

[Serebii]

Way to simplify things to a pointless degree.

The leaks we are talking about are the ones that reveal only what projects are in the works, the only thing these leaks do is ruin the surprise that devs have been working towards, we've would have gotten this information anyway but we got it in the worst first impression possible.
Who does it benefit? The only people I can think of is the leakers internet cred and the publishing sites traffic, but on the expense of the game's devs and marketing team.

I'm with Kotaku on leaking the employee abuses on Bioware's employees, now that's helpful in exposing the industry's uglier side, but ruining reveals can fuck off.

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People forget that leaks of reveals etc. can affect developers adversely. In an ideal world it wouldn't and shouldn't, but in this world we're in it does.

 

[test_account]

Minishdriveby Did you see my previous post? Just curious about a follow up answer to some of my questions :)

 

[asynchrny]

If you're telling me seeing a reveal at e3 for the first time doesn't get you pumped up as fuck, I'd call you a liar.

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I've been through it too many times to get pumped.

Nothing ever topped FFXIII on Xbox, sorry.

This years E3 was full of surprises for me, considering I wasn't following the news in the last 2 weeks.

It's easy to keep yourself pure, if you really care about it (or don't care enough, like me).

 

[Sixfortyfive]

If you're telling me seeing a reveal at e3 for the first time doesn't get you pumped up as fuck, I'd call you a liar.

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I haven't been hyped for E3 since the 20th century.

Well, except for the Shenmue 3 reveal. I was hyped for that. So much so that I chipped in $300 to the Kickstarter.

And I'm regretting that a lot right now.