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When Diablo 4 is released should you be "strong" and skip it?
- Thread starter fireflame
- Start date
Its been hard not going back to wow classic. If I can stay away from that, I can give D4 or whatever else they have lined up the cold shoulder.
I was never really gonna purchase diablo 4 to begin with anyway but I wanna address a point that most people take for granted.
The point of drawing the sand is to acknowledge that yes there is a dependency but we/they have to do better. We don't all have to pile on blizzard, but if we all targeted companies convenient for us to do so I think the effect would be a lot more positive. The reduction in punishment time and the apology show that regardless of how massive these companies are, if people shout at them consistently then they will eventually re-evaluate what they can get away with.
Drawing a line in a sand has never been foolish. History has shown time and time again that those who are silent have no voice. So I ask you all to shout. Even if it's hypocritical, inconvenient or a pain in the ass. Even just writing that you support those who take direct action is enough
The point of drawing the sand is to acknowledge that yes there is a dependency but we/they have to do better. We don't all have to pile on blizzard, but if we all targeted companies convenient for us to do so I think the effect would be a lot more positive. The reduction in punishment time and the apology show that regardless of how massive these companies are, if people shout at them consistently then they will eventually re-evaluate what they can get away with.
Drawing a line in a sand has never been foolish. History has shown time and time again that those who are silent have no voice. So I ask you all to shout. Even if it's hypocritical, inconvenient or a pain in the ass. Even just writing that you support those who take direct action is enough
I didn't play Diablo III and I have no desire to play Diablo IV. There's enough games out there that missing out on the fourth entry in a tired franchise which is now finally going back to its roots that I won't feel like I'm missing anything by not playing it. At no point did I feel left out with Diablo III either. And bare in mind I love Diablo I and II.
For those saying how many years away this is I haven't purchased an Activision-Blizzard title since the first Prototype released on 360 over a decade ago. Pretty safe bet that in the next few years Activision-Blizzard won't collect their ongoing issues I have with them which keep me from supporting their products.
From walking known traitor Oliver North on stage to promote Call of Duty as being truly authtentic to development studio oversight/management to running IPs into the ground for the name of profit to the whole pro-China stance following the Hong Kong demonstrations the entire company is just a massive walking shit show in my eyes and the only reason they've managed to get as far as they have is because there's always a greedier fish and the name that sat on it was EA.
People are waking up and learning though.
For those saying how many years away this is I haven't purchased an Activision-Blizzard title since the first Prototype released on 360 over a decade ago. Pretty safe bet that in the next few years Activision-Blizzard won't collect their ongoing issues I have with them which keep me from supporting their products.
From walking known traitor Oliver North on stage to promote Call of Duty as being truly authtentic to development studio oversight/management to running IPs into the ground for the name of profit to the whole pro-China stance following the Hong Kong demonstrations the entire company is just a massive walking shit show in my eyes and the only reason they've managed to get as far as they have is because there's always a greedier fish and the name that sat on it was EA.
People are waking up and learning though.
After their "apology" I have deleted all Activision-Blizzard products from all my devices.
I cannot with a clear conscience support a company in any way that outright won't stand with democracy and the freedom of speech.
Being an asshole like Bethesda or EA is one thing and having mainland China as a business partner is another but actively cooperating with said country's censoring attempts is on a whole other level.
Unless they realise that being able say what you want and vote for your own future is kinda useful, they are not going to see me playing any of their games.
It is really sad because Diablo IV looks fucking cool.
I cannot with a clear conscience support a company in any way that outright won't stand with democracy and the freedom of speech.
Being an asshole like Bethesda or EA is one thing and having mainland China as a business partner is another but actively cooperating with said country's censoring attempts is on a whole other level.
Unless they realise that being able say what you want and vote for your own future is kinda useful, they are not going to see me playing any of their games.
It is really sad because Diablo IV looks fucking cool.
My decision to buy or skip D4 is solely based on the game itself, not Blizzard political stance. You can condemn their corporate practices all you want, but if the game is good, I'm going to buy it.
Just wondering, for those who skip D4 because of the current issues, is it the same with other products in relation with China? I can only assume that some, if not most, of people here are using iPhone or MacBook.
Just wondering, for those who skip D4 because of the current issues, is it the same with other products in relation with China? I can only assume that some, if not most, of people here are using iPhone or MacBook.
Putting some money toward Chinese products doesn't mean you have to put all your money toward Chinese products. I'm not a saint for having an iPhone while also boycotting D4 but I have no interest in being one. The fabric of the global market means that there's a lot that people willingly or ignorantly buy that was created through harm and/or exploitation. It's not possible to be entirely separated from that system until the advent of significantly radical cultural and global revolutions. It is possible though for each of us to reduce harm where and when can based on the information we are privy to about where our money goes; and at the very least, I know that D4 isn't a necessity for something like a job or work and that there are a wealth of loot-driven RPGs currently and upcoming that I can invest in instead.
You could literally do anything else but play Diablo 4. Not just play a different game, but any other activity in the world. Learn to play the ukelele or something.
It's so easy to be ethically consistent with this kind of stuff. So yes I'll be "strong". Saves me $90CAD.
It's so easy to be ethically consistent with this kind of stuff. So yes I'll be "strong". Saves me $90CAD.
People remember the expose on Konami's working conditions despite it being several years on. 'Fuck Konami' is still a rallying cry and one not just bolstered by Silent Hills, pachinko machines and MGS Survive. Those who are interested in holding companies to account will make the effort to remember.
If the game is good, I'll play it. If you want to feel morally superior to me, go right ahead. I'm giving you permission.
Skip it.
Or maybe just be practical and boycott the companies that actively stifle free speech or work against Hong Kong.
There's a big difference between boycotting based on actions taken by a company and boycotting based on xenophobia.
I've deleted battle.net from my PC and will not be purchasing anything else from Blizzard unless there's a major shakeup in senior leadership. I feel bad for the innocent devs who work for them, they should demand better leadership. I hope the stocks drop so investors demand it too.
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IAM definitely buying that, and everything else they announced. I won't think I'm weak either.
I can still believe in Free Hong Kong and enjoy my games.
I can still believe in Free Hong Kong and enjoy my games.
These 'you better boycott everything made in China' takes are amazing.
This is about a company actively stifling free speech. If they want to do business in China, sure. I'm not a fan but I can't stop them. I won't support a company that'll ban people for speaking out though.
This is about a company actively stifling free speech. If they want to do business in China, sure. I'm not a fan but I can't stop them. I won't support a company that'll ban people for speaking out though.
It's a videogame, not a necessity.
If you care enough to boycott blizzard, go ahead and don't buy it.
If you wanna play it then play it.
Everyone will continue to live their lives regardless. It's not a life changing dilemma, and blizzard will continue to be huge and successful because, unfortunately, the majority of gamers don't care enough to not buy their games.
If you care enough to boycott blizzard, go ahead and don't buy it.
If you wanna play it then play it.
Everyone will continue to live their lives regardless. It's not a life changing dilemma, and blizzard will continue to be huge and successful because, unfortunately, the majority of gamers don't care enough to not buy their games.
I was finally able to delete my Battle.Net account without sending in my freaking government ID. So, yes, I can easily avoid buying / playing Diablo 4.
While boycotters gush over Riot's new games?
No. I'm going to play what I want to play just like everyone else makes exceptions.
No. I'm going to play what I want to play just like everyone else makes exceptions.
Same. It looks terrible. Needless, forced grimdark edge to appeal to whiny dorks, and only three classes?
Also fuck Blizzard, liberate Hong Kong.
I'm going to skip it, but I don't blame anyone for getting it. There are many people who working hard at Blizzard to make games for people to enjoy, and the vast majority of those people have no say in the BS Blizzard has been peddling recently.
Also this game is a few years off. I have no idea what moves Blizzard will make for better or worse before that time.
Also this game is a few years off. I have no idea what moves Blizzard will make for better or worse before that time.
Druid, Barbarian, Sorceress... ummmmm. Then there's, um.
There could be 20 and I wouldn't play the game.
They showed off 3 and stated there would be 5 at lunch. You can not play it, I am just stating there are 5 classes not 3.
There's five classes at launch. They've outright said it. Two of them are unannounced as of yet.
I adored Diablo and Diablo 2. Diablo 4 looks like a return to the form, I am definitely pre-ordering the collector's edition like I did with D2 and D3.
The people who actually work on D4 are very far removed from what happens in politics and Hong Kong.
The people who actually work on D4 are very far removed from what happens in politics and Hong Kong.
You should skip it if it has a bad MTX model or it's a bad game in general. If it's a good product worth your money,give them.
If you start thinking the way you try to,you should abandon more than half the products you are using in your everyday life. I'm not judging,but I'm saying that if you go that way,you'll have to think about not just Blizzard imo
If you start thinking the way you try to,you should abandon more than half the products you are using in your everyday life. I'm not judging,but I'm saying that if you go that way,you'll have to think about not just Blizzard imo
Chinese business is entrenched across many, many industries in the US. Games are no exception, and Activision are not alone in this. They handled the Blitzchung issue terribly, but I don't think other companies would have behaved differently if pressed into a similar situation. The company I work for does at least a quarter of its business in China. If I were given a massive platform like the one Blitzchung had and I spoke openly against the Chinese government, I would be fired.
No ethical consumption? Maybe, in this case, yes. China's abuse of human rights is an issue of state.
EDIT: And just to be clear, fuck Activision-Blizzard. Free Hong Kong.
No ethical consumption? Maybe, in this case, yes. China's abuse of human rights is an issue of state.
EDIT: And just to be clear, fuck Activision-Blizzard. Free Hong Kong.
Blizzard isn't the only company where people work hard. Games come out literally every day that multiple people worked themselves to the bone to create but that doesn't make us as consumers obligated to buy literally every game to support literally every hard worker in the industry. These past few years alone, we've had exposes on both EA and Rockstar where crunch has obliterated the mental and physical health of employees at the company. These people also worked hard and deserve appreciation but the other side of purchasing these games is that purchases will in turn reinforce and perpetuate that same level of corporate burnout as long as it remains profitable. In the case of Blizzard, it's fine if anyone wants to specifically support D4 devs but there's no separating that support from Blizzard continuing to learn zero lessons and continue to stump for China by silencing legitimate protest.