Na, double standards, bias and crap we are seeing NEEDS to be pointed out and exposed for what it is.
If people don’t care about the double standard and just want Xbox around to dunk on then fine but to pretend it does not exist and to NOT call out the bullshit will just let it fester and continue forever.
Screw that, spotlight the obvious bullshit and make people justify WHY they treat gaming companies differently and WHY they have the double standard in the first place.
I don’t think that’s entirely true. It’s easier said than done, but if there is a bias against you the only way to operate is to perform at a level where the quality is not even arguable. They might have to operate at a 12 to get the treatment of their competitors 10, but it is what it is.
Hate to relate it, but I kinda see it how some people are disadvantaged (due to gender, race, economic background, disability, etc.) and have to do more for the same treatment as their more advantaged peers.
One good reason for the gaming press to hate Gamepass. It is just called “fight for survival”.
Literally said the same thing the other day, you get it completely. Definitely not responsible for all the malice from that lot, but in terms of 2017 going forward, it’s a damn strong factor.
You must not live in the same reality most of us here do. Microsoft is already operating at a very, very high level. The issue comes in when you say, “all they have to do is operate at a 12” . That’s folly when speaking on an artform. Games like film are subjective. It’s impossible to create a game that’s universally loved by every gamer (hence why I maintain that even Sony games have can be shit and buggy, the media is just quiet about it)
It’s impossible for Xbox to create a “12” game. It’s impossible for Sony and Nintendo to create a “12” game. Only difference is, even if Xbox has a 12 game, for many in the gaming industry it won’t be enough. They’ll need to make a “13” game, and on, and on, and on…
As long as we live in a time where it’s acceptable to put out hit pieces on games months in advance of them releasing , and negative Xbox news gets clicks this will persist no matter how great the games are coming from xbox.
What I can’t wait to se though is how Hellblade 2 is received. My dislike of the gaming media was solidified with how they handled the situation with DmC , Ninja Theory’s take on Devil May Cry. I am sure I don’t have to rehash how the fans felt about that game. But the media attacked not only DMC fans for daring not to support a reboot that we never asked for but gamers in general. I still remember the “cheeto dust” rant from one such journalist and countless jabs at gamers for not liking Ninja Theory’s vision. At the time they were darlings of the gaming media that could do no wrong. Making the very kinds of games they love.
But now they’re part of Xbox. Will they target Hellblade 2 which is likely the next big xbox release, like they did Starfield?
My point in saying they need a 12 is that they need to perform at a level where even those that hate them can’t look away. It’s like when you hate a team and they do something and you can’t help but say ‘Well… That was a good play.’ That is the reality you deal with when you are at a disadvantage. Being as good as the other guys isn’t enough.
That said, operating at a ‘very very high level’ is simply wrong, as happy as I am with their output. There is a laundry list of reasonable gripes about games like Starfield and Forza that just provide ammunition to folks that need it.
One think I agree is that I’ve never seen a campaign against a game like what has happened to Starfield.
If I was petty and I worked at Bethesda, I would dedicate an unhealthy amount of time writing nonsensical hit pieces about various gaming sites while consistently comparing them to other sites (even non-gaming ones). Then, anytime a journalist award show would be announced, I would write how that site in particular was “ghosted” from the award ceremony.
I’m sure I would get fired pretty quickly. 
I actually almost bought one of these. I have several retro handhelds from Anbernic, one of which is shaped like a Gameboy, and the hand cramps are real. 
Yeah, like what’s even Starfield’s sin? It’s a new IP, no specific expectations for it, it’s largely inoffensive, it launched fine without huge issues, it didn’t market something that wasn’t in the final product, there’s nothing in its monetization model or anything like that that’s horrible, it’s a fully single player AAA game with nothing of those features that people dislike. So what’s the controversy?..
Cough, Xbox exclusive, cough
Its an Xbox /Bethesda exclusive.
Besides PlayStation cultists, there are also a lot of PC gamers that, for same reason, really hate Bethesda since Fallout 4(probably because their favorite streamer told them to).
This is usually the crowd that know nothing of the game and use criticism of previous Bethesda games on Starfield(like bugs), which obviously don’t apply as Starfield is way more polished than every other Bethesda game, making it clear that they didn’t even watch Starfield gameplay, they are just reusing criticism of games like Fallout 76.
Also there’s the crowd who hates Starfield because it is not BG3 and, for some reason, there can only be one great game per year, so Starfield is bad. It’s like what happened with The Witcher 3 back in 2015.
Honestly, it’s simple that gaming discourse sucks. BG3 is Great but it and starfield aim for 2 vastly different things . I think hot take culture has taken over gaming and people being scared to say how they actually feel about games due to the hate you get. There are people outside of these boards that are scared to say they enjoy starfield due to downvotes or people getting nasty in comment sections . The simple ign tweet of David harbour enjoying starfield got flooded with people trying to hate the game
I do not think PC gamers hate Bethesda.
Yeah i just dont bother, Im still playing it everyday. I think its funny that in 2-3 years it will be remembered as a great game then the whole ‘were we too hard on Starfield?’ Discourse will start.
I’ve seen one Polygon article recently about Quantum Break that got a chuckle out of me. Wouldn’t be surprised if the same happens with Starfield years from now.
Polygon likes Quantum Break now? That’s hilarious.
ETA: Well I’ll be damned, they gave it an 8.5 back in the day. I take it back, Polygon liked QB all along!
