8 Video Game Business Practices That Must Die In 2018

Well now, wasn't the tail end of 2017 just a total disaster for the video game world's public image? It all started so well, too. Microsoft had its One X hype machine fuelled and raring to, Sony its onslaught of first-party exclusives and Nintendo? It returned to prominence with the successful launch of a new console.

The summer reveal season came and went, ratcheting up anticipation for the deluge of year-end blockbusters à la Destiny 2 and Star Wars Battlefront 2, and then... well, everything sort of went to hell in a handbasket.

EA, ever so keen to take advantage of the loot box craze, overstepped the mark with its most lucrative franchise, turning off would-be Jedi Masters before the sequel even landed. Likewise, Bungie took blistering heat for its hackneyed handling of Destiny 2's microtransactions and near total lack of communication with its player base.

But amidst all of the high profile chaos, other disingenuous practices, so clearly cooked up by consumer-hating suits, have been swimming around, eager to make life for the average Joe so hostile that it's a wonder how any thrill-seeking gamer hasn't ditched the hobby entirely.

From timed exclusives to pre-order incentives, there's no shortage of underhanded strategies dressed up to appear beneficial, when all they're really after is your wallet.

Enough is enough.

Come now, EA, did you honestly think that Star Wars Battlefront II's business model would be a sugar-shelled pill that consumers would swallow without a second thought?

Perhaps, if you weren't so wrapped up in attempting to further monetize an already full price game, you'd have realised that nickel and diming your customer base was a decision destined to blow up in your face. And no, a singular Reddit AMA post-catastrophe doesn't cut it, either. That's not communication; it's damage control.

But it's not just you, EA, that struggles to keep an open dialogue with customers. Activision, or more specifically, Bungie, has been hit with a wave of negativity over the handling of Destiny 2's post-launch life.

The Halo creator has been forced into making apology after apology, following the discovery of hidden systems designed to negatively impact play, but had all of these faults been recognised, addressed and talked trough with the people paying the bills, the outcry would have been far less pronounced.

That's not to say every triple-A game should hereto be one created by committee, but Christ, vlogs, blogs and ViDocs exist for a reason, guys. Be respectful of your fan base, keep them in the loop.