10 Video Games Where Consumers WON
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and Shadow of War show that sometimes, raising a stink works.
If a video game isn't good enough, the gaming community will make their concerns known. (They're very, very vocal in that department.) Gaming companies keenly observe players' feedback, so they know what to avoid and what to focus on in the future - although not every backlash is as instructive as some may hope.
However, things get a little trickier when a game receives an overwhelming amount of criticism. If the players' gaming experience is impaired with countless glitches, excessive grinding, or expensive micro-transactions, they have every reason to be mad.
In situations like this, the publishers and developers have to bend over backwards to rectify their shortcomings. If a game isn't up to standard, the powers-that-be may fix it at no extra charge, throw in a bunch of bonus goodies, or gift buyers with free content.
It might seem unhelpful to complain, but there are times when it's the only way for consumers to get what they want.
10. Ubisoft Offer A Free Game As Compensation - Assassin's Creed Unity
Assassin Creed Unity had one of the most notorious video game launches of all time. Because of the baffling graphics, shabby performance issues, dysfunctional online mode, and meme-worthy glitches, Unity was - and still is - the time-hopping series' lowest point by a large margin. Even though the best franchises will suffer a misstep here and there, the drop in quality between this abomination and previous mainline entry Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was stark.
Ubisoft wasn't just compelled to remedy this issue - it needed to. If the company didn't do everything in its power to undo this travesty, then it could irrevocably tarnish its reputation.
Ubisoft's first attempt at damage control was turning the Dead Kings DLC into a complimentary gift. As nice as this gesture was, it was a hollow reward, since this expansion was barely better than the game itself. (Although the Guillotine Gun, which converts the player's axe into a grenade launcher, was pretty awesome.)
Fortunately, the creators redeemed themselves a little, by allowing anyone who obtained Unity's Season Pass to purchase one of six Ubisoft's titles for free, including Far Cry 4 and the previously mentioned Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.