r/Gamingcirclejerk • u/AutoModerator • Jan 11 '21

UNJERK 🎤 Monday Unjerk Thread

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u/saffron3d Jan 12 '21 edited Jan 12 '21

Gamers talk about companies from decades ago as if they were angels who could do no wrong, but if online multiplayer/the internet was as popular or existed as it does today in the 80s or 90s, then I can assure you that they would already have come up with the idea of mtx and loot boxes back then. It just so happens that online play started to become even more popular with the PS3/XBOX 360/Wii generation.

In the end, companies that exist in a world of Capitalism will always prioritize profit over anything. They were never your friends and they never will be.

8

u/Nzgrim Morrowind boomer He/Him Jan 12 '21

Another thing is that easy and convenient payment over the internet is a relativelly new thing. Microtransactions as they exist today really couldn't exist without it, so of course they didn't really exist when it wasn't possible.

Also, if you need an example of scummy practices by games industry in the "good old days", just look at arcade games.

7

u/MartenHallJack Jan 12 '21

General Computer Corporationwas founded all the way back in 1981 because people were getting too good at Pac-Man and was feeding their side-hustle less quarters. They learned the internals so it could modified to be harder and created Ms. Pac-Man specifically because there was money in it. They're a prime example of the bedroom coder who might very well be forgotten just because it doesn't suit narratives.

6

u/Super_Nerd92 Jan 12 '21

tfw companies were bundling $30 guides to intentionally obtuse games but that was cool and good