I’ll be the first to admit that I can be an easygoing reviewer when it comes to video games. I’d like to think I’m appropriately critical if necessary, but I’ve tried to cultivate a games media space where we aren’t senselessly dunking on games or development studios. So, when I checked the online consensus following the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, I expected people to be excited! To speculate on future games, or talking about the mouse functionality — anything! Instead, people were picking apart every small aspect of the Nintendo Switch 2 that bothered them.
Now, I’m not saying you can’t speak negatively of a product you’re planning on purchasing. Something, something — tragic economy. But it’s jarring to see people blame Nintendo for certain pricing woes as if there’s not a whole-ass reason for it. But even outside of the ongoing issues with the Nintendo Switch 2’s price? People are just so unnecessarily angry and negative. LCD screens, how the mouse function will be implemented, the internals — it’s exhausting.
There’s an elephant in the gaming room regarding how negative feedback is somehow more “credible” than positive. Even in the games journalism field, to be taken seriously, you have to go out of your way to tear a game down rather than talk about how great it was. Sure, it’s annoying if conversations skew the other way and everyone’s unerringly hyped and refuse to hear anything bad about the thing they like. But now, it’s “in” to dunk on the Nintendo Switch 2 and its future.
sometimes, it feels like nobody wants video games to perish more than the people who play and/or talk about them
Don’t believe me? Go on YouTube right now, type “Nintendo Switch 2” into the search bar, and you won’t be able to throw an e-stone without smacking a hit piece. “Why the Nintendo Switch 2 Will Fail.” “Is This Console Doomed Already?” “The Direct Was Lame.” Go on Reddit, any video game enthusiast website, or your favorite games media outlet. A whole week has barely passed, and some people have written the console off entirely.
The AAA space is fraught with mistreatment, crunch, disregarding developers, and many other issues. However, for people who claim to enjoy video games, players sure dedicate a lot of time to tearing down franchises for daring to do something different, developers who often have no control over the creative direction of their projects, and upcoming games/consoles for the crime of existing. Nintendo Switch 2 debacle aside, we gotta do better, y’all.
The post The Nintendo Switch 2 “Conversations” Prove That Gamers Are a Major Part of How Terrible the Games Industry Can Be appeared first on VICE.
