Jamie O'Rourke

Gamers have somehow convinced themselves that you OWE a game your time and money before you’re allowed to say it looks bad. No. That’s backwards. Sony showed Wolverine. I watched what THEY chose to sell me on, and I came away less interested. That’s not “reviewing a game I haven’t played.” That’s being a customer. Trailers, gameplay, dialogue, art direction and marketing exist specifically so we can decide whether something is worth buying. If your response to criticism is “JUST SPEND $70 AND PLAY IT FIRST,” you’re basically admitting the marketing failed. I might play Wolverine someday and love it. Cool. I’ll say that too. But this idea that consumers aren’t allowed to dislike what they’re being shown until AFTER they pay is fucking ridiculous. Since when did the customer have to prove themselves to the product?

I’m tired of this dumb argument that you have to PLAY Wolverine before you’re allowed to say it doesn’t appeal to you. No. Sony’s job is to make me WANT to play it. The footage, art direction, dialogue, handholding and overall design did the exact opposite. GameFly existing doesn’t magically make Sony’s marketing failure irrelevant. You do not have to spend money or time on something before deciding it looks like shit to you as a consumer.