Shadow Complex: The boycott years

You know I hate for my second article as a writer on PCA to be a rant, but I can’t help myself.

Ever since The British Tea Party, us Americans have enjoyed a good boycott every now and again. The boycott is the little man’s middle finger to corporate America. A tool in their mighty arsenal. What they may lack in money or connections they make up for in sheer numbers.

The world of video games has seen its’ share of boycotts. Just the mere threat of one can change the course of video game history. Take the first person shooter Battlefield Bad Company for example. The publishers, EA, originally announced weapons and content, already present on the disc, would be made available as downloadable content. Though this wasn’t a free ride, it was going cost you. Oh yes, EA was ready to charge extra money for stuff already on the game (although SFIV has done the same….Capcom douchebags). The gaming community went berserk, and rightfully so. Threatening to not buy the game, and even spawning some rather humorous satirical videos. EA tried to rationalize everything by assuring gamers the downloads would be a meager few dollars. Problem is, gamers weren’t so much concerned about the money as the principle behind charging for something they already purchased.

Note: Remember that word “principle” boys and girls as it will come up later in this article.

This was a micro transaction fiasco. Thankfully, EA stopped being money hungry pinheads and announced the extra content would be no extra charge. Ahhh, and the gaming world breathed a collective sigh of relief as the gaming apocalypse had nearly been avoided.

More recently, another boycott has been brought to my attention. It’s not Left 4 Dead 2 or Madden 2010. It’s the unlikely Shadow Complex for the Xbox 360. The game has received high praise being compared to such greats as Super Metroid and Mega Man X. At $15 a pop, it’s some pricey DLC, but if sales are any indicator, gamers feel it’s well worth it. You know the game is created by developer Chair Entertainment, who previously worked on the Xbox 360 DLC game “Undertow”. You might know the game is based off Orson Scott Card’s Empire book series (though the story was created by Chair, then licensed to Card to write the books. -ED). What you might not know is Orson Scott Card is part of the National Organization for Marriage. A group opposed same sex marriage.

I know you all see me tip toeing around the subject, and it’s for good reason as I’m not going to voice my opinion on Orson Scott Card’s position on same sex marriage. Why? Because the point of my article has nothing to do with whether or not I agree or disagree. Past that, there are plenty of places (GameFAQs) folks can have a heated flame war over this subject. This is not that place.

All this has caused quite a little uproar. As with our previous example, Battlefield: Bad Company, threats of a boycott are imminent. Though he’s not a direct beneficiary of the DLC profits, many do not wish to risk the chance their purchase may support Orson Scott Card in any way. Even some big names in video gaming have voiced their sentiments on podcasts encouraging the boycott. While the boycott had much support, it seems it had little affect on the intended target. Shadow Complex has romped to the top of the most played Xbox LIVE Arcade titles, even entering the top ten of all Xbox 360 games played online. Again, as before in our first example, gamers weren’t concerned about a few cents falling in to Orson Scott Card’s pocket. They were more concerned about the principle of supporting, in any way, a man who’s views were very much against theirs. And I respect them very much for what they are trying to accomplish.

For those with a keen eye, I hoped you noticed that word principle pop up again. If you did, then a gold star for you. If you didn’t, well, I guess I can’t fault you as I do ramble, but I’m still very disappointed. Why do I bring this word up again? I’ll tell you here in a second. We all know what having a principle basically means, and no I don’t mean Mr Belding from Saved By The Bell, but let’s get the exact definition as I think it will make the point even more clear.

PRINCIPLE:

1. an accepted or professed rule of action or conduct: a person of good moral principles.
2. a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived: the principles of modern physics.
3. a fundamental doctrine or tenet; a distinctive ruling opinion: the principles of the Stoics.
4. principles, a personal or specific basis of conduct or management: to adhere to one’s principles; a kindergarten run on modern principles.
5. guiding sense of the requirements and obligations of right conduct: a person of principle.
6. an adopted rule or method for application in action: a working principle for general use.
7. a rule or law exemplified in natural phenomena, the construction or operation of a machine, the working of a system, or the like: the principle of capillary attraction.
8. the method of formation, operation, or procedure exhibited in a given case: a community organized on the patriarchal principle.
9. a determining characteristic of something; essential quality.
10. an originating or actuating agency or force: growth is the principle of life.
11. an actuating agency in the mind or character, as an instinct, faculty, or natural tendency: the principles of human behavior.

So summed up, it can be said a principle is a guideline or rule one lives their life by. If I say it is wrong to steal, it’s a principle I try to follow by not stealing. Pretty simple.

In both the case of Battlefield Bad Company and Shadow Complex, I get why gamers boycotted. Although the situations surrounding both games could not be more different, the underlying principle behind the boycott is identical. Boiled down to the simple principle, they wouldn’t buy game “X” because they didn’t agree with entity “Y”.

Don’t grow weary, you’ve followed me this far and we’re almost there. Let’s take it a step further. If one is to live by a principle, which we’ve already defined as a life guideline, then something isn’t right here. If one was to live by the principle don’t buy “X” because they disagree with entity “Y”, I doubt they would be buying much of anything at all. Fact of the matter is, no matter what you buy or acquire in life, somewhere down that long cash road, your hard earned dollars will fall into the hands of someone you don’t agree with. Worse still, it could end up in the hands of some folks who you not only disagree with, but who do use your money to dag nasty bad things. I don’t need to educate you about all the bad folks doing bad things as I think we all know of a few. But if you really knew where that four bucks you spent on a double mocha lava chava coffee with cream and cinnamon blah blah blah went, would you still spend it? The examples are endless, but they beg one question:

If you live your gaming life by a principle, why not the real world as well?

I’m not saying to give up and live your life like a undead consumer, but step back and look at the big picture. I see folks getting all bent out of shape over a video game, yet when it comes to their everyday interactions with life, the principle doesn’t carry over. So if a principle is a guideline to which one lives their life by, then it would seem some are not living by a principle, but more appropriately, a whim. I mean seriously, if you’re going to get in a tiff about a video game, why not put that l33t nerd energy into stopping or boycotting some seriously bad stuff? In this little thing we call life, are video games the end all be all? Are they the worst offender we can find? The driving force that will shape our future world? I’m gonna say probably not. And if you are truly one who wishes to live their life by that principle, then don’t ever buy anything ever again. Just shut yourself in a white room and whither away because at some point, no matter how hard you try, one thin red cent will find its’ way into the bank account of some corporate world killer.

So after all this rambling, you’re asking what’s my point. Easy, just don’t take video games too seriously and have moderation. Do I agree boycotts are needed to keep some of these corrupt companies in line, no doubt about it! It’s part of fun. But in the end, I play video games because I enjoy them. I play them because they are fun. To relax and challenge myself. To bury a friends in competition. To get the high score. To find that hidden item. To beat that impossible uber last boss. To join in some co-op combat. Video games were meant to be fun. Though I may boycott a video game down the road, it certainly won’t be as epic as pouring tons of tea from the side of a boat while dressed as an Indian.

–Jedah Doma