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Are We Too Quick to Judge Sometimes?

Are We Too Quick to Judge Sometimes?

Given the reliance on online multiplayer this generation, it isn’t surprising to see many games that are either online only or rely heavily on playing with friends over the internet. Titanfall , Destiny , Splatoon , Star Wars Battlefront , Street Fighter V , and The Division are just a few of these recent, major releases where most of your time will be spent enjoying the experience with friends and strangers around the world. It’s why people shouldn’t be judging any of these games too heavily at launch.

Think about it. All of these games rely on a sense of community and strong infrastructure. Both are things that don’t just appear. They take time to flourish and grow. It’s only with patience and commitment on the part of both the creators and players that these sorts of games become worthwhile. We should be giving them time before we determine their worth.

Splatoon and Star Wars Battlefront are examples of content-light games that have or are making up for it as time goes by. There weren’t many maps or weapons in Splatoon right away. The Ranked multiplayer wasn’t even ready. With time, Nintendo released free DLC that added new modes, weapons, and locations that made the game worthwhile – and don’t forget those Splatfest competitions! People needed to give the game time, and it has proven itself.

EA still hasn’t made up for Star Wars Battlefront ‘s content-light launch, but it’s doing the same. The Battle of Jakku was available right away, and free maps and Star Cards have been promised. This month, we get Outer Rim, which adds new heroes, weapons, maps, and an extra game mode. It’s taking much longer, which is sad, but there’s growth here too. Now that it’s had time to develop and hasn’t turned out the way we expected, it’s the perfect time to cast judgement.

Are We Too Quick to Judge Sometimes?

Then, there’s Street Fighter V . It’s the current poster child for games that should have released when all of their content is ready. As a result, it’s mainly an online fighter, but the infrastructure wasn’t ready despite numerous betas. It’s only now getting to a point where you can reliably enjoy a match, but Capcom still hasn’t implemented a system to punish rage quits. Can you really judge the game now, when it clearly isn’t ready?

It’s something that’s going to keep happening. The Division is the latest newbie to focus on online, but can we really say if it’s worth it yet? We aren’t even sure how well it works online. The same goes for all future games, meaning we need to start being a little more patient as players. Snap judgements aren’t best, when a game needs to have a certain following to get settled. Take your time before you buy or condemn a game, maybe a month, and it’ll make a huge difference.

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