Penny Arcade Forums› Debate and/or Discourse
The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.

How would companies be without fanboy-ism?

TheRedMagusTheRedMagus The Uncharted Backwaters of the Unfashionable End of the Western Spiral Arm of the GalaxyRegistered User regular
in Debate and/or Discourse
The other day i posted here and asked "Why fanboy-ism?." I loved all of the responses that I received and it was nice to see other peoples views about it.

Now today I am here to ask: Would companies compete against each other so openly and so "violently" (that's probably not the best word to use) if they knew we weren't going to be at each others throats when it came to supporting whatever it is we support. I know that companies have always tried to out do each other since the beginning, but if there wasn't the fanboy-ism would Microsoft changed there online policies? Would Sony announced that they would have an always online connection?

Posts

  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    Brand loyalty is a highly prIzed commodity.

  • ForarForar #432 Toronto, Ontario, CanadaRegistered User regular
    In my opinion/experience, a big part of the problem is the blind loyalty that 'fanboy-ism' can represent.

    There's nothing wrong with being a fan of someone or a company that produces media you enjoy, but when that company can do no wrong, when fans are incapable of taking a step back and looking at those products and media with a critical eye, they go too far, and do themselves a disservice.

    First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
  • ZekZek Registered User regular
    I'm not sure why you think fanboyism has anything to do with it - neither MS nor Sony have any real brand loyalty whatsoever. I'd say for the vast majority of people, the brands they prefer are just a means to an end and they'll flip sides at the drop of a hat if they think their interests are no longer being represented, as we saw with both the PS3 and the XB1. Nintendo is the one with brand loyalty because of their beloved franchises, and that hasn't done them a whole lot of good. All their biggest successes of the last decade have been from reaching out to new demographics.

  • LostNinjaLostNinja Registered User regular
    "Fanboy-ism" has nothing to do with them constantly trying to out do each other, or any policy choices that they make. That all has to do with the fact that they are competitors vying for the attention of the same consumers. It makes since for them to constantly be trying to be the better of the available options, and to make policy choices based on what those limited consumers desire in their console.

  • Regina FongRegina Fong Allons-y, Alonso Registered User regular
    Insurance companies and banks engage in intense competition despite no one being an insufferable fanboi on their behalf.

    I think the safe bet is that fanboyism doesn't contribute anything positive to gaming. Fanaticism is pretty negative all around, even if the thing in question is trivial and world peace isn't threatened.

    What could he have been thinking of when he shot his best friend? What in God's name can he be thinking of now?
  • PhyphorPhyphor Building Planet Busters Tasting FruitRegistered User regular
    All forms of consumer goods have this to some level, games just tend to be rather pronounced, probably because of the limited number of companies and the rather large part it plays in our lives

    Nobody goes home and browses insurance websites for 8 hours, obsessing over the minute details of every plan, but pick any game and someone will have make a wiki dissecting every detail of it

    Magic Box
Sign In or Register to comment.
Penny Arcade Forums› Debate and/or Discourse