"It's their game" is a viewpoint I completely stand against. (Destiny)

by Ragashingo , Official DBO Cryptarch, Friday, October 17, 2014, 14:45 (3934 days ago) @ Riceamike
edited by Ragashingo, Friday, October 17, 2014, 15:02

For one simple reason.

They are creating a product that people are paying for. As a consumer, you have the right to expect this product to be a certain thing. Unfortunately, the way game sales work now is that companies treat it as a 'license' to the game, and that you don't have the 'right' to play it if they don't want you do.

That's simply not right. On an ethical level.

There's also a second simple reason.
It's in the field. It's ours. Having the idea be 'It's their game' is what allowed George Lucas to go back and destroy the Original Trilogy.

You're right, a bad creator can destroy a work. And you're right that by putting a work out there some intangible quality of ownership does flow from the creator to the viewer / reader / player.

But not all of it. Perhaps not even most of it.

The best, easiest example of this is the way the money you or I paid does not entitle us to make decisions about Destiny's future. We didn't buy our way onto Bungie's staff or into a leadership position. So while it is no longer fully Bungie's game it is certainly not fully ours either.

In truth it is, to one extent or another, shared.

I think we've purchased the right to play the game (of course) and also the right to critique it. I think a good creator has the responsibility to recognize that they have given up some small amount of control to their fans, to listen to feedback, to weight it, and respond to it, but in a way that fits with their vision. Yes, like with George Lucas, maybe their vision is bad, or not what we hope it would be. Me, I wish there had been a much fuller story in Destiny than Bungie delivered. You dislike some of the recent and proposed changes. Ultimately though, it's still Bungie's decisions that will see where Destiny goes next. In that way it is still their game.

Likewise, if George Lucas puts his foot down on Han Solo not shooting first we can say we refuse to accept it, or speak out to try and convince him to change his mind, but in the end Han is George's character and not ours. It's fine to not like where a creator goes next, but paying some small sum of money does not give you authority over their work.

If you want to be the one making such decisions you are free to create a game or movie or story of your own that fits all your ideals. Then you can deal with fans calling you immature for making the changes you think are necessary. :)