Streamers get paid to play D4, we don't

PC General Discussion
1

Diablo 4 is clearly a bad game but the streamers playing it are basically relying on it to be successful. The metacritic user review of 2.4 especially proves it. I wouldn’t rely on what a streamer says unless you can review what kind of deposits go into their bank accounts. Basically, you need to know who is paying them. You don’t have access to this so you have to assume they are profiting from streaming this game and they certainly are.

This is a conflict of interest when they give an opinion on a game. Employed people, think about this…would you constantly criticize your place of employment and tell customers openly not to buy your product? You would be out the door very quickly and looking for a new job. A streamers true goal is also to sell you the game/get you to play the game, not just get viewers.

Now I do believe that the streamer will often agree that changes are needed if the crticism is overwhelming. This is so they don’t alienate viewers or a community who are outraged. However, the streamer can’t just stop streaming and uninstall the game. We on the otherhand can and should.

11 Likes
2

Useless rating. Nowadays people just review bomb like sheep. Most of those reviews have zero merit. Game / movie ratings have lost meaning. This game obviously has problems, but Male feminist snowflake opinions dont matter.

4 Likes
3

Consistently do this, especially if a better or equal product can be obtained elsewhere for cheaper. Why do I do this?

  1. I’m the one in charge so who is gunna get up me? Me?
  2. As a result I have a great amount of trust with my customer base so when they come in and ask questions they know they are getting an honest answer and thats why they keep coming back.
4

What is their motive? Why would people waste time writing up negative reviews if the game was awesome and they were happy? You are trying to argue that the review bomb is invalid opinions and they did it “just because”. Why would one person review bomb without incentive just because someone else did? That’s where your logic fails completely.

The opposite is actually true, paid professional reviewers/critics dropped positive reviews after playing the game for an insufficient amount of time. Imagine getting to level 10, dropping a 10/10 review because you like deleting a few skeletons in the campaign early on. That’s just what happened for D4’s positive reviews while the negative user reviews are from actual players.

5 Likes
5

Actually, I am getting paid. I get 666 platinum coins. That’s 6.66 Euros! /s

6

I have read some of those reviews and people literally give 0 rating just becouse they can. Some even admit to it actually beeing 5/6 for them but they still said they chose to give zero just to hurt the rating.

Also shows how stupid the rating itself is, becouse of people like that “review” games.

7

It is in YouTubers interest to play ‘popular’ games. They don’t have to paid directly by the studios at all, they just need views and the more popular it is the more views.

So, yes, it is very much in their interest to hype a game up and be positive and encourages others to play it.

Some, of course, go the other way and are negative for the controversy clicks, but you find they will still milk any continued popularity if it is of sufficient level. I believe Asmongold gave D4 a hard time, but is still milking the associated views.

In summary: You can’t trust many YouTubers at all. They get paid if the get views. The unscrupulous among them will say whatever gets views. Even the more moral will tend to not do themselves out of a job.

It’s very rare to get a YTer that is fully honest and even they tend to try and make a point of being honest and thus ‘bank’ on that honesty getting them more views.

There’s one I saw recently, for example, that makes a point in all his vids of getting the information he intends to cover into the very start of the video instead of dragging it out over the 10 minutes that the YT algorithm loves. He then goes on to discuss it more deeply for the 10 minutes, but makes a point of telling you you can switch off if you just wanted the highlight. I admire that. I will watch his stuff again. I will make a point of letting the video play (but kinda ignoring it) even if I just wanted the highlight in order to reward him for his honesty.

So yeah. Trusting YTers views is something you should think hard about (not something many do on social media these days…)

8

They are not invalid opinions, they are exagerared opinions which make them a bit less valid that the real note d4 deserve. Because there’s no way it’s a 2/10 game despite the (kinda obvious) mistakes.

9

Yeah, this is why I always laugh when I see people on the forums say the streamers are trying to ruin D4. It’s the complete opposite. Streamers, especially new streamers with smaller followings have a huge incentive for new games to be popular so they can find a base of viewers for their content.

Streams are hugely incentivized to put a positive spin on games to keep people invested in them. Only the top of the top streamers can really get away with negative spin.

10

I’d give it a 1/10 personally just for okay combat. I put 1000s of hours into D3 and D2. I couldn’t even do another 5 hrs into this Season 1 before I got bored enough to uninstall. The game has no replayability and I’d have to write a novel how to make it acceptable. Maybe before the game ruiner patch I’d have given it a 4/10 for nostalgia’s sake but bad patch + bad season back to back = 1/10 to me.

Think about this, P2W Korean MMO like BDO and Lost Ark have significantly higher ratings than Diablo 4 on that site. D3 has a better rating on that site. The only game D4 is outperforming on there is Diablo Immortal, its not easy to find a big game w/ a score less than 3 but D4 succeeded at that.

11

You realise that many of them haven’t been singing D4’s praises, right?

Many of them play other ARPG’s.

At least one of the most high-profile pure Diablo streamers has said that they would be open to switching games if things didn’t improve in the next couple of seasons. Not to follow the crowd/income but, due to the fact they simply may no longer enjoy D4 if Blizz continues to stomp all over it’s game.

By your very own logic, it is counter-productive for them to cling to a dying game. There are a few streamers that are self-sufficient financially and have no need of the streaming income - it is simply a nice little side thing that they enjoyed doing.

Most streamers aren’t pure Diablo streamers and would be leaving once the hype dies regardless. Many will follow they crowds and try out BG and PoE when they are released because they go where the crowds go and often say what the ceowds want to hear. For 99% of them they WILL switch because, like you said, their income relies on streaming. For most streamers, they follow the hype, not the other way around - they simply amplify the general opinion to keep as many viewers as possible.

Just look at all of the clickbait videos on youtube as a prime example. Drama sells. There is no drama in quietly saying “it really isn’t that bad you know…”, and you know what, many people will stick with those streamers because they are seeking a more level-headed streaming experience, someone who isn’t screaming about the end of the world, someone who is actively looking for ways to get the best out of the game. They do this because they too are hoping Blizz turn it round (probably because they recall the last two Diablos started off as an utter dumpster fire too).

Not everything is a huge conspiracy/manipulation of the masses. If you enjoy the game stick around. If you dislike it, move on. If you are willing to give it a “trial period” then perhaps listen to one of the streamers who is actively trying to search for the best builds.

Finally, give people some credit for being able to make their own decisions based upon their own experience. If someone is inclined to mindlessly follow a streamer no matter what, then they have bigger problems than Diablo 4.

12

1/10 is already a very biased rating. With all the flaws within D4 its still not a 1/10. Anyway my main point is that people review on “feelings” nowadays and not factual objectivity.

Check out this unhinged guy and his post spamming within last 5 hours, these are your average rage induced metacritic reviewers.

13

This is why the game comes first, and Devs need to own their own game.

I don’t want to play a game that only services the content creators

Game shouldn’t be tilted, because of a gaming streamer.

That being said, passionate players that have useful feedback, for the game, can and should be viewed by the devs and they take it from their.

Not pitchfork devs based on what this or that or whoever streamer says so.
It’s not their game, they don’t own it, they didn’t develop it.

Be like me covering someone’s song and thinking i have the right to “Fix” it and make it better.

If the game doesn’t suit streaming, doesn’t make it a bad game right.
Like imagine streaming other AAA games at some point you are going to run out of new game plus modes or things to do.
Imagine asking those devs to tilt the gameplay, so i can make a job out of playing the game.
Lol.
Streaming is entertainment, people want to make a living that way, that’s on them, the service is based on streaming the games you play not making them.

That being said, People that deep dive and go through the game to help others and offer newbie guides and such for people that’s great.
Offers valuable feedback to the game as well.

Give credit where it makes sense.
Making more of it than that, is on you.
Support your favourite gamer if you want, just have perspective.
Echoing for them, is not a healthy thing for gaming or gamers.
If the devs like what the input is, they can check it out or hear from those people themselves.

That’s my take. Not everyone is going to agree, not gonna fight those people.
Just having my freedom of speech on the topic. Dont like it move on.
I am not making a you tube broadcast about it so relax.

1 Like
14

IDK, when i see a rotten tomatoes critic score that’s high and an audience score that’s low, I know exactly what’s going on there. I can’t think of a game that got review bombed and didn’t deserve it.

16

You never trust such scores becouse they are inflated / fake.

17

Nope, I like this game and am having fun. Go rain on some one elses parade. Seriously what is with you people. Not everyone likes the same games! If you don’t like this game, that’s fine you don’t have to like it. Leave. You don’t like the game anymore, stop playing and go away!

18

I’d give the game a 4/10 on release, the main issue that prevented me from playing would be they need to work on end game activities. Instead, the ignoring of exploits, the nerf patch and a lackluster seasons has dropped me down to 1/10, again, because the combat is good but not necessarily better than D3 or D2 even. I can’t give more than a 1/10 for a shell of a game that continues to decline/worsen. I prefer to keep it uninstalled and I even keep overwatch 2 and HOTS installed on my BNET launcher for comparison. A 0/10 can be a legit review for someone especially since it is a live service model and they may consider it unplayable due to poor patches and bad management.

You are also using an extreme example although when I read his posts it’s clear he’s mad about the nerfs, that is easy to understand. His opinion means just as much as yours or mine on here. Plenty of “positive” threads you can click on here defending the game, usually from trolls who give no specifics and just get a kick out of aggravating the agitated playerbase even further.

19

This is clearly a bad post. Stop posting on here.

20

i dont see elden ring or Zelda TOTK getting the same treatment , those reviews does mean something

21

Wudijo is the biggest blizzard shill alive

1 Like