Last week Nintendo specified the use
Amiibos would have in the upcoming Metroid: Samus Returns for the
Nintendo 3DS. And to say it bluntly, they are pretty dumb. Since
releasing the figurines Nintendo has struggled to find a good use in
games for them. Right now it's a hit and miss kind of thing. Either
you'll get next to nothing or Amiibos work as physical DLC.
From the get go the Amiibo Idea, as
great as it is, was facing a lot of challenges. Because everyone has
a different threshold on when he thinks Amiibo implementation becomes
intrusive there was never a way to truly win. But still Nintendo use
of these figures has ranged from excellent to being a insolence to
their customers.
So what is the Problem with Samus
Returns? Well it's simple. If you want to play the Hardmode then you
better own the new Samus Amiibo that launches alongside the game on
the 15th of September. Just like the Black Airwing in Star
Fox Zero, which was unlocked via the Falco Amiibo, this forces
players, who want to face the biggest challenge the game has to
offer, to pay 15$ extra. I have criticized that the first DLC of
Breath of the Wild unlocked the Master Mode for that game because a
difficulty should never be locked behind a Paywall, but only behind a
skillwall. And this is exactly the same.
Like I said there have many different
uses for Amiibos in the past. Some of the good and some of them bad.
And I don't want to talk about that again or why the use for Samus
Returns is bad. It has been said time and time again. And as you've
probably guessed from the tittle this isn't todays topic. This news
is only the catalyst because it once more showed the problems of
modern fan culture.
Fan vs Fanboy:
Being a fan of something is great. It
helps us connect with other, similar minded, people. It gives us lots
of things to look forward. And it inspires us to create our own works
of art. There are thousands of stories of people finding happiness
and even love through a shared fandom. So yes being a fan is
something great that should always be celebrated and never hidden.
Still being a fan also poses some
dangers. The danger of losing focus on anything not related to your
fandom is a very real one. Also identifying to closely with it will
blurry the line between you and the thing you're a fan of. In that
case any critique someone may offer to it will be taken personally.
And that is the downfall of all meaningful conversation.
This is especially true if you're fan
of a company like Nintendo or Sony. Or any videogame publisher to be
honest. Because if you take something personally it's only natural to
lash out in defense. When the info about the Amiibo Use in Samus
Returns got out many where quick to rightfully criticize it. But just
as many quickly joined to defend Nintendo, calling all who had a
different opinion hater or even threatened them. Now I'm not one to
take these online threats seriously, but it shows the problem we
currently have in the online age. Everything has to be about me.
Social Media is one huge narcissistic shit show. If someone critiques
something I like that must mean he critiques me.
That's the thought process that lies at
the bottom of this problem. Identifying to closely with a company
leads you to becoming blind for it's flaws and problems. And to be
honest everyone and everything has flaws. Yes even Nintendo. Because
first and foremost these companies only want your money. Some may
call this a cynical world view, but this is the endgame for every
company. Yes some of them surely care for their customers, but in the
end all these ways of binding people to your brand only serve to get
these people as customers. And if these customers happily consume
without complaining then all the better.
One thing that every company tries is
to maximize it's profits. That's just how our capitalism driven
society works. Our ''job'' as customers is not consumption, but
instead acting as controlling organ to keep the companies in check.
And that is something that being a blind fan undermines. Also it
sooner or later kills itself. What I mean by that is that being a
blind, always supporting fang will kill your love for the product.
Because even if you are a huge Nintendo fan there will always be
things about them that bug you, but you won't be able to say this
outright. To admit that your favorite company has flaws, is the same
as to admit that you are flawed because you choose them. So instead
of voicing your opinion you start to simply accept everything, but
the frustration won't go away. And because there are thousands more
like you, your company doesn't see any reason to change their ways.
One day there will be the point where even you are fed up with their
antics. And that's when you cease being a fan. One thing that is
important to realize is that you don't owe these companies anything.
You don't need to defend them or protect them. What you need is to
call them out on their bullshit before it can destroy what you love.
Let's just take a look at the X-Box
One. When it was announced Microsoft planned on it needing to be
online all the time. If you couldn't connect to the Internet you
wouldn't be able to play. Luckily the fans lashed out and that stupid
idea got canceled. But what if blind supporting Fanboys would have
been in their place?
Well like everything anti-consumer that
isn't fought before it can take root the idea would have bloomed and
quickly became an accepted standard. And like any standard it would
get copied by other competitors.
You should always criticize what you
love.
What I'm saying with that is not to
never be happy about your fandom. Just that you should never grow
blind for problems. Engaged fans help their fandom to evolve and
grow. Also taking critique aimed at your object of passion personally
is the dumbest thing you could do. It destroys all hope of ever
reaching your discussion partner and only leads to hardened fronts.
Just remember. You don't owe those
companies anything. Not your love, nor your money. This has to be
earned time and time again. Or we'll end up with a 60$ game for which
you need five different Amiibos to unlock the true ending. And one
more if you want to play it Co-op.
And as always
thanks for reading
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