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No Man's Sky Under Investigation For False Advertising (polygon.com)
No Man's Sky is one of the most talked about games this year. The game sees the protagonist explore the space and experience uncertain places. But its controversial promotional material may also have played an instrumental role in making the title a sleeper-hit success. Polygon reports: No Man's Sky's promotional material has come under fire since launch, and it's now the subject of an ongoing investigation. The U.K.-based Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) confirmed to Polygon that it's received "several complaints about No Man's Sky's advertising," which angry customers have criticized as misleading. "I can confirm we have received several complaints about No Man's Sky advertising and we have launched an investigation," the ASA told Polygon. A representative for the ASA declined to comment on the particulars of the investigation, but a thread on the No Man Sky's subreddit details some of the most prominent issues Steam users have with the game's store page, which they passed on to the organization. Screens and video on Steam suggest a different type of combat, unique buildings, "ship flying behaviour" and creature sizes than what's found in the actual game itself. The store page overall has also been criticized for showing No Man's Sky with higher quality graphics than can be attained in-game.
Sorry but no. There's a shitload of videos and text which show without a shadow of doubt that promises were made and left unfulfilled. people bought the game based on the information at hand which was more than misleading. Misleading is when you hint something, which proves to be less that was was alluded to. Like "Big Trunk", which is misleading because it has no frame of reference (and even so, it's stretching things), But Sean Murray specifically said there will be some sort of multiplayer, that ships will handle differently based on their looks, that NPC factions are warring in space, that you can land on asteroids, that you can grief other players ("A little bit, yeah"), and so on. Those were ALL captured on video and available on Youtube and other channels.
It was a big fat web of lies and deception and it was only a matter of time until shit hit the fan.
...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
Totally agree. NMS is really just the current culmination of years of rot. The whole industry is rotten - especially when pre-orders started becoming a big thing - with promise big and under-deliver being a common theme.
Of course, one could say that about a lot of the software industry in general, not just games. At least with games there are ads and demos which misrepresented the end-product that one can use as evidence.
"You said this medicine would cure my cancer. I drank it, but it didn't work and I still have my cancer. When I sent the nearly empty bottle to the lab, they said it contained something called 'snake oil.' I demand a refund!"
"But you drank it! If you had return the product unused, of course we would issue a refund. But you have enjoyed the product."
"No, I haven't!!"
"Yes, you have."
Honest question: What else should I base my decision to buy a game on if not screenshots and gameplay previews?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.