Response to the "Battlefield Effect"


I was reading an article posted on the Screen Play blog recently posted by a Peter Zaluzny. I thought I'd give my two cents concerning Peter's key points:

- Peter was happy while queueing up to buy MW3 since for the first time in months he wasn't "subject to attacks from Battlefield 3 fans"
Good for Peter.

- Peter says the quality of Battlefield 3 "has created a phenomenon which can only really be described as embarrassing." He calls this "the Battlefield Effect"
He goes into more depth of what he means further in the article.

- Peter acknowledges trolling between rival games occur but apparently BF3 players "take this to another level, throwing slander at MW3 players..."
But I thought that's what trolling meant...

- Peter says "according to many BF3 players" if you purchase MW3 you are buying a "terrible game" and are therefore "a terrible person".
I wouldn't say many BF3 players do this. As some have commented on Peter's article, a vocal minority is usually the one giving the rest a bad name and this applies for BF3 too.

- Peter says that "DICE has managed to create a fan base that has made it their personal duty to go online and slander MW3 players"
Well that's a bit rich, blaming DICE for creating a fan base that slanders MW3 players? How do they do that? By giving you extra unlocks for the amount of trolling you do?

- Peter defines the Battlefield Effect as the idea that "purchasing a popular game such as MW3" means you're "pandering to the mainstream, while those who play BF3 are in a sort of exclusive club."
In terms of numbers, there's no doubt that Call of Duty is the much more successful (and hence popular) franchise. As of 2009, Call of Duty has sold 55 million copies. The Battlefield franchise, as of 2008, has sold 17 million. Both would have sold a lot more since then but it's quite likely that Call of Duty is in the lead.

I do agree that it's a bit silly to think you're somehow in an "exclusive club" if you play BF3 since it's not exactly a small indie game with about 1,000 people playing it. This is a game with millions of players just like the Call of Duty games.

- Peter says thanks to the Battlefield Effect we now have a new gamer category on our hands, "that of the non-gamer who plays games".
I think what Peter is trying to say here is that BF3 fans are calling MW3 players "non-gamers". I've seen a lot of trolling of MW3 but I've never seen the comment that MW3 players are "non-gamers". Peter goes on to mention that these "non-gamers" are people from both sides of the divide who have bought BF3 or MW3 just to see what the hype was about - sure that probably does happen.

- Peter goes on to say that "the Battlefield Effect has embarrased [him] as a gamer". He thinks it's sufficient evidence to drop the terms "hardcore gamer" and "casual gamer".
I don't see how dropping the terms hardcore gamer and casual gamer will change anything, since then each camp would be calling each other n00bs or campers or lamers or hackers, etc. It's trolling, it's the nature of the Internet (and I've probably just set myself up for some.... trololololol)



In summary, Peter feels that MW3 players are being victimised by the immature BF3 crowd who feels the need to increase their e-peen with trolling. Sure there's probably some doing that but it's unfair to label the majority of BF3 fans as part of some conspiracy founded by DICE to bring MW3 down. My gaming history encompasses three Call of Duty titles and I enjoyed them all - however since I prefer an emphasis on squad combat, large maps and vehicles, I prefer Battlefield 3 over Call of Duty, and those are the facts. Let us not bring a sensationalist agenda to the table please!

Comments

  1. Thank you. It's so god damn refreshing to finally hear some sense. I play both games. And yes CoD is good but I prefer BF3. I don't go around telling everyone that(unless i'm asked) It's a shame the gaming community can be so immature at times.

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