The big story right now is that Microsoft and Machinima has been paying YouTubers for positive Xbox One coverage, and that EA paid YouTube video producers to promote its next-gen games. Surprise surprise. That's probably the worst-kept secret in the world. To me, it seems like a horrible waste of money. Video producers will want to cover your game or console if it's trending, hot, new, good — you name it. These paid promotions that are supposed to come off as sincere are deceptive. Gamers just want honesty. Despite a joint response from Machinima and Microsoft, here's some honesty for you publishers out there; take the money you were paying off YouTubers with and spend it on these things instead:
1. More reliable servers
Blame it on Maxis. Blame it on EA. Blame it on DICE. Blame it on Origin. The point is, there's plenty of blame to go around when a game with online requirement launches and is then unable to be played due to overwhelmed servers. Battlefield 4 launched months ago, and servers are still having issues. SimCity had possibly one of the worst launches in the history of gaming, and an online requirement (even to play single-player) combined with poor servers made for a disastrous launch.
2. More time for the developers to work on the game
Hey, instead of paying YouTuber content producers to make videos showing off specific parts of your game that are void of any criticism, how about you use that money to cover the costs of your developers needing more time to finish a game. How about you not rush Battlefield 4 out the door and release it to the masses, only for it to need constant patching for the next four months. Gamers would really appreciate it if you didn't have us buy games that clearly aren't ready, and then release paid DLC for that game while it still doesn't work.
3. Better PR
The amount of heads that have needed to be removed from certain where-the-sun-don't-shine body cavities, in the past year have been so high, I'm convinced half of the video game industry is from Denver. #GoBroncos
Seriously… is it so hard to have a single, clear message?
4. Better games
Now, I'm not saying Need for Speed Rivals — one of the games that Ronku was paying YouTubers to make videos about — is a bad game. As a matter of fact, GameZone gave the game an 8.5 / 10. But how about instead of paying YouTubers to make videos leaving criticism out of it so your game looks pristine, you actually make pristine games. No game is without its faults, but guess what, if you make a good game, people will like it and want to promote it. You won't even have to pay them to do so!
5. Nintendo
Please, for the love of all Mario, spend some money on creating original third-party Nintendo games. I enjoy my Wii U, like all the other Wii U owners out there, and it needs creative, exclusive games to the Wii U. Not ports of Madden and Call of Duty. Original games. Games that people will HAVE to buy a Wii U to play. And games that will make them WANT to buy a Wii U. Please. Do it for the children.
6. Better commercials with clearer product descriptions
When this is the type of crap you spend your time and money on to pitch your product to consumers, you're in trouble. Have a clear message about your game or console and why people should buy it.
You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, movies, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at LLiebl@GameZone.com
