The new entry in the classic video game series, Ninja Gaiden 4, has been officially released on different platforms including Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Nevertheless, the social media announcement from Xbox has caused much controversy among the gaming community. The tweet announcing ‘Take out your enemies in style, no matter what device you play on’ was intended as a cheerful notice of the game’s multi-platform release but mobile, in particular, was have had a big impact on this. But the situation has not only been a nuisance for the Xbox community but very much an amazing ride!
What went down? The gamers’ first reaction to the case was… negative. RVs, one of the gamers, voiced his criticism very heavily with the remark “What do they mean? Are they trying to say that console players are of no value … that’s really a bad marketing strategy.” The user kept on going, somewhat agitated, “The person in charge of Xbox’s social media must be mad… The mobile audience might not show up for NG4… But at least 50% of them would be on Xbox console Game Pass. And they told this to us? Ouch! That’s one powerful emotions expressed right there!
It is clear that apart from the fact of playing on ‘any device’, mobile especially, some people had to take it hard. The whole mobile thing seems to suggest that the action-packed Ninja Gaiden 4 is as good on a smartphone as on a console? That’s where the users are not ready to go. Another user Raven commented with a sarcastic twist: “Unless you have a Switch, in which case it is not an Xbox.” Thus the whole ‘no matter what device’ really missed the point and actually came off as somewhat patronizing to the loyal Xbox gamers.
But, wait, there’s even more. In the meantime, replies were full of a discussion around cloud gaming and the future. A dude in the process of recovering replied to the user saying “Man that sucks. I’m talking about years in the future when the streaming technology would be so good that we wouldn’t have to deal with consoles or boxes anymore. Microsoft would have the head start on providing that service everywhere.” So some gamers are being overly optimistic who think this is all part of the big game streaming plan where devices would become less significant. However, the situation is currently leading to a split among the gamers.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a wonderful game; it is the newest in a great series renowned for its hard combat. It was definitely a game that many players were eagerly waiting and is now a reality. But the launch has been overshadowed by this strange issue in social media. The game is expected to be an epic, precision-based experience where you would slash your opponents as a ninja master. Touching the screen for this kind of play? No thanks. It is easy to see why Xbox users feel a little neglected like their platform is not getting the recognition it deserves.
This is not the first instance where a company’s communication has turned into a mistake. Do you recall when other gaming announcements that would be made to console exclusivity and the players protested? It is a pattern. Companies want to be liked by everyone but often they end up alienating the very audience that was there for them in the first place. In this case, Xbox gamers who were thrilled about Ninja Gaiden 4 on Game Pass are now struggling with the idea of being an afterthought.
This whole saga emphasizes a battle that is taking place right now in the gaming world: the shift towards multi-platform and cloud gaming versus loyalty to specific consoles. Microsoft has been a vociferous supporter of Game Pass and xCloud, hoping to be the one-stop shop for all gaming needs regardless of the location. But when that message comes across as if it discredits the console experience, players will respond. And in this case, they did not just respond, they went all out.
Ninja Gaiden 4 will, at the end of the day, be available and perhaps it is a great game for those who are willing to get dirty. But the announcement drama is a clear hint that it is just as important to communicate to your community about your products as it is to sell what you are actually selling. Until further notice, if you happen to be an Xbox user, go ahead and buy the game to play on your console, just maybe ignore that part about playing it on your phone unless you are the kind of person who likes torturing themselves. Gaming is for big screens and controllers, not tapping on the screen while commuting. So, go on, release your ninja-side and let the swords do the talking irrespective of what is being said about devices.
