Have you ever really thought about what you want? Not just in life, but specifically in video games? Fallout co-creator, who’s become quite the YouTube sensation with his career retrospectives and musings on game development, certainly has. His take? Provide developers feedback they can actually use.
In his latest video, Cain dives deep into the art of dealing with player opinions—what they love and loathe about a game—and why how you express that feedback matters. You won’t be shocked to learn that simply calling a feature “crap” without any explanation doesn’t do much to help developers improve.
“Here’s the thing,” Cain points out, “whether you’re commenting on this channel or any place where you chat with game developers, it’s vital to express what you like and, more importantly, why. Constructive feedback is way easier to tackle than vague complaints, so if you’re aiming to make your voice heard, be clear about what you want.”
Cain acknowledges that simply stating what you don’t like about a game can indeed help developers, but that feedback needs to be specific. He highlights how some folks might clog communication channels with generic statements like “enemies are dumb,” when they actually mean “these enemies never use cover, even though it’s everywhere, and I do.” Such specific observations give developers something to latch onto and fix.
Cain also touches on the fast travel debate. Whether to incorporate it or not can become quite a puzzle if players aren’t clear about the alternatives they might prefer or how it can be integrated without feeling overly hands-on or forced.
Ultimately, tastes vary dramatically, adding another layer of complexity if feedback lacks specificity. I echo Cain’s thoughts here, though I’m somewhat divided when it comes to his perspective on voicing grievances over “purely cosmetic microtransactions.” He suggests that since they don’t impact gameplay, they’re not worth the fuss, a sentiment I don’t entirely align with.
This topic is sure to attract a spectrum of opinions—ask 100 people, and you’ll get 100 answers. However, when players voice concerns about things like pricing—even if it’s just for cosmetics—it can serve as a valuable cue for developers. It’s a chance for studios to reassess how they’re maintaining goodwill with their community, particularly regarding monetization strategies.
So, when you give feedback on games, do you think you’re effective in getting your point across? We’re eager to hear from you in the comments!
