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Nicholas Lovell
Home   >   Analysis and Opinion   >   Opinion   >   Chinese gamers are pro-democracy, anti-microtransactions and hate “over-commercialisation” Who’d have thought it?

Chinese gamers are pro-democracy, anti-microtransactions and hate “over-commercialisation” Who’d have thought it?

By on September 9, 2009

Tiananmen Square, eat your heart out.

Nothing gets a gamer so riled as “suits” messing with their favourite franchise.

So when a new version of The Legend Returns was launched, with shocking features such as allowing players to “spend real money to get in-game advantages, rather than having to earn their spurs in combat”, a protest was organised.

The protestors crowded around city gates and major roads to block traffic and stop new players from entering the game, according to the Telegraph.

Seems that angry gamers who hate the idea that games might be commercial enterprises that aim to make money exist the world over.

And of course, the Telegraph ends the article by reminding us that “a report earlier this year described the popular World of Warcraft game as ‘more addictive than cocaine’”.

Always good to see balanced reporting.

Note that I’ve been busy, and haven’t verified that this event took place, or even that the game exists. If you like the story, tell me how much you like it in the comments. If you hate it, go tell the Telegraph (only you can’t because they don’t let you comment, the wimps.)

About Nicholas Lovell

Nicholas is the founder of Gamesbrief, a blog dedicated to the business of games. It aims to be informative, authoritative and above all helpful to developers grappling with business strategy. He is the author of a growing list of books about making money in the games industry and other digital media, including How to Publish a Game and Design Rules for Free-to-Play Games, and Penguin-published title The Curve: thecurveonline.com