The Daily Grind: Do social media tie-ins annoy you?

When ArenaNet thanked Guild Wars 2 beta applicants with a special video earlier this week, the move was met with a surprising amount of angst-ridden complaining because the video was gated behind a "Like" button on Facebook. Some gamers just didn't want to sign up for Facebook just to see a video or resented the idea that the thank-you was really just a clever marketing trick to advertise the game to their friends.

While complaining does seem a bit like looking a gift horse in the mouth (and it was easy enough to find a copy of the video on YouTube within five minutes anyway), I can still understand why some folks are irritated by the permeation of social media into every corner of the MMOsphere, from news sites like ours to clicking "Like" for free stuff to auto-Tweeting in-game accomplishments.

What about you? Do social media tie-ins annoy you?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

Reader Comments (154)

Social media tie-ins annoy me no end. Its like some kind of perverse extortion invading my game life and trying to force me to submit or be excluded from important info.

There was a direct link the was leaked out by one of the devs via GW2 Guru. Still most of the people I game with resented it also.

nefermore
Exactly my sentiments.I actually think less of a game when they pull that CR _P.

@nefermore
Pretty much.

As a rule, I consider modern "social networking" to factually be pretty antisocial, since most FB accounts seem to have large numbers of "friends" that are never communicated with at all (and are actually strangers with zero relevance to most of the people on their "friend" list).

When the entire system is built on a "network" of "friends" that are strangers with nothing in common, who "likes" what doesn't matter. It's all meaningless to the users (and often the only thing from any of it that is valuable is tons of personal data for FB to sell).

When Rift implemented Twitter integration, I thought "well, this is getting silly". This whole "like it on FB to gain access to cool stuff" is just appalling.

@nefermore

Couldn't have said it better, Nefermore. Thanks for summing up the annoyance factor so well. :)

@nefermore

Agreed.

I also hate all those twitter and especially facebook contest.
Like this , like that , follow this , blegh.

Seriously. I am not using facebook to advertise stuff ,but only rarely to get in contact with people that would be problematic by other ways (got some colleagues spread internationally).

Really despise this tie-ins.

Great post nefermore !

@nefermore

If Facebook had a "dislike" button, I would have made a false account just to click it.

This is how much I dislike such PR stunts.

On the other hand, I don't have anything against the games having a presence on social sites such as Facebook or Twitter, as long as they don't try to force their players into registering or advertising them. I see even things like LotRO's Flash Lotteries as OK - while the best way to catch those is to follow the announcement account on Twitter, the lotteries themselves are also announced on, and entered from, LotRO's page.

@nefermore Agreed. When i saw that I had to like on facebook to watch the video I cringed. Also when I read something about having to do some kind of secret war via facebook to get into the Secret World beta I basically went: "whelp, I'm not getting into THAT beta."

Yeah, I got rid of my personal facebook like a year ago...

@nefermore I agree, I hate it. Stop promoting Facebook. I don't want to use it, I don't like it. Just use your own damn site.

@BaneBergan I agree completely, I personally find things like Steam to be more social than Facebook and other 'social networks'

@BaneBergan
I feel the same way, I cant stand Facebook and Twitter without all the game company tie ins, Let alone with them. I don't like being forced to do something to feel included into a certain group. Its pretty much "Like us on facebook, or your a nub." Hate it...

@nefermore

Yeah.

This one wasn't so bad because it was just a video locked away but it's the principle of being used that rankles.

People aren't the same grade of dumb lemming they used to be when it comes to this kind of PR.

Yes...

...and if I knew this was going to be an issue aired out in a Daily Grind, I would of kept my pie-hole shut about it. :(

@Utakata

"and if I knew this was going to be an issue aired out in a Daily Grind, I would of kept my pie-hole shut about it. :( "

Why? Companies need to know when we do not approve of what they are doing. We only have two options speaking out or speak with our wallets.

@Zeddakis

Hey, I already did. That is why this article inpart is here. I just didn't think it would catch Brianna's attention. :(

@Zeddakis I agree with you man, I really do, but do you honestly think a few people posting on massively about how they hate facebook advertizing and such is going to stop those companies from doing so?

Whether we like it or not, most companies see facebook as a good advertizing tool. Unless someone were to take down facebook, or other equally as annoying social networking sites. This little issue is just going to have to be dealt with. I'm sure someone will throw it on youtube soon, then we can all watch it.

@Utakata

Um, folks...I've said nothing offensive, trolled...nor disagreed with the subject of this article being problematic. Infact, it was the first thing I mentioned is not liking these thank you/marketing tie-ins. So take a chill pill on spamming the downgrade buttons please. Thnx.

@Zeddakis

Just so I am clear, I don't disagree with you. I think speaking up is important. I am being weird about this, because I was the one of the ones who protested quite vocally about this in the article mentioned for today's discusiion - and I oddly got nervous when it became a suject of this article. So tl,dr...just ignore my weird issues about it and speak away. :)

Its pretty damn annoying,

facebook should go in a corner and DIAF together with zynga.

Cue the " I hate Facebook, I hate everyone I've ever known," comments.

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 20 Comments

The Daily Grind: Do social media tie-ins annoy you?

Reader Comments (154)

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 8:09AM nefermore said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 8:39AM Shadanwolf said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 9:08AM BaneBergan said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 9:59AM Celtar said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 10:14AM smartstep said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 11:00AM DarkWalker said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 12:27PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 1:16PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 3:49PM Vgk said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 3:51PM Vunak said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 4:34PM DancingCow said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 8:10AM nefermore said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 8:15AM Utakata said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 8:53AM Zeddakis said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 10:15AM Utakata said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 1:32PM Jetflame3 said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 1:53PM Utakata said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 2:05PM Utakata said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 8:17AM Lycaniz said

Posted: Mar 17th 2012 8:19AM Carefulwiththatpoptart said

Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

Massively surveys WildStar's Scientist and Settler paths, the Esper class, and the crazy things Jeremy Gaffney says

Featured Stories

Free for All: An interview with ThresholdRPG's Michael Hartman

Choose My Adventure: Building on the clan experience in Darkfall

Hartsman: 'The traditional AAA style of development and distribution' is broken

Engadget

Joystiq

WoW

TUAW