Ben-DutkaThis question isn't designed to incite fanboy wars. It's not about what you prefer. It's about brand loyalty, which is a legitimate and very serious question that concerns all companies.
So the question is- Are you loyal to any particular brand in the video game industry and if so, how do you justify that loyalty? How much rationale is there behind all that trust and loyalty?
I've come across all kinds of people. I've encountered those who will buy a Sony TV and I'll ask them why and they'll just shrug and go, "It's a Sony." Then I've met those who are unbelievably meticulous about their purchases, and when they've found the brand that seems to deliver everything they want, they'll stick with it until the day they die. Either way, regardless of how you go about it, we may all practice brand loyalty in one form or another.
When it comes to gaming consoles, I've always said the same thing- I don't care about the manufacturer name on the system. Give me games I want to play and a console that works, and I'm good. However, as time goes on, you become an experienced consumer. We each have different experiences, though, which is why there are differing opinions on various brands. I fail to see how anyone with a functioning brain can remain solely committed to Microsoft after two consoles that are the equivalent of hardware train-wrecks. Like those who, without thinking about it in the slightest, fork over the money for their fifth Xbox 360.
Something isn't right with those people. Wired are crossed somewhere; or rather, those wires aren't actually connected. But anyway, there are plenty of reasons to like one manufacturer over another, and to like one developer and publisher over another. Subjectivity is indeed a major element, but I don't necessarily believe in trusting one brand over another just because last time, you were pleased with their product. Me, I just like to do all the research necessary for the current product in question, and then factor in the history of that company, coupled with my history in dealing with that company. Makes logical sense, I think.
I go with what has worked in the past and vote in favor of good stuff with my wallet. Stuff that sucks gets the shaft from me unless they clean up their act. If I get lots of problems and bad customer service (or hear about enough of it) then you get no loyalty from me. Sony treats me like a king so yeah I'm with them until they do bad things to me.
I was once very loyal to Squaresoft-Enix but now they have gone too far with their stupidity and ruination so they are lucky if they get a couple bucks off me…f*ckers.
I'm more similar with Ben. I think being loyal to a business who really isn't loyal to you is a mistake. I see fanboys get burned this way often throughout the years. Where when a business changes their ideals as they deem fit for profitability. It's happening right now with Sony and the x86 PS4.
I do however support a company that is producing content that I want more of. For me I'm very partial to Team Ninja. This is directly because they make two of my favorite all time franchises. I know I vote with my dollar and I go out of my way to pay full price for their products. They're a smaller company and they really need every dollar they can get in today's climate. Sure, that means bumps and bruises along the way for me (more recently the BAD NGS2+ Vita port). I do it because they're living franchises and my energy expended on their behalf does make a difference.
But when and if they stop being the provider of content I love I'll take my money and direct it somewhere else.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 5/10/2013 11:06:11 PM
I usually buy the DLC for games from companies that bring the great games despite not being a huge success like Alice 2. It feels good to support those who make efforts that connect with you even if your few extra bucks are just a drop in the bucket.
I know the feeling but I do avoid DLC I just don't want, like most of DOA boobie swimsuits and stuff. I'd be a fan of DOA even if the girls were more covered up.
That should be unlockable like in DOA3 and previous titles.
I was a Nintendo fan, I was first in line for the N64. But I never had an SNES because before that I had the Genesis. So I went where the games I wanted to play were. When I finally did get the PS1 though I couldnt look back. What Sony did for the industry was nothing short of amazing and they have continued to do so. Its easy for me to buy Sony game products because I know the quality. To this day I also know Sonys machines will have *more* of the games I want to play.
I did however at one time have an xbox in my posession and for quite a while, as my friend didnt want his parents to know he bought one. So I played the crap out of Halo and loved every minute of it. My problem is MS got greedy this generation and it became very clear the gamer was not their first concern. With Sony I feel they want to be involved with games that push the boundaries, which is an explnation to why they have so many first party devs making games from LBP to GT5 to Uncharted. Those 3 right there are 3 games in extremely different categories. MS really supports only the shooter genre with the exception of Forza, which always gets lost in the gears – halo mix.
Maybe my reasons are flawed I dont know, but I stay loyal to Sony because they've been loyal to me in always delivering the goods!
I played the crap out of Halo too. And I loved it. I even found a way to hook my Xbox up to my computer and play Halo 1 online with people all over the world.
But you are right about M$ not caring about the players as much as they did their money. So they got a few good exclusives and milked the crap out of them.
Ok, so we get thumbs down for liking Halo? Whatever.
I have been loyal to certain brands. If I buy a product that is well made and meets and/or exceeds my expectations I will consider them again. I have a Fossil watch that has been spot on for all 13 or 14 years I've owned it. So next time I buy a watch I will consider a Fossil first.
I loved the PS1, the PS2, and many of the games that were exclusive to those consoles. So I got a PS3 on launch day. It has given me everything I could have hoped for, so I will most likely get a PS4 on launch day.
I had an XBOX a few months after it came out I and enjoyed it, but not as much as my Playstation consoles. And the fact that M$ stopped supporting the original XBOX when the 360 came out pissed me off. I got a 360 when Halo 3 came out. I enjoyed it, but I only own about 5 360 games. I have about 45 games for the PS3.
Basically, I buy stuff from companies that make good stuff. I always do my research, but those companies always get the first consideration.
Last edited by Jed on 5/11/2013 12:06:56 AM
Reward programs and sometimes niche titles make me loyal to a name brand sometimes.
PS+ FTW!!
I used to be very brand loyal to Nintendo. I was very dismissive of Sony when they first got into the game and was furious with Squaresoft when they turned "traitor" and went to a different system (where have I heard that before).
But then I got an N64 instead of a PS1 and that taught me a valuable lesson: any company can make a bad product, even of they've made good products in the past. So even now that I'm pretty firmly in the PS camp, I'll never buy another system (or make other large-ish purchases) without doing my homework first.
I grew up watching on a Sony Trinitron CRT tube TV lasted 20+ years so I know Sony makes excellent TV's. I was skeptical when I heard Sony made the Playstation, I held off for a while and finally made the move in 1997.
Last edited by AcHiLLiA on 5/11/2013 1:36:53 AM
Yeah same here. We have a CRT TV in my lounge room that still works, has to be about 30 years old.
I hope one day they make a TV Channel dedicated to Playsation Games
that would something nifty.
I'm loyal to companies that show they consistently make good products, have good customer support, cater to their customers, etc. I think Sony has done that with the Playstation. And even though I don't know much about their other products, good experiences with the Playstation brand made me really want to stick with Sony when I purchased my last TV. Unfortunately, I just couldn't afford it.
I am definitely loyal to companies…so long as they don't screw me over multiple times I will remain loyal. Bethesda is one where I had finally been burned one too many times and because of this I am waiting for Skyrim GoTY and for it to be used. I have always been loyal to Honda, Sega, Sony, Ludwig, Zildjian, and Orion just to name a few companies that I have always recieved either superior products or service from. And because of the quality I have got from them it would take a really bad experience to make me break away from any of them.
I always do my homework and I also allow for bad products from time to time as no company/product is perfect. So, as long as these companies continue to amaze me with their products I will always be willing to invest my income into them.
Loyalty just gives them an excuse to rip you off. I go wherever I get the best service or pricing. I'm the consumer and I look for the best value for money.
I practise brand loyalty simply cause it's so practical. But my loyalty is not unconditional. If a brand starts to disappoint my loyalty is easily broken.
I currently got a brand loyalty in most of my hobbies:
RC Cars: Kyosho
Mainstream electronics: Sony
Computing: ASUS
Heh Asus. The computer brand that gets the least loyalty of all from me. I haven't heard of a single Asus machine that wasn't faulty in some way or another.
Wow – really? Sure you don't mean Acer now?
I've been following ASUS ever since they mainly only did motherboards. Always top quality products. Stable, fast, and with an English documentation with a charming South-Korean accent. 🙂
Today I got two ASUS laptops, three stationary PCs with ASUS motherboards, ASUS 27" gaming monitor, ASUS made my GTX 680 graphics card plus smaller components like audio cards, cd-players etc. Their external audio cards have a *fantastic* audio quality (check out some reviews if you like). Their tablet models are also frequently hailed as the best on the market (their Transformer series caused quite the commotion back then).
All the PCs at work are running on ASUS motherboards too – big workstations, no problems…
So really, if you've had a *lot* of ASUS motherboards that's been faulty then you are almost historically unlucky.
Last edited by Beamboom on 5/11/2013 11:32:41 AM
depends which system.
ive had a mixed bag from them both reliability wise and customer service wise.
i bought the M50SA on release day, cost me 4 grand!
2 months later it started having overheating and BSOD issues.
had that repaired 3 times, never were able to fix it completely.
14 months after purchase allong with the overheating still occuring, the keys started falling off, the plastic strip connecting the left and right mouse buttons was so thin after extended use it snapped and the mouse buttons came off.
the plastic covers for the hinges on the screen also cracked and fell off due to extensive use of closing and opening the screen.
seemed like ASUS was using plastic only the american car manufactures manage to find!
every time i called them they treated me like a pest, constantly ringing them and NEVER returned my calls when they said they would.
then i bought the N55 a few years later after a friend telling me there allot better now, and that was actually really good little notebook.
still have that, allong with my G75 which is the same story as the M50 constantly overheating, the charger has been replaced 3 times within 4 months of purchase!
the f*cking thing electrocuted me on 2 occasions too, twice it has power into the charger, but coming out at the plug for the laptop nothing.
twice i unplugged the charger out of the power point, and the 3 pin plug touched my hand and electrocuted me.
stupid things are suppose to be one way only, once you unplug it and discharge the power in the lead there should be no charge.
but for some reason the charger was retaining a charge, and letting it return through the cord thus making me paper my pants!
then when i told the repair man his response was oh its only DC its ok.
ahhhhh, you do realize that DC voltage is MORE dangerous than AC right i asked.
christ, he works as a service technician and does not know the difference between AC and DC voltage!
another thing that REALLY pissed me off with their customer service was i bought the Asus GTX 680 one day and it was fine, 3 days later i was getting no signal on my monitor.
i rang asus and they said sorry we dont offer support for the video cards.
right, so you accept my 1400 bucks but you dont offer support when it does not work i ask.
yea, sorry we dont offer support for them he replies.
great.
you do realize that its illegal to sell a product in australia and not offer support for it i ask.
he says yea, sorry we dont offer support for video cards just laptops.
i ring back again and get told the same thing, but this guy gives me a few troubleshooting tips anyway and that fixed it.
so, yea, long story short depends on which system you get, and who you speak too.
sometimes their a pile of sh*t, and other times there really good.
some dont know what the f*ck their talking about, dont know the difference between AC and DC voltage, dont want to help and dont give a flying f*ck!
and some are actually really quite helpful.
at least there better than toshiba though, christ they have to be THE worst company that inherents the earth!
so many problems with them oh lord……..
O, forgot to mention the train wreck that is the asus xonar phoebus.
just go to their forums and read all the customer posts having issues with it!
O, forgot to mention the driver issues with the G75 too.
they released the G75 with a lock that ONLY lets you install drivers from ASUS.
they have not released a driver for years now, so every game i try to play on it laggs like hell because the driver is so dam old!
brilliant, release a GAMING notebook with a lock on it so it makes it IMPOSSIBLE to play recent games on it!
GENIUS!
hell no!
companies vary far too much, buying something just because of who makes it and your past experiences is just stupid!
look at all the drones that rushed out to buy the iphone 5 only to realize oh sh*t it aint all its held up to be.
another perfect example my alienware M18X laptop.
ended up spending SIX freaking grand on that pile of sh*t, and had NOTHING but problems with it!
i bought it because my previous alienware was really good, and everyone i know has them and dell had been fantastic in support.
all of a sudden alienware has gone to sh*t, and dell does not give a flying f*ck about their customers anymore!
amazing how quickly companies change………..
I look around my room here and I see a lot more Sony products than I thought I had. I don't go out of my way to just buy Sony but my TV, my phone, my laptop, two portable consoles, PS2 and PS3 all suggest otherwise. It was never intentional but there ya have it. I'm already sold on the PS4 but I'm staying very open-minded about the new XBOX what ever that should be. I'll probably not own two consoles unless MS really blow it out the water in a few days time, but I'm not ruling it out completely. But I do like Sony products and I've never had a bad experience with them, not enough to make me consider another lesser proven brand for me.
Well I know someone who is an Apple Product Enthusiast or APE.
As for me I have a mix of everything, based on quality and affordability… and whether i need it or not.
For game consoles I have mostly stayed with Sony since the variety they have insures I find something I will like. I did have the Xbox last gen along with PS2 but played on the latter mostly. Xbox only came out for Halo.
This gen has been solely PS3 but I have played with the idea for the last 3 years to pick up the 360… solely for Halo. Sorry watched friend play Gear of Wat and found it generic and boring in visuals. Same could be said of Halo, but its my kind of generic game.
Next gen, when and if I buy it, will probably be PS4 for exclusives once again, but as for Xbox 720 or Infinty, whatever its called, it might be an option down the road. Since I have been using Sony's game console and it has always been a source of entertainment, they have first crack at trying to convince towards a purchase. Second Son and Killzone have my interest perked. Just waiting for more potential exclusives.
I think this will be the last ten for purchase. Next will undoubtedly be a game service using Cloud where we get to play games for a monthly or yearly fee with an option possibly to buy a product as a digital dl or let us play it anywhere thru Cloud. Whether I do that if it happens remains to be seen in the future.
Keep Playing!
I have purchased a few other systems, but I am definitely all in for Sony. I have all of the television consoles and all of the handhelds. I will also be buying the PS4. I have Sony brand loyal since I bought my first Sony product – a linear tracking turntable back in the 70s. All of my televisions and laptops have been Sony products. I have always been satisfied and they have all been worth the money.
I used to be loyal to Nokia, only buying Nokia phones and dismissing anything else. Then I realised that it was a dead ecosystem, so I switched to Samsung. And it has been an amazing experience since, I can't imagine having a reason to move on again.
My TV's are also Samsung, because I know samsung makes awesome TV's.
I don't think I will ever get an Xbox, I considered it once, but there isn't enough games to interest me, if that changed then maybe I could add it, but i doubt it.
My cars are Nissan, my first ever car was a Nissan, and I had 3 accidents in my first week, and the car didn't skip a beat. Thing was a beast!
I guess my brand loyalty will always be towards the brand that offers me the best experience and reliability.
Brand loyalty? What's that? As far as I am concerned I am a customer and these companies supply products and services. They are there to serve ME, never the other way around. I decide after whatever given period of time what best suits my needs, desires etc. I choose what I want, I don't aqauint these brands with a misplaced sense of obligation to purchase their s**te. They want my money? Then make the best damn product and by sure they will have it!! That's how you get a copany to perform. Competition and high expectation of the consumer. Light a fire under their butts and make them work for it!!
I have Brand Loyalty for something I've been with for atleast a year, and it has done me no wrong. That's for anything, consoles,sports, music artists etc.
I have Brand Loyalty for something I've been with for atleast a year, and it has done me no wrong. That's for anything, consoles,sports, music artists etc.
I have Brand Loyalty for something I've been with for atleast a year, and it has done me no wrong. That's for anything, consoles,sports, music artists etc.
I'm fiercely loyal. If your product does me right then I don't really go against it just to be a part of the next big thing. I am on my 4th and 5th Mitsubishi TVS and stuck with their VCRs until they stopped making them. I will always own a Nintendo console for Pokemon alone and will also probably own Playstation home consoles for the franchises I like most (mostly Twisted Metal which, ironically, really nosedived with the PS3 version). I was also a true Sega fan until they left the hardware side and still use my Genny, Saturn, and Dreamcast monthly. Software-wise, I'm a Firepro fan and make sure to purchase every one of their games, home and portable.
Yeah, if you do me right, I'll stay on your team.