Welcome to the ZTGD Reviewer Rodeo. Each week, we’ll grab on to the hottest issue, hold on for dear life, and wrassle it to the ground.
You may have heard the news that Marvel Comics entices comic book shops with limited, alternate covers if they prove destruction of select issues of DC comics. What are your reactions? Do you think we could see something like this in a console war between manufacturers? Publishers?
Drew “Frustrated Fury” Leachman
I think this is just a low move. Marvel and DC have collaborated with each other before. Why in the world would you want to kill off your relationship with each other? It’s almost like they’re trying to say they’re better than their competition. Imagine if Activision came out and said, if you show evidence that you burned Battlefiled 3 discs, we’ll reward you. It would just push away fans and label themselves as jerks.
I think video game companies have a little more integrity than to do this. Then again, I thought Marvel was a class act, at least in the good way. I’m wondering what Disney has to say about all this. I wouldn’t think they would condone this type of press. I just find it very low for them to ask retailers to do this. Grow up, Marvel, and show some respect for your competitors.
Derek “Punchfister” Deebag
Comics are for nerds.
Michael “Red Pen of Doom” Futter
Shame on you, Marvel. Not only are these business business practices despicable, but they insult everyone involved in your business: your competitors, your distribution channel partners (retailers) and your readers. I can only wonder how some of your very own heroes would react to this news. Quit acting like J. Jonah Jameson and start behaving like Professor X.
Thankfully, I don’t think we are likely to see this anytime soon in the videogame industry, not because of ethics (the Modern Warfare vs Battlefield war is just heating up, after all), but because of cost. It is highly unlikely that retailers would capitulate to the same tactics for a $60 (retail price) game or, worse, a $400 game console. That said, we are seeing pricing wars among retailers. This is in addition to our industry’s own nefarious scheme: retailer-specific pre-order bonuses.
I think we’re safe, for now, from the destruction of competitor products, but be assured that publishers and console manufacturers are hard at work figuring out new ways to grab as much shelf space as possible from their competitors.
John “Dubya” Whitehouse
I really can’t see that happening. Comics are relatively inexpensive to produce and therefore destroying them wouldn’t cost much for the rival publisher. Games are more expensive and, therefore, it is unlikely to benefit any console maker or publisher to engage in this behavior.
That’s all for this edition of the ZTGD Reviewer Rodeo. Join us next week as we grab onto another bucking bronco of controversy and beat it into submission.
Got questions or comments? Drop ’em in the comment section below or hit us up via email. Suggestions for Reviewer Rodeo topics that you want our opinions on? Hit Mike up at michaelfutter@ztgamedomain.com.
