Yet another shining example of gamers unified against corporate tyranny ultimately prevailing and compelling developers to make changes.
After Sony sabotaged the unexpected success of Helldivers 2 by arbitrarily requiring PC players to create a PlayStation Network account linked via Steam, solely for data collection and moderation purposes, gamers eager to obliterate monsters and bugs in a third-person shooter turned to the recent release of D3 Publisher’s Earth Defense Force 6 to satisfy their cravings.
However, unbeknownst to players, Earth Defense Force 6 launched on PC via Steam with a mandatory requirement to create an Epic Games account, a competitor to Steam, to access the game’s online functions.
Given Epic Games’ nefarious reputation of their storefront, known for purchasing exclusivity rights and tying games to their platform, the last thing dedicated PC gamers want is to support Tim Sweeney’s ambitions by creating and linking an account.
When Earth Defense Force 6 was released on July 25th, gamers were outraged. The game quickly became the target of a “review bombing” campaign, with over a thousand purchasers expressing their disapproval over a last minute mandatory requirement to create a third-party account to play with friends.
After its first day of release, Earth Defense Force 6 received a mostly negative review score of 29% with 1,323 reviews, primarily condemning the mandatory Epic Games account requirements.
Despite the negative feedback, the game was a monumental success at launch, peaking at 18,641 players. This is a significant achievement for SANDLOT and D3 Publisher.
Given the relative niche status and obscurity of the Earth Defense Force franchise, which has cultivated a dedicated cult following over the years likely thanks to personalities such as “Sseth” covering the game in one of his many hilarious reviews.
Sales for the game were exceptional; however, its reception was abysmal. The overwhelmingly poor reviews would typically deter potential buyers, but D3 Publisher and SANDLOT have responded to the backlash regarding the mandatory Epic Games account.
It took less than a day for the Japanese publisher to respond to the negative sentiment, issuing a statement that they would be changing their online connectivity requirements based on consumer feedback.
Obviously, modifying the game’s net code infrastructure is a complex task that cannot be accomplished overnight. While they intend to address the issues consumers are facing, they were unable to provide specific details on when the remedy will be available.
By directly addressing the criticism and announcing their plans to resolve it—particularly after Sony’s failed attempt to push Helldivers 2 PC players into making PSN accounts, D3 Publisher and SANDLOT reassured fans.
As a result, the review scores quickly improved, rising to 52% overall with a mixed reception from 3,330 total reviews.
While some negative reviews persist until changes are implemented due to the abrupt requirement of an Epic Games account at launch or criticism of the game itself, the general shift in tone is a positive start.
This shift will improve further once a remedy is provided, allowing D3 Publisher and SANDLOT to properly apologize to their fans for imposing third-party requirements post-release.
If you value companies keeping their promises, the last-minute decision to require an Epic Games account for online play is technically false advertising, as it was not previously disclosed on the Steam store page before Earth Defense Force 6’s release.
False advertising doesn’t warrant your money. Instead, you can choose alternative methods to obtain the game, provided you know what “TENOKE” or “FitGirl” are.
The game itself is being rated positively, but I can’t recommend paying for it until D3 Publisher and SANDLOT implement changes that remove the forced Epic Games account requirement for Steam users.
Only then will I personally accept their apology and give them my money. Or if for whatever reason you’d rather not hold game companies to their own word you’re free to blindly purchase the game and enjoy it in your own right.
Just know that without the valiant efforts of consumers uniting to review bomb the game, these changes would never have been announced. Video game journalists do everything in their power to dissuade consumers from such actions.
Such as a recent article written by The Gamer which proclaims that review bombing bad products that are rife with woke bullshit such as deliberately uglified characters, shallow and ugly diversity representation or simply for any other reason being a nefarious tactic used by individuals who “need to get a life” because they’re “constantly online.”
Despite The Gamer’s boycott of Hogwarts Legacy, also known as “That Wizard Game,” due to transphobic comments made by Harry Potter author JK Rowling, game journalists seem intent on controlling the social narrative of a product.
They have shifted from supporting consumers to acting as PR agents for game developers, who are now primarily activists promoting DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) agendas and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) policies.
They want to silence and censor dissent, fearing review bombing and consumers pushing back against corporations. An informed consumer, who can make independent decisions and choose to abstain from purchasing products, is their greatest threat.
For instance, the DEI Detected Steam Curator group has amassed hundreds of thousands of members and supporters following a failed cancel campaign led by Sweet Baby Inc employee, Chris Kindred.
This vast following shows that gamers are uniting against what they perceive as globalized ideological enforcement. They are choosing not to buy products from developers they see as malicious activists or from those who collaborate with companies like Sweet Baby Inc, a narrative consultancy firm.
Publicly condemning a product is one of the most empowering action a consumer can take, next to not buying it. Leaving negative reviews and generating poor reception en masse sends a powerful message, compelling smaller companies to take notice because they genuinely care about their reputation.
This stands in stark contrast to companies like Activision or Electronic Arts, which consistently churn out the same homogenized content annually, charge more for it, and offer less in return. They know players aren’t happy with their slop, they just don’t fucking care.
When Sony announced that PC players of Helldivers 2 would be required to create a PSN account, they faced massive backlash from hundreds of thousands of gamers.
The intense review bombing and united protest forced Sony to back down. Although the game remains banned from purchase in over 170 countries and their other PC releases still require a PSN account, this was a significant victory for Helldivers 2 fans.
It mirrors the situation with SHIFT UP, which, after a social media outcry, reluctantly reintroduced censored content in Stellar Blade following a day-one update enforced by Sony’s globalist homosexual standards.
Consumers should reward good behavior. Following the backlash from Earth Defense Force 6 players, D3 Publisher and SANDLOT have announced they will be making changes. Once these changes are properly implemented, it’s only fair to acknowledge their efforts by purchasing the game.
