Are you still angry about Aliens Colonial Marines not living up to expectations or agreed gameplay footage? Well good news then, because I can help YOU get back at Gearbox and Sega for that travesty. It’s time to get your legal pants on, because we’ve got a lawsuit to file!
Sega and Gearbox have been given the ol’ “one two I’mma sue you” lawsuit, as they’re being taken to court for lying about their game. Honestly, I’m surprised that it took this long to get the case rolling.
Edelson LLC will be handling that case according to Polygon via Destructoid, who say that the fake demo footage shown to promote the game, alongside other images "bore little resemblance" to final clusterf$%k of a game.
Damion Perrine filed the suit, in which he claims that "Unfortunately for their fans, defendants never told anyone — consumers, industry critics, reviewers, or reporters — that their ‘actual gameplay’ demonstration advertising campaign bore little resemblance to the retail product that would eventually be sold to a large community of unwitting purchasers."
The gaming community had a strong reaction to the release of Aliens: Colonial Marines," said Edelson, on why it took the case. We think the video game industry is no different than any other that deals with consumers: if companies like Sega and Gearbox promise their customers one thing but deliver something else, then they should be held accountable for that decision.
Is it fair that Aliens Colonial Marines is being taken to court like this? Hey, don’t look at me. I’m not responsible for a half-arsed attempt at resurrecting a classic franchise that pissed on fan expectations and flatout lied to their faces about the quality of said game.
Hopefully, Star Trek will be next. Geoff deserves to be compensated for the pain and suffering that he endured over the ten hours that he had to play that game.
Last Updated: May 2, 2013
TechniKyle
May 2, 2013 at 13:03
Aside from dying, you wouldn’t really hear me screaming if a hot guy came out of me… well, at least not in agony.
Trevor Davies
May 2, 2013 at 13:09
What if he’s as full of bugs as the game?
TechniKyle
May 2, 2013 at 13:17
All depends on his junk…
Sageville
May 2, 2013 at 13:44
… too easy.
Ultimo_Cleric_N7
May 2, 2013 at 14:08
You dont know that. Kyle may have to take him out for dinner and a movie first.
Kaya
May 2, 2013 at 13:47
Well that escalated fast.
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
May 2, 2013 at 13:04
Wow, they took their time. It surely did NOT escalate quickly.
But I do think it is fair. Touching up screenshots etc a little is common practice. But showing footage that states actual gameplay footage and then having the actual gameplay not come close in graphics, etc is a blatant lie.
Yeah they can try the work in progress option but the final product looks like it went backwards. Not forwards as the term “in progress” implies.
The gaming community can be fickle yes. But in this I think they are right to demand better
Wyzak
May 2, 2013 at 13:23
Great news, once they tear them a new one they should start with EA and Simshitty.
OVG OfflineVideoGamer
May 2, 2013 at 13:53
Nothing wrong with Simshity. They advertised the game as an MMORPG in very very small print in invisible ink on the back of the box where the price sticker is normally placed.
Its us that need to be blamed for buying shit like Diabllo 3 and expecting FUN in today’s market.
Wyzak
May 2, 2013 at 14:04
I never bought the game, but I disagree with you. They advertised that it would have a global economy. It’s still not in the game. They advertised leaderboards, still not in the game. If you go and read the reddit forums you will see that the game is fundamentally broken, and it will probably not be fixable.
OVG OfflineVideoGamer
May 2, 2013 at 14:13
That is why I hate the internet and how it ruined my hobby.
According to today’s gamers, the disk is nothing more than a key to whatever service they are promising over at EA server HQ. If it be unlocking half your disk because it has on disk DLC, waiting for real money auction houses, waiting for Bugthesda to finish testing Skyrim while we all pay full price for the BETA disc before the countless updates and patches.
I can see the entire concept of a videogame changing from GOLD to PATCH to PATCH to PATCH in order to milk the consumer to the fullest before shutting down the server a few years from now so your disk is now nothing more than an old key.
We vote with our wallets and it seems that clever gamers are the minority hence the reason why KEN sold out on Bioshock 3s shit cover.
Wyzak
May 2, 2013 at 14:18
Yeah, I think the problem will correct itself over time though. We are the core gamers, the ones who have supported the industry for 20-30 years. The big companies seem to be putting all their eggs in the casual gamer basket which might not have our stamina.
As for me, I will continue voting with my wallet and I might even become increasingly picky of what games I buy. I tend to support Kickstarter and indie games from day 1, but wait a few months on AAA games.
Skyblue
May 3, 2013 at 08:58
I don’t always follow your train of rant but I loved the initial internet gaming generation back in the Quake 1 and Quake 2 era. Made some great gaming friends whom I play with to this day.
I had more fun with the original Diablo than Diablo 3, agreed. I could also actually play the original Diablo when I purchased it as opposed to the release mess of D3. All this shit started with Half Life 2 and Steam though, they were the pioneers of “fuck gamers, they’re all crooks”. I had to wait fucking hours to complete my Half Life install on an ISDN line back then already.
Bethesda get a pass in my book as they create the largest gaming worlds with so much shit to tie together that it boggles my mind that they still manage to release a playable title every few years.
Wyzak
May 2, 2013 at 14:12
Sorry, I didn’t read what you said properly. Invisible ink, under the price tag 😀
I was fortunate enough to avoid Diablo III and Simcity. I’m actually glad that the DRM in Simcity scared me away, otherwise I would have been stuck with a broken game.
Wyzak
May 2, 2013 at 14:12
Sorry, I didn’t read what you said properly. Invisible ink, under the price tag 😀
I was fortunate enough to avoid Diablo III and Simcity. I’m actually glad that the DRM in Simcity scared me away, otherwise I would have been stuck with a broken game.
Wyzak
May 2, 2013 at 14:12
Sorry, I didn’t read what you said properly. Invisible ink, under the price tag 😀
I was fortunate enough to avoid Diablo III and Simcity. I’m actually glad that the DRM in Simcity scared me away, otherwise I would have been stuck with a broken game.
umar bastra
May 2, 2013 at 13:47
2 months later
GearBox and Sega hit with Lay-offs
HvR
May 2, 2013 at 15:01
GOOD, in fact they should first force the buggers to play ACM 3 times AND then fire their asses.
umar bastra
May 2, 2013 at 15:08
I wouldn’t wish that on my worse enemy
OVG OfflineVideoGamer
May 2, 2013 at 13:49
Like the Star Trek game that is full price when compared to games like Red Dead Redemption for the same price I can see why people get pissed off. But that is besides the point. False Advertising is always a big deal and and always wins in the end.
I watched that demo and started grinning like Angry Joe. Now in an industry, the only Industry where we pay for a product before it has even been made then It is the gamers who are at fault.
STOP BUYING SHIT before ITS OUT and been REVIEWED.
Skyblue
May 3, 2013 at 09:01
Yeah, I don’t pre-order anything until I’ve read a few reviews. I’m a huge Alien fanboy and almost broke my own rule for ACM when I watched that “gameplay” footage. Maintained my senses and am now very pleased I did as I haven’t touched it.
silverscorpio
May 2, 2013 at 13:58
Yippee, Now who is your momma. Finally Developers will realise that the consumer has the final say and not stingy Publishers although as I understand it the Developer might also have taken the Publisher on a wild Alien hunt. Now the Court must decide. I hope it is not a South African Court or Judge.
Ultimo_Cleric_N7
May 2, 2013 at 14:08
This goes back to the whole ‘entitlement’ issue. Many people say that the gamers are a bunch of whiners wh ocry when they dont get their way. The Mass Effect 3 ending debacle is a good example.
BUT HERE IS THE REALITY OF SITUATIONS LIKE THIS: Looking at things from a business perspective, you cant overpromise and under-deliver. Consumers of your product will either move on to something else, or demand either compensation or rectification. Gamers are actually BETTER because at least you get a chance to correct the situation and give the consumers what they want.
When critics and developers call a large percentage gamers ‘whiny, cry babies’ becuase their game unsatifactory, it gets my blood boiling!! You dont see a chef telling you that are a dick for saying that your food is cold. And when you do, those resturants do not last very long.
STOP BLAMING US FOR YOUR LAZY WORK DEVS! When you dont do your job properly, this is what happens.
FINALLY…….Could someone please take EA to court next for the Simcity ‘game’. Thanks
OVG OfflineVideoGamer
May 2, 2013 at 14:20
Evil Accountant’s is run by Lucifer. So I would advise not to sue him considering every gamer has already sold ones soul in order to redeem some skin DLC.
Ultimo_Cleric_N7
May 2, 2013 at 14:53
Fair enough 😉
MastaBlasta
May 2, 2013 at 14:44
Still going on about this game? I agree with both sides, but honestly, if a gamer doesn’t take the time to do research on a game before buying it, it isn’t the developer’s fault, yes the marketing for this game was a complete lie and all that governmental politics, but seriously? Before I buy any game, I do as much research I can find on it before I buy it. All the games I bought I’m happy with.
We cry about games with false advertising but we turn our backs whenever a country is accused of doing something stupid or rational, the world was built on lies, deal with it, you think Gearbox and sega have screwed up, you should see the rest of the industry, you’d crap your pants, seriously, get over it, you don’t like it, don’t buy it or play it, simple.
That is all, have a nice day. XD
HvR
May 2, 2013 at 15:03
tsk tsk, they could have avoided this whole debacle by just putting a “THIS IS CRAP” warning on the box. For example:
COD: Aliens: Colonial Marines
Rince da Ref Lvl2
May 2, 2013 at 15:05
Nice! I want scenes of blood and carnage to play out in the courts. It would certainly be more entertaining than the total FUCK up of a game.
Tauriq Moosa
May 2, 2013 at 15:45
I think, if nothing else, there should be some form of punishment on behalf of those who pre-ordered. This is false advertising, no different to any other product company lying to you about said product.
Hopefully, too, pre-ordering itself will take a dip, so developers can’t chance it on mere nostalgia, hype, or whatever and actually produce quality games. Then reviewers can sit through the painful/joyous final product and report back to us. Everyone wins.
Jody John Fourie
May 2, 2013 at 16:52
I think its a bit ridiculous to sue over a game. Yes its disappointing that it didn’t have all the features that was advertised, but there have been other games in the past that have done this (Diablo 3 comes to mind). I think the bad publicity is justice enough for these people, time and money shouldn’t be wasted even more on getting lawyers involved. just my opinion