Dead Rising Case Zero is a Ripoff. It's a Demo (VIDEO EVIDENCE). Also, Corporations Own Us. It's Time to Wake Up a Bit.

I am looking forward to Dead Rising 2, although with some trepidation. That being said, I am NOT looking forward to Dead Rising: Case Zero. Well, let me rephrase that: I am, in the sense that it's new Dead Rising and I really want to get my hands on some new Dead Rising, but unless Capcom changes their mind and releases Case Zero for free (fat chance!!), I am NOT getting it, and I suggest to any Dead Rising fans reading this that they leave it be as well, and send Capcom a message:

We will not pay for demos, assholes!
Yes, Dead Rising Case Zero is a demo. It's a demo and it's a damn ripoff!

But this is a prologue, not a demo!, you shout.

Really?

Guess what it consists of?

About 2 hours of gameplay. You're in a confined area, and you have a few weapons. You are on a mission to attain some Zombrex. It's been described as an introduction to the gameplay mechanics of Dead Rising 2, inlcuding the new custom weapon combination system. Sounds like a demo, doesn't it? An extended one, sure, but a demo nonetheless, no?

And not only are they selling this to people, they are, according to a developer in this video:



selling it for about a third of the price of the full game:

(Starting at 2:19, after the interviewer calls the game an extended demo, which he does not correct, he answers the price question with the following):

"We tried to go for like a third away kind of price point."

That means $20 if the full priced game is $60. Twenty fucking dollars for a 2 hour long Dead Rising 2 prologue (read: slice of gameplay with a cutscene or two aka extended demo).

It gets even worse kids.
In that same video, the developer himself describes the game. This is what he has to say (starting at 1:21):

"It's sort of like a trial version of the main game. So if you're wondering if Dead Rising 2 is the right game for you, you can try this out on xbox live, and you'll get a sense of how the game plays....just in general how the main game will feel like (his grammar, not mine)."

So there you have it. They're going to attempt to sell us an extended demo for $20. Curious to see if Dead Rising 2 is for you? Well, kids, we're coming through for you! Pony up $20, and we'll give you a demo, so you can find that out for yourself!!

Capcom knows people have been waiting a long time to get their hands on some fresh Dead Rising gameplay, and, having missed the boat on DLC for the first game (whatever happened to expanding that one section of the mall?) they decided that they would capitalize on people's impatience and sell them what amounts to a demo. This sets a dangerous precadent, especially if it sells.

Please, guys and gals, please, don't fall for this. Just please don't. 
And, on the subject of setting a precedent, THQ is also already on board with this new schema:

THQ's Danny Bilson recently speaking about a Red Faction downloadable game to be released before the full Red Faction condole game:

"Danny Bilson revealed that the publisher intends to use the download game to build buzz for the release of Armageddon.


He said: "One of the other strategies we have is Xbox Live and PSN games on our big brands. They're revenue generators and marketing tools.


"What's interesting is that we will sell it to the fans, it will have content you can download that is TV show-related, it will build up to the new game and also we can use it to drive pre-orders, too."

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=253628

So now these companies want us, the gamers, to pay for their marketing schemes? We're supposed to pay to be advertised to? Notice how he's not saying that their offering compelling games to add to the universe, or something similar? No, they're selling us revenue generating marketing tools. And they aren't even bothering to try and hide this behind flowery, disingenuous PR speak. It's right out in the freaking open!

More and more I lament what I see as the beginning of the end for gaming, if we gamers don't stand up for ourselves and stop acting like fucking sheep who are willing to bend over and take it up the ass and actually act like they're doing us a favour!

Oh, and while I am on my soapbox, can Microsoft and Sony please stop advertising "Free demos!" on their respective online services? Do you think we're that fucking stupid? Of course they're free! They're advertisements!!

That's analagous to saying "Free trailers!!" Oh, wait, Microsoft (don't know about Sony on this one) actually DOES advertise "free trailers" on Live....Wow!!! You mean you're willing to advertise to us....for free? And you're willing to allow your partners to do likewise? WOW, you're so kind Microsoft!!!

Seriously, it's fucking insulting. Just like those companies that say "Call now for your FREE brochure that will tell you all about our product!!"  We've all seen/heard that one. Am I the only one annoyed and insulted by it? How fucking DARE you presue to think that we're so dumb that you can get away with advertising a free advertisement.....oh wait, you DO get away with it.....*sigh* That shit wouldn't happen in a truly enlightened society. Just like Reebok wouldn't be able to sell $100-$120 shoes with a $2 ball in them that will "tone" your legs, when it's been known for fucking decades that "toning" is a fucking MYTH.

Seriously, the Reebok Easytone is a big seller. And guess what" It's a piece of shit. An overpriced shoe based on shitty science (looked into it, even though it was obvious) promising to do what is literally impossible (again, you can't 'tone' a fucking muscle!!) not only makes it to market, but it sells in the millions!!! If people spent 2 minutes to research the damn thing, and the real 'results' they can expect, they'd have saved themselves a fair amount of money and some embarassment. But nope, not in our society. It sells like hotcakes, and Reebok is a respected company. And with testimonials like

"I wore it today for the first time and I could feel it working!"

there's no end in sight to the sales bonanza!

*sigh*

"But, magx," you ask, "what do demos, trailers, shoes and brochures have to do with Dead Rising: Case Zero?"

 People, we need to pay attention to what is being sold/told to us. Be attentitve, and stop being little excitable consumerists who shout

"how high?"

Exercise a little bit of critical thinking. Pay attention, do some research, consider, contemplate.....basically, think before you act. Understand that these marketers' goal is to cater to your whims, and the more you buy into it the more they basically own you. Seriously, as trivial as it may seem, the principle remains: Why do these companies feel comfortable enough to be able to market FREE advertisements? Really, if we were on point, intelligent, discerning, thinking consumers, do you think they would deign to insult us in such a manner?

No way.

They would never presume to do so. It's only because we're buzzing little flies, flocking little sheep, that they feel comfortable enough to do it, and get away with it.

People are lining up to buy products from these people. Seriously, Apple has people in such a daze that they line up to buy the next overpriced iphone, which is the same as the last one. Yes, the same. $400 for a phone that will let you text and get directions and play games, but will drop calls like a bad habit on New Year's Day. They line up to buy the ipad: A ridiculously expensive, completely unnecessary product that has an identity crisis and stands out like a sore thumb.

These corporations have us by the balls, and we gave them up willingly. They advertise the fact that they are so nice as to give us FREE advertisements in the form of trailers, brochures, and demos. And now? Now they want to sell us those demos.

Don't let them.

"No refunds, store credit only."

Storage places who take your money to store your belongings but put up signs that say "not responsbile for lost, stolen or damaged goods." So they are fine with taking our money to store our stuff, but they are somehow not responsible for keeping those goods safe?

Companies who are incredibly accesible, fast, friendly and available when they are trying to get your business or when you owe them money, but who are suddenly notoriously hard to reach after you're a customer or if they ever owe you money.

Selling you a $4 t-shirt made in a third word country under slave labour for $40 and getting away with it because they have convinced you that having that little, itty bitty label on the sleeve, or that last name on the tag, somehow adds $36 in value to that material.

Nutella being able to advertise itself as though it were a nutritious breafast food as opposed to the chocolate treat it really is. Seriously, have you seen the commercials? Straight up lies and half truths, right out in the open. As though we were too fucking stupid to catch on. Are we?

And on and on and on and on.

Enough is enough, people. We have to stop this madness.

Let's take back some of our dignity, and re-exert some control, shall we? Before it's too damn late. These corporations own us, and it's time to wake up a bit. Lies, false advertising, name brand myths, exercise myths, pseudoscience, stretched claims, and our ridiculous exuberance to willingly thurst ourselves into indentured slavery to the whims of these lying money whores. Fucking stop it, people. Just stop it! at the fancy marketing which tells you to jump. No, it's basically a demo. It's just a thinly veiled one. Basically, rather than explicitly releasing a (free) demo, Capcom is releasing this "game." I put quotations around the word game because Blue Castle/Capcom are tying to pull a fast one and release what amounts to a demo as a stand alone game.