Boycott Activision.

[Guest lumber_of_the_beast]

To you, the forumgoers here at EleTD.com:

Odds are, you already know about Guitar Hero and Rock Band, so I'm gonna skip over the basic introductions to each. The important part is, Activision recently acquired Red Octane, meaning that it got the Guitar Hero franchise in the process; Harmonix, on the other hand, joined up with MTV Games to make Rock Band. I got Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, and thought it was a terrible game, especially in comparison to Guitar Hero II. But that's all right, Harmonix had nothing to do with that dung pile, and surely Rock Band was going to be better. And, indeed, it was. And all was well for a time.

Eventually, though, it surfaced that the PS3 Gibson Les Paul guitar controller that came with Guitar Hero III was incompatible with the PS3 version of Rock Band. Harmonix, feeling that guitar controllers should be an industry standard, made a patch to fix this, even though it meant they would sell less of their own Fender Stratocaster guitar controller down the line. It was supposed to be out some time ago. But it has yet to be released. Why? Because Activision blocked it, refusing to allow it to be released until Harmonix paid them an undisclosed sum of money. Even though they have no real legal right to do so, Sony is backing them up nonetheless, possibly out of fear of getting sued by Activision.

Let me reiterate that.

Activision is charging Harmonix for the release of a patch that Harmonix made for Harmonix's game that would let Activision's guitar controller work with Harmonix's game.

This is clearly one of the most asinine decisions Activision has ever made, and frankly, even though I have the 360 version of the game and am thus unaffected by this problem, I won't stand for it. And neither should you. Which is why I ask you to do three things today.

1) Let Activision know that you're unhappy with their decisions. Sign this online petition showing your displeasure with Activision for blocking Harmonix's patch out of shortsighted corporate greed. Email Activision, or write them letters.

2) Stop buying Activision products. No more Call of Duty, no more Tony Hawk, no more Guitar Hero. Blizzard and Activision are merging; cancel your WoW subscription, and as hard as this may be, ignore StarCraft II. Activision may ignore the petition, but they won't ignore a substantial loss of income; but they won't have the substantial loss of income unless you refuse to buy their products.

3) Spread the word! Send this message, however you choose to word it, to the other forums that you visit, as well as any mailing lists you're a part of. Tell your gamer friends and family to stop supporting Activision. Let everyone know.

Thank you for your time, and I hope you join our cause.

Jonathon Hodges

Known on the EleTD forums as lumber_of_the_beast

[Guest 1mpulse]

ok. i think this is going to far.

pirate the patch. there. i said it.

this is people, only people who want that controller are pissed (well, guitarhero players). i dont play guitar hero, but your actions are going to cause people like me to potentially suffer.

i understand its a small thing for activision to bitch about. if so many people think that, then harmonix can take it to court and win. or just pay the amount of money.

my main point is. its not that big of a deal to EVERYONE to make a substantial effect on activisions income. only guitar hero people are going to feel so strongly as to boycott their products. trust me. noone will.

[Guest lumber_of_the_beast]

ok. i think this is going to far.

pirate the patch. there. i said it.

this is people, only people who want that controller are pissed (well, guitarhero players). i dont play guitar hero, but your actions are going to cause people like me to potentially suffer.

i understand its a small thing for activision to bitch about. if so many people think that, then harmonix can take it to court and win. or just pay the amount of money.

my main point is. its not that big of a deal to EVERYONE to make a substantial effect on activisions income. only guitar hero people are going to feel so strongly as to boycott their products. trust me. noone will.

So you're condoning their behavior? You don't care, because it doesn't affect you? What else don't you care about?

[Guest 1mpulse]

its not right sure, but let them sort it out. nothing we gonna do.

and i already hate the fact that guitar hero is really expensive here, and you cant even GET the gibson model (which is my favourite guitar , btw)

but that doesnt mean activision is all bad.

[Guest lumber_of_the_beast]

So what if they aren't all bad? That doesn't mean I can't protest the bad parts. If I go around handing random people $100 bills, but also punch every infant I see, aren't you still gonna be irritated that I'm punching infants?

[Guest 1mpulse]

not if you are only punching one infant.

giving a thousand homeless people a home >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> punching one infant

[0rb3r]

I agree to 1mpulse, if activision is bitching around with harmonix's players they should solve it on the courts and if appliable pay. You should calm down a bit.

I don't suspect as well that you would care if it wouldn't affect you directly.

If you feel anyway that you need to do something about, go to the court yourself against activision or (better option) mail harmonix about your concerns and ask them for permision to collect signs from other players, they will tell you if it is of help or not.

I feel like you that big companies executives could need a helping hand on sportive behaviour, but thats why laws exist and even the smallest citizen has got resources to fight for his rights. I just condemn people as well pushing others to protect his own rights, so going on barrikades and stop buying activision products is imho a wrong idea and will not benefit anyone. Mail harmonix and collect signs, its the best way.

Besides, i dont play guitarr hero but if harmonix needs my sign to protect the rights of its players i will help you out signing.

[0rb3r]

giving a thousand homeless people a home >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> punching one infant

It's still the infants choice if he wants to be puched for this noble cause.

Or am i the only one feeling bad punching kids?

[Guest 1mpulse]

hmmm, the infant wouldnt understand the reason for punching it

[Twilice]

I don't understand exactly what have happend. It's a really long text you written, could you make it a shorter and clearer?

I think you choosed your words bad.---

----By the last things you wrote: Blizzard and Activision is merging, boycot WoW and Starcraft II.

Are you really telling us to boycot Warcraft, that means your telling us to boycot Element TD. (in your face!!) By all means you have posted this in an Warcraft III map forum.

[Guest 1mpulse]

Let me reiterate that.

Activision is charging Harmonix for the release of a patch that Harmonix made for Harmonix's game that would let Activision's guitar controller work with Harmonix's game.

[Guest Sancdar]

It may seem a little weird, but honestly Activision is not out of line. Harmonix created something that uses proprietary hardware without the right to do so. While the patch might boost sales of the Activision guitar, it's still illegal to do it without authorization and big companies can't afford to set precedents of not enforcing their rights. If so no-name guy on the internet made the patch, Activision probably wouldn't give a shit, but it's coming from one of their competitors that they can easily get some cash from.

It's just like how Sony or Nintendo can block publishers from releasing games on their respective consoles - you have to have the rights to develop software before you can release it.