Has Astroturfing invaded MMO Champion?

[Lochton]

So because people disagree with other peoples opinions, they are suddenly doing the shady? o.O Seriously these forums.. the topics... the conspiracies... *head explodes*

*offers tinfoil hat*

On-Topic: I would doubt it, MMO-champion seems like a core location for such behavior at times, but think we are a bit too vocal. Opinions will come, and be shared.

Truth be told, every time I see this thread title I think of something completely different. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturf



Who invents these weird names we use at times?

[Gwiez]

TBH, when I read the thread title, I thought it was going to be about a different company than blizzard. I still have that corp-oration in mind.

[zorkuus]

...That's not even true. That's just confirmation bias.

Actually it is true. Whether or not they have changed because of Activision is one thing or even whether those changes are for the good or worse... but you're actually trying to claim they haven't changed at all with a straight face?

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Actually it is true. Whether or not they have changed because of Activision is one thing or even whether those changes are for the good or worse... but you're actually trying to claim they haven't changed at all with a straight face?

The Activision part. Really doubt they've changed in the way some people imply that they're sinister Lex Luthor businessmen.

[Grubjuice]

maybe i am a shill and maybe i am not, but i am -historically- almost always in accord with the decisions of Blizzard at least about those topics i care about...
This is of course a contingent coincidence..

[Deficineiron]

The Activision part. Really doubt they've changed in the way some people imply that they're sinister Lex Luthor businessmen.

total change in ultimate company management does have consequences, though sorting those consequences out from what might have happened had blizzard stayed in the legal structure with vivendi it was is the trick.

Making money isn't sinister to the shepherd, just to the sheep, and blizzard isn't putting cadmium into the water supply or anything when they make billions of bucks off wow.

[Kanegasi]

"I'm a corporate shill who wants to pay more than I have been for the same service"

Hilarious!

[Aeluron Lightsong]

total change in ultimate company management does have consequences, though sorting those consequences out from what might have happened had blizzard stayed in the legal structure with vivendi it was is the trick.

Making money isn't sinister to the shepherd, just to the sheep, and blizzard isn't putting cadmium into the water supply or anything when they make billions of bucks off wow.

Funny thing about that. VIvendi is getting away from Blizzard(Or vice versa, can't remember which) I read it somewhere.

[starkey]

Well they probably have people join exploit sites and find out whats the latest bot etc and then they pass the info on, its probably how they found out about the rotation bots and auto interrupts, took them long enough to ban people though the bot was around for 2 years before anything was done about it.

[3DTyrant]

Didn't know such a thing existed in truth, wouldn't be a huge surprise if something like this happened here

[ComputerNerd]

As somebody who uses IMDB a lot astroturfing there is rampant.

Studios hire people to post phoney glowing reviews.

They are usually easy to spot though, someone will have just registered, posted a 10/10 review for some crap movie.

The review is always super generic, lacking specifics, and a basically a copy/paste job.

IMDB is a much more likely and well known source though than MMO Champion is for WoW.
My parents tablet even comes with an app for IMDB pre-installed.

[Deficineiron]

Funny thing about that. VIvendi is getting away from Blizzard(Or vice versa, can't remember which) I read it somewhere.

vivendi got away from owning blizzard directly in 2008, reverse merged the property into kotick's activision, leaving him as 2nd largest shareholder and ceo. a/b and kotick/team bought back most of the vivendi (majority) stake lastyear, and the rest is being offered now.

- - - Updated - - -

Well they probably have people join exploit sites and find out whats the latest bot etc and then they pass the info on, its probably how they found out about the rotation bots and auto interrupts, took them long enough to ban people though the bot was around for 2 years before anything was done about it.

It is far, far more realistic to think they buy every single bot offered for sale and test it extensively, to start building detection profiles.

[ReleaseDay]

Yes, they definitely have been using this. It started in late 2011. I've got proof of this.

[laughtrey]

*offers tinfoil hat*

On-Topic: I would doubt it, MMO-champion seems like a core location for such behavior at times, but think we are a bit too vocal. Opinions will come, and be shared.

Truth be told, every time I see this thread title I think of something completely different. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturf



Who invents these weird names we use at times?

Grassroots movements that are real vs fake grassroots, aka astroturf.

[Tharkkun]

I'm with this person, here. Ever since they sold to Activision, they've changed so drastically. It's such a shame.

It's more likely that Blizzard has changed as the gaming market has evolved. Activision just happens to be doing many of the same things Blizzard did when the two companies merged under Vivendi. No with Vivendi out of the picture Blizzard might surprise us again. The companies that refuse to change go bankrupt.


Btw, there's tons of paid shills everywhere. Stock market sites are the worst but they also invade Amazon, iTunes stores, etc.

[cFortyfive]

Don't really think they have something like one of those facebook like Sweatshops on the Philippines or wherever but I wouldn't be surprised as it happens in some form or another at every corner on the internet.

[Yig]

FUCK I knew I'd be discovered.

[Sierra85]

astro turfing is disgusting corporate greed, but goddamn do i respect their right to do it.