Duped by the Masters

I've always enjoyed the work Extra Credits has done over the years.  Way back when they were at the Escapist, I remember thinking that it was nice to see video based content that wasn't just going for some cheap laughs.  After becoming a Youtube channel, I was glad to see them expand their coverage into the realm of history and literature.  While not necessarily related to video games, they new how to spin an interesting yarn.  Sadily, I can't get behind some of their most recent content.  I suppose this falling out can only be expected.  Everyone rubs someone else the wrong way sooner or later...or as they say in Japan, "Even monkeys fall from trees."

The couple of videos I'm referring to here are all about the rising costs of triple AAA game developments and the need to increase prices to compensate.  The former is an issue I've addressed recently here.  As for the price tag...well, that's an issue Jim Sterling has got covered far better than I ever could.  That said, I would like to bring up one thing that he never really mentioned - why did they do that?

Why would Extra Credits feel compelled to defend these giants of the industry?  I think in part it's because they are freelancers for said businesses.  Although, I should say that just because they sometimes work in the "big money" sector of the industry doesn't necessarily mean they are subservient to it.  The problem, I believe, is a vulnerability that comes with being receptive to worm tongues.

Extra Credits are idea guys.  They're always looking for new ways to solve industry related issues.  To do that they need to be open-minded and listen to what others have to say.  The problem here is spending lots of time in corporate boardrooms with executives can lead to a very skewed perspective.  Businesses executives always want more money.  In fact the entire point of the occupation is to charm, smooth-talk, persuade, and deceive others for the express purpose of increasing revenue (and by extension their own personal wealth) in publicly traded companies.  If door-to-door salesmen are amature sportsment, then these guys are the professional athletes of their field.  Coming from that angle, it's not hard to see how a normally well meaning bunch of guys like Extra Credits were manipulated into becoming spokesmen for corporate interests.

Either that, or they're a bunch of sellouts.  Regardless, I hope they see the error of their ways.  Also, I don't really buy their excuse that people are reading to much into what they are saying.  It's more like a case of filling in the blanks.