“Do Gamers Truly Know Their Preferences?” Questions Fallout Co-Creator Tim Cain, Advocating Against Unconstructive Feedback to Developers

Ever thought about what you truly desire? Not just in life, but when it comes to video games? This is something the co-creator of Fallout, who’s now well-known for his insightful YouTube commentary on game development, has been pondering quite a bit. His advice? Aim to provide feedback to developers that’s genuinely useful.

In his latest video, Cain dives into the complexities of handling player feedback—what they love and hate about a game—and the ways to make those messages more constructive. As you might guess, simply saying something is bad without explaining why isn’t particularly helpful.

Cain highlights, “I would much rather people, whether on this channel or any forum, express the things they like and, crucially, why they like them. Constructive feedback is so much easier to address than non-constructive comments. If you want to see changes, tell us exactly what you’re after.”

He does acknowledge that voicing dislikes can be beneficial too, but only if it’s detailed. Generic comments like “enemies are dumb” clog up communication. Instead, specifying that “enemies never take cover even when there’s plenty available” gives developers a clear issue to tackle and refine.

Earlier in the video, Cain discusses the complexity of fast travel in games—how tricky it can be to implement when players aren’t explicit about their preferences or suggest alternatives that don’t overly simplify the experience.

The essence of feedback lies in its specificity; without it, the challenge for developers is amplified. I find myself agreeing with Cain on this, though I might differ on his stance regarding criticisms of “100% cosmetic-only microtransactions.” He argues these don’t deserve complaint since you can easily ignore them while playing.

Opinions on gaming features or business models will always vary. However, when players voice concerns about the pricing of cosmetic items, it can indeed be valuable for developers. It prompts studios to evaluate whether they’re maintaining a positive rapport with their audience, especially in terms of monetization.

So, how effective do you think you are at clearly articulating your feedback on games? Share your thoughts below!