Insomniac Games released Marvel’s Spider-Man earlier this year for the PlayStation 4 and it had a phenomenal reception. Well, for the most part. There was the completely ridiculous puddle fiasco that quickly resolved on its own. Aside from that the game received rave reviews, but it hasn’t been the smoothest ride since launch. Despite the arrival of the free Raimi suit that just launched for fans and the highly-rated gameplay, there have been growing concerns in regards to the way fans choose to express their criticism to the creators.

It’s become increasingly common for community members to threaten, harass, and troll video game developers for not meeting expectations. While there are some valid points of video game industry’s past, these folks put their blood, sweat, and tears into their work. With that said, sending death threats is never okay. The way some “fans” have imposed themselves  upon developers and fostered this exorbitant sense of entitlement is, frankly, childish and it’s getting out of hand. Passion is not an excuse to harass those working hard to create an enjoyable game. As Insomniac Games’ community director James Stevenson states on Twitter:

Passionate is not an excuse for harassment.

Having paid for a piece of software or a service does not entitle you to be a jerk.

You are not always right.

— James Stevenson (@JamesStevenson) December 19, 2018

With the release of the Raimi suit, some players believed their demands eventually won out, which is exactly why it arrived free of charge. In response to that, Stevenson reported on Twitter that items like the Raimi suit don’t happen on a whim. It can take “months” of time and effort to launch in-game items akin to it.

Just know things take a LONG time sometimes (months and months!) and even then go down to the literal wire.

We obviously never stopped listening.

— James Stevenson (@JamesStevenson) December 20, 2018

Within the past few years alone, gamers have complained about the lack of transparency within the industry. To counter the corporate nature video games have turned to, Insomniac offered refreshing insight on their intentions and gave the community honest and direct responses on social media. Despite the impression some gamers received since the launch of Marvel’s Spider-Man, there are certain policies and agreements studios must follow in accordance to copyright laws.

Despite their attempt to appease their diverse demographic, some people found Insomniac’s responses too brazen for public relations. In a similar scope of news, one Anthem closed alpha player broke the game’s NDA (non-disclosure agreement) when they attempted to stream it on Twitch. However, the consequence of that meant their entire Origin library getting wiped out. And for those who don’t know, it’s an agreement gamers sign to that disallows redistribution or sharing of the contents within. If it’s broken, a studio has the right to take legal actions.

Do you think it’s right for “fans” to treat and harass developers like this? Do you think they’re less common than the media makes it or is it a problem? Let us know what you think in the comments section below or start a conversation on DFTG Facebook page. To stay up to date on gaming news as it happens, follow us on Twitter! Here’s some of our latest to catch up on:

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Marvel’s Spider-Man is available to play now on PlayStation 4.