Contest Stats and Discussion - Part 1332

DS was portable though and Wii was for casuals. So that is what I believe.

Safer_777 posted...

Oh and people were still fighthing over that rally 5 years ago? Come on now, we are old and wise, we still doing that? I magine if a rally was going to happen now!

The more we become irrelevant, the least likely we are to get rallied !
(Until we get so small we can be rallied by mini communities like 4chan and Touhou, than we are dead)

TsunamiXXVIII posted...

I'm mad. Where was that strength in 2015, Shovel Knight?!

A lot of things have happened since 2015 regarding Shovel Knight. A Switch version came out, two DLC campaigns, and the Assist Trophy cameo in Ultimate all happened since BGE3. Oh, and Wikipedia states that a little under 2 million copies were sold from July 2015 to now, meaning it's tripled in sales since the months before BGE3

This is one of the few titles in the contest that absolutely had reason to increase in power since the last contest. Of course, the same could have been said about Undertale, but Shovel Knight doesn't have a quarter of the voters vowing to never play it, even though it's basically a love letter to games they do love like Earthbound and Mario RPG.

@averia Maybe in the next GOTD contest! If we are still around.

So? It's not like Galaxy was a game for casuals more so than Odyssey.

Console sales have never been very deciding unless we're talking extreme cases like the Wii U. Moreso, the games themselves matter much more than the console they are on. Odyssey is doing well because it's a fantastic game first and foremost, not because it's a Switch game.

This site has shown countless times how much values nostalgia, the average user grew up in the 90s. It's definitely bold to state that being on the Switch means you'll be that strong.

People are surprised here partially because fellow Switch Ultimate did worse on a game believed to be weaker and Smash has stronger than Mario every console except N64.

Maybe the Switch along with its games transcends all these?

We saw Nintendo absolutely dominate (harder than usual) when the DS was in its prime and people still liked the Wii. We never got a game contest in that time though - by GOTD the DS was old and the Wii had become hated, so we never got to see what games from those systems, especially the Wii, could do in their prime. The closest we got was Twilight Princess demolishing the GotY polls the year it released. Also the Switch is targetting a different audience in part so that helps.

It was mostly when DS was in its prime and the Wii hype was at its maximum. By 2007, the Wii was definitely at its prime and Nintendo wasn't looking particularly boosted any more except for Pokemon gaining its popularity here that it has remained ever since and perhaps a couple of characters boosting from Smash reveal.

Back in 2005 our votals were bigger and new games could do well. Last game contest, that was no longer the case. If this was still big site, I would definitely think the Switch games could rival our old classics here, but that's not the trend we've seen for the past many years. There's great reason to assume that this logic doesn't apply to GameFAQs.

Safer_777 posted...

Maybe the Switch along with its games transcends all these?

Yes, maybe, but there's nothing to indicate it and there wont be this contest because it's GotD. Odyssey dominating here doesn't really say anything about how the top Switch games would compete with the top SNES/N64 games.

Well that's my first big mistake of the bracket. Had Undertale going 2 rounds. Also f*** DK for screwing me over again.

What if Mario actually SFF Fighting games ?
I mean it's way more likely than Tekken and Mortal Kombat are terrible but that's not the most ridiculous link to have happened.

LeonhartFour posted...

I will never pick Donkey Kong to win a match ever again

DK vs Cecil Havey who do ya got

BlAcK TuRtLe posted...

Also, people trying to rally on Discord and Reddit are really missing the key Undertale demographic here. You need to go viral on Tick Tock or some s***head Twitch influencer to get any traction with the 13 year olds that play Undertale

I really doubt any 13 year olds play Undertale!

The average Undertale fan is probably in college rn.

Well 2007 had the Pokémon boost as you said and it was a bit hard to see strength with the four-ways. By 2008 the turn was already starting to happen, and Brawl led to Nintendo oversaturation in the bracket (Lucas, really?). That has not happened with the Switch, people still love it and it’s much more directly targeted at our audience. I think it is a much more accessible system than any other too, especially for people who don’t have a lot of time to play games.

It also has yet to have a drought or even an interruption in its steady flow of first party games, while in 2008 the Wii hit a year long software drought. It is easy to forget but the system went literally a year with only a poorly received Animal Crossing game (that was basically a port if the DS game) in terms of first party releases. I’m not joking, there was absolutely nothing coming out! It made the early Wii U drought look like nothing. Just pacing software releases has made a world of difference for Nintendo!

LordOfDabu posted...

I also think the only reason people are surprised about today's octopath result is because of the last game contest. If that contest had never happened, would you still have taken undertale here?

As someone who took Octopath today, I would have definitely taken Undertale if the 2015 contest hadn't happened. Maybe even to beat Shovel Knight.

Today's result is because of RevengeFAQs. Undertale is a very popular indie, other games with that description would beat Octopath easily.

ZeldaTPLink posted...

As someone who took Octopath today, I would have definitely taken Undertale if the 2015 contest hadn't happened. Maybe even to beat Shovel Knight.

Today's result is because of RevengeFAQs. Undertale is a very popular indie, other games with that description would beat Octopath easily.

I think it would have been close either way.
How large is board8 and who really cares and remember the previous contests results ?
How many people are even still using gamefaqs since years ago ?

I dare say at most it swang 1000 votes.
Which is enough to make the difference but only because they are both at similar strengh.

Averia posted...

What if Mario actually SFF Fighting games ?
I mean it's way more likely than Tekken and Mortal Kombat are terrible but that's not the most ridiculous link to have happened.

I think there is an even simpler explanation:

Super Mario Godyssey

Safer_777 posted...

Maybe the Switch along with its games transcends all these?

Best Console Ever when

Averia posted...

I think it would have been close either way.
How large is board8 and who really cares and remember the previous contests results ?
How many people are even still using gamefaqs since years ago ?

I dare say at most it swang 1000 votes.
Which is enough to make the difference but only because they are both at similar strengh.

It's not just B8 tho. The entire site does. It's something you see people talking about outside gameFAQs.

I think Sans/Draven actually did better with registered voters last contest than anonymous ones? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

ZeldaTPLink posted...

It's not just B8 tho. The entire site does. It's something you see people talking about outside gameFAQs.

I think Sans/Draven actually did better with registered voters last contest than anonymous ones? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I think most unregistered voters don't care, remember or even know about the contest results from years ago.
They probably aren't even the same users as those that voted in previous contests.

So if that's true, it means it actually helped Draven/Sans (bracket votes or remembering the rallies and voting for them for it).

For the record, I called this long ago. I forget which PCA writeup, but the basic belief is that Undertale would become the new Portal. It’ll make contests and get token support, but it will never be strong again. Add in double votes from registered users in the revenge crusade, and you get this. There are veeeeeery few games in this bracket I would have taken Undertale to beat.

I’m sure I’ll get a lot wrong this contest but Shovel Knight > Octopath is an A+ prediction. I just knew.

And I’m still half worried about a rally, lmao

Also DK losing this bad with forced voting with Mario right there getting 173859% is really something else.

DMC5 is the better game though so whatevs. People were VERY happy about it after that DmC s***show almost killed the series.

Somebody asked last night if this OT > Undertale result would have been such a surprise if Undertale hadn't been rallied into a contest bictory before. After Undertale's amazing fundraising abilities closed out a GDQ, I think I would have still been surprised.

on Undertale, it is kinda sad how it's losing today. Shows that those people back from the 2015 rallies really were just bandwagon'ing, they really didn't think it was the best game ever. Where are they now, probably working at Starbucks forced into the reality of the world.

They only were voting for it as a joke. They truly didn't think it was the best game ever.

SuperNiceDog posted...

on Undertale, it is kinda sad how it's losing today. Shows that those people back from the 2015 rallies really were just bandwagon'ing, they really didn't think it was the best game ever. Where are they now, probably working at Starbucks forced into the reality of the world.

They only were voting for it as a joke. They truly didn't think it was the best game ever.

I'm hoping no one actually think they are voting for the best game ever/best game of the decade or take the contest results seriously.

Both my best favorite game and my favorite game of the decade didn't make the contest. (than again I don't get to watch them lose to a bad game so that's something).
It's some average that probably doesn't fit most people and it's a skewed average too (RPGFaq / NintendoFAQ / ZeldaFAQ as we all know)

Why does Hollow Knight beat Tales of Berseria but Octopath Traveler bests Undertale??

Tales is really really bad in Contests.

Averia posted...

I'm hoping no one actually think they are voting for the best game ever/best game of the decade or take the contest results seriously.

Both my best favorite game and my favorite game of the decade didn't make the contest. (than again I don't get to watch them lose to a bad game so that's something).
It's some average that probably doesn't fit most people and it's a skewed average too (RPGFaq / NintendoFAQ / ZeldaFAQ as we all know)

Same(League of Legends for me on game of the decade).

On the Undertale voters, today's Undertale result to me shows millennial/Gen Z culture at it's worst. Going from being the 2nd strongest entry(arguably, behind Draven 2013) in Gamefaqs contest history(Beating Ocarina 57-42 in Dec 2015) to... losing to Octopath Traveler not even 4 and 1/2 years later....

Us Millenials and Gen Z, we really don't stand up for the things we believe in. "Keep it moving" is the adage we live by, in every respect. We're really prisoner of the moment, we're just like a leaf blowing in the wind, just waiting for the next gust of wind to get swept up by...

The second Undertale stopped being popular and trending(Sans in 2018, the actual game this contest), the fans deserted it like a beached whale. You have to question if they even believed in the greatness of the game to begin with.

The only reason i took Undertale was because it got a decent seeding. I figured it must still be liked to get a 3 seed.

SirRobX posted...

Why does Hollow Knight beat Tales of Berseria but Octopath Traveler bests Undertale??

Hollow Knight didn't make the entire site hate it 5 years ago.

SuperNiceDog posted...

on Undertale, it is kinda sad how it's losing today. Shows that those people back from the 2015 rallies really were just bandwagon'ing, they really didn't think it was the best game ever. Where are they now, probably working at Starbucks forced into the reality of the world.

We got invaded. The regular visitors on this site didn’t think it was better than Mass Effect 3, Pokemon Red etc.

But at least it beat Overrated of Time.

Maybe Undertale is just bad now. In 2017 at least people were still talking about it.

I just HAVE to think it's anti-votes, otherwise I don't get it. Undertale seemed like a game people were still talking about, at least compared to other games of '15.

Also Donkey Kong provides Nintendo's first loss this contest.

Guys, Ammy octopled Draven. Sans failed to break 30% on Pac-Man.

GameFAQs remembers rallies. It's the only explanation that works.

Let it go.

ZeldaTPLink posted...

Guys, Ammy octopled Draven. Sans failed to break 30% on Pac-Man.

GameFAQs remembers rallies. It's the only explanation that works.

Let it go.

I guess.... yea I can let it go.

So I checked 2018 stats and I was right.

Both Sans and Draven did worse with anonymous voters than they did with registered ones. Pac-Man actually got over 72% on Sans with anon voters.

Anonymous voters remember rallies and they will anti-vote everything LoL and Undertale forever.

It must be anti-rally votes. I can't believe Octopath, a game no one really loves or even likes, beating Undertale under normal circumstances.

ZeldaTPLink posted...

Guys, Ammy octopled Draven. Sans failed to break 30% on Pac-Man.

GameFAQs remembers rallies. It's the only explanation that works.

Let it go.

But that doesn't explain why anonymous votes were worse than registered.
Registered people have more links to GameFAQs so if that was a thing, they should be doing worse with registered.
Anonymous should be random users that don't care much about GF and even less about contest history (most voting in contest X should not remember/know about contest X-1).

Unless most anonymous votes are double/triple votes are registered voters double/triple/worse voting.

(Also Draven was getting doubled by Chie who would get at least Tripled by Ammy so)

Why people think Undertale is getting anti voted? It isn't popular. Simple as that. 5 years have pased you know. Thousands of other games have come out. I mean the game hasn't even got a sequel.

Averia posted...

(Also Draven was getting doubled by Chie who would get at least Tripled by Ammy so)

Yeah and now you'll start believing Octopath is actually strong.

The denial will never end.

Averia posted...

But that doesn't explain why anonymous votes were worse than registered.
Registered people have more links to GameFAQs so if that was a thing, they should be doing worse with registered.
Anonymous should be random users that don't care much about GF and even less about contest history (most voting in contest X should not remember/know about contest X-1).

Unless most anonymous votes are double/triple votes are registered voters double/triple/worse voting.

Maybe anon voters just aren't the completely casual pack of voters you think they are?

A lot of people come to this site semi-regularly but don't create accounts, or haven't logged into them in a whle.

I don't think gameFAQs is the kind of place that attracts new people every single day. People who still come here have been coming here for years, even if they are not logged in.

Registered votes are often bracket votes, this contest more than ever before. Also, plenty of voters on JRPGFAQs like Octopath Traveler, and it didn't need to be truly beloved to win here.

If nothing else, claiming that doubled voting power of registered users hurts Undertale when Undertale does better with registered users is wrong. The doubled voting power also doubles all the bracket votes Undertale is getting.

ZeldaTPLink posted...

Yeah and now you'll start believing Octopath is actually strong.

The denial will never end.

Octopath isn't strong.
Undertale is now weak. It's reddit was far more active in 2015, now it's almost deserted.
The dreaded undertale_bot that caused Undertale surges and 400+ cuts now has 2 replies per post and 16 likes down from 20k+ https://twitter.com/undertale_bot.

I don't think this is anti-voting, Undertale (and Draven) is just weak. It was losing 70/30 to Fallout 3 before the rally in 2015, the game is fodder.

Or do you think Fortnite/Dota 2 were also anti-voted? The games just aren't appealing to GameFAQs.

Undertale is favored by 88% of the guru brackets.

I always like how in this site we are stuck in the past. Do you know how much is 5 years in video games terms? Amazing long. But no people remember that thing 5 years ago still.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/6456-one-year-later-have-you-ever-played-undertale

Definitely anti-voting to some extend. Probably more than that too because a bunch votes in contests but not PotD.

Draven in 2018 is a 100% absolute nobody to anyone who isn’t still actively playing LoL, which this site definitely wasn’t. Link and Mario would probably 90-10 him anywhere, with the extra spice of Ammy almost getting that high being that most of gamefaqs never even seriously considered playing a moba in the first place.

indie 2d platformers fill a niche created by the general absence of current big budget ones. There was never such a gap for jrpgs and while there were quality issues for quite awhile the ship seems to have been righted. And while indie platformers can mimic 8 or 16 bit platformers people are nostalgic for well enough, the rpgs people people outside Japan are nostalgic for generally the high end 16 bit ones through the ps2 era and that’s much harder to copy.

Averia posted...

Octopath isn't strong.
Undertale is now weak. It's reddit was far more active in 2015, now it's almost deserted.
The dreaded undertale_bot that caused Undertale surges and 400+ cuts now has 2 replies per post and 16 likes down from 20k+ https://twitter.com/undertale_bot.

The Bastion Reddit is much deader than Undertale, though!

Respected indie games like Bastion and Shovel Knight retain some strength if they sold enough, if they got Switch ports, if they appeared in Smash, etc.

Undertale would too, in a parallel universe where 2015 didn't happen. But it did, and now Undertale is GameFAQs's punching bag.

I won’t over-value 2013 Draven, he needed the site to go down for two hours in a three-way, Giga-Link was more impressive there I said it. Undertale was more impressive and Melee potentially more than that when you account for the whole Russia discrepancy. I will say this too: Melee is the only game that could repeat.

Also obligatory reminder that League of Legends was a 2009 game.

SirRobX posted...

Why does Hollow Knight beat Tales of Berseria but Octopath Traveler bests Undertale??

Undertale is getting anti-voted because of the 2015 rallies, plus Octopath no doubt beats every non-Symphonia Tales. It actually has a lot of similarities with Tales of Symphonia.

Could also just be general anti-voting of something popular, in similar fashion to GTA and Halo.

Does Melee get anti-voted now too? Might actually be glad about that.