But are they always right?
Between marketing Sons of Liberty as MGS III and teasing fans with footage of Solid Snake infiltrating the Big Shell - a mission that would later be completed by the divisive Raiden - Metal Gear Solid 2 was chock-full of twists and turns even before release. Would this have spurred a backlash in the era of online petitions and Twitter?
Moreover, consider the backlash against the Mass Effect 3 ending, which prompted scores of fans to contact BioWare directly, lobbying for an alternate ending. Will this scenario rear its ugly head again in the future, and how will it affect artistic integrity?
It's no secret that Bungie has kept one ear to the ground over the course of Destiny's first year on the market, gradually tweaking the vision of the shooter to align with the demands of the audience. With The Taken King looming on the horizon, Destiny is a markedly different experience than the one that launched last September.
IO Interactive is breaking new ground with its Hitman reboot, adopting a content plan that bears semblance to Early Access in the sense that the studio plans to roll out missions and contracts in the months after launch, with early adopters getting in on the ground level. IO has assured fans that the digital-only release in December is not only a bona fide entry into the series, but it also represents a reboot of the Hitman series. Will its post-modern approach to content be a success with fans?