The lead-up to a video game’s release is built on hype. Where is the new trailer, when will the release date be, and how many planets can I visit? These are all anticipatory questions that feed a fanbase, building excitement that hopefully leads to sales and positive feedback. But games often have multi-year-long advertising campaigns before the actual release, and all too often the result is that fans get rabid and bite the hand that feeds them. The repulsive behavior directed at the developers of God of War: Ragnarök and Return to Monkey Island over the past week are especially gruesome examples of how a fanbase can turn rotten at the drop of a hat.
