Former Blizzard president suggests gamers leave $20 tips for developers

A suggestion of showing appreciation to developers — with cash — has been proposed by former Blizzard President Mike Ybarra, as he says some games “just leave me in awe of how amazing the experience was…”

In a post on the X social media platform on Thursday 11 April, Ybarra acknowledged that “most will dislike” his idea for leaving tips — literally a tip to developers of a game he enjoyed — but added that he’s been thinking about it for a while.

I've thought about this idea for a while, as a player, since I've been diving into single player games lately.

When I beat a game, there are some that just leave me in awe of how amazing the experience was. At the end of the game, I've often thought "I wish I could give these…

— Mike Ybarra (@Qwik) April 11, 2024

After playing a game that has gone above expectations, he says he’s “often thought ‘I wish I could give these folks another $10 or $20 because it was worth more than my initial $70 and they didn’t try to nickel and dime me every second.’”

Some of the games worthy of such a gesture, to Ybarra, include Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War (2018), Red Dead Redemption 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Elden Ring.

“I know $70 is already a lot, but it’s an option at the end of the game I wish I had at times. Some games are that special,” Ybarra said.

He went on to speak about a tipping culture overall that has drawn split, and some heated, opinions over the last few years across numerous industries in the United States, saying he realizes “we are tired of ‘tipping …’”

Mike Ybarra announced his departure from Blizzard back in January, looking back at his time as president fondly. “Leading Blizzard through an incredible time and being part of the team, shaping it for the future ahead, was an absolute honor.” Blizzard was part of Microsoft’s mega-acquisition of Activision, which was completed in October after the deal cleared regulatory hurdles in several nations, and when Microsoft prevailed in federal court in the United States.

With the post accruing more than 640,000 views, it’s no surprise there’s been a lot of response, much of it divided, as to Ybarra’s idea. A person under the username @Edwin_isme disagreed, saying: “Not everyone’s pockets are deep.” Another gamer explored the opposite direction:

I often play a game and am disappointed. Can I get my money back?

— Miguel Maruso (@miggymaru) April 12, 2024

While some explicitly disagreed with Ybarra, others jumped to his defense. A user called @JuanAndresB says: “A lot of games on Games Pass I have bought it after finish them. It’s my way to say that I loved the experience.”

Featured Image: Via Ideogram

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