I think this is a tough line to walk. I think artist should be able to tell the stories they want to tell. I also think society is bettered by having a diversity of artists and stories. I don't think it's reasonable to tell Rockstar to include women, or that they should have to. I think people who are upset about this shouldn't buy the game.
Vote with your wallet, support artists who tell stories that resonate with you.
@93ChevyNut I really like this rule, I may have been following it without realizing it. My F2P purchases have been permanent game upgrades and not temporary benefits. I also don't feel exploited, but I may be in the minority.
I think one of the challenges in discussing this topic is a confusion of terms. AAA, B, Indie are a representation of budget and resources. Quality, Value, Excellence, etc. are not directly related to budget, even though it is easy to feel that they should be.
I don't expect better games from AAA resources, I expect different games. Madden football would be SUPER different if it was made on Bastion's budget/resources. I don't know if it would be better or worse, but it would be very different.
To say that Indie games can be "more regularly profitable" is exactly the kind of thinking that leads to bubbles and over-expansion. They have a lower profit threshold, as they cost less to make, but the odds of making an indie game and actually making money are probably lower than making a AAA game and making money. The barrier to entry is lower in indie games, but the path to profitable isn't any easier.
"More regularly profitable" is how we ended up with a flood of facebook games that didn't make money and studios that went out of business. Mobile will be there soon, and Indie would do well to not fall into the same trap.
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