Friday, April 28th 2017

AMD Backpedals on Quake Champions Promo Link with Radeon 17.4.4 Drivers

by
btarunr
 Discuss (66 Comments)
AMD made headlines yesterday (27th April), when AMD Radeon users discovered that their GPU driver update places a promotional link to a "Quake Champions" beta signup on their desktops. The Radeon Software Crimson ReLive 17.4.4 drivers leave a shortcut on your desktop which reads "Quake Champions," and has the official icon. The shortcut, however, points to a URL, which leads to a "Quake Champions" beta signup on publisher Bethesda's website. You can't opt not to see this icon during the driver setup's "custom setup" component selection page. The URL contains a referral extension, which made some people accuse AMD of trying to make money off it, a charge the company denies.

This caused major uproar in social media, with some comments calling it "adware" and AMD losing the moral high ground over NVIDIA, which marketed games through its GeForce Experience app. Sensing a PR fumble on its hands, AMD updated Radeon Software 17.4.4 drivers on its downloads page, which no longer plants the "Quake Champions" shortcut on your desktop. AMD could be testing the waters with how it could monetize its driver updates further. The company, like NVIDIA, already has game banner advertisements in the driver installer. AMD denied that it is making any money off the referral link, and that it is only using referral data to gauge activity.
Could the "Quake Champions" beta signup desktop shortcut be part of a deal AMD struck with Bethesda earlier this year, which sees Bethesda optimize its games for AMD Ryzen and Vega in return for promotions from AMD? This isn't new, as most NVIDIA "The Way it's Meant to be Played" titles work on a similar model of hardware-optimization in exchange for marketing (through driver installers, GeForce.com content, GeForce Experience, and more).

In a statement posted on Twitter, Terry "Catalyst Maker" Makedon, director of software at AMD, apologized for this incident. "Some of you didnt like game icons installed so we just updated the Radeon Software package without one. We heard you. Sorry," he stated. He added that AMD only intended to earn goodwill by giving gamers access to "Quake Champions" closed beta. He then stated that AMD isn't making any money off this, and that it only wanted to gauge consumer interest in Quake Champions and to test if AMD could pursue similar beta offerings in the future.

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66 Comments on AMD Backpedals on Quake Champions Promo Link with Radeon 17.4.4 Drivers

#26
bug
GundemPeople can be so pathetic... ooh an icon, run for your lives!
I don't think the problem is the icon, but including something not driver related in a driver installation. And not providing the option of installing that something.

Fwiw, I absolutely hate it when at the end of an installer my desktop receives icons I didn't specifically request. If there are others like me, I can understand them hating this little icon.
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#27
Solidstate89
RejZoRGo on, keep on pushing the "you're just an AMD fanboy" narrative. It ain't gonna work because I'm no fanboy of anything. But a bloody shortcut? How often do you forget to uncheck "Create shortcut on desktop" in installers. Better start barking at all those companies pre-checking that option in installers! Dem spywarez!!!!!!!
Oh, it's a shortcut to AMD's driver management software now? No, it wasn't. So good job with that false equivalence right there.
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#28
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
bugI don't think the problem is the icon, but including something not driver related in a driver installation. And not providing the option of installing that something.

Fwiw, I absolutely hate it when at the end of an installer my desktop receives icons I didn't specifically request. If there are others like me, I can understand them hating this little icon.
Agreed. I still remember how annoying it was that nVidia's driver always created the icon for 3D Vision Photo Viewer every time you installed the drivers, with no option to not put the icon on your desktop other than not installing 3D Vision at all. Kind of annoying, but at least that was their own software, and they stopped doing it with recent drivers.
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#29
Xzibit
hyp36rmaxThat's pretty deep... Sounds malicious... It's more like these companies had good intentions despite not thinking it through all the way. In the case of AMD, execution was mishandled. At the very least they were reactive.
Consumer push back is a good thing

When a company adopts a No.Fks.Given (or however you want to call it) policy, the consumers are just along for the ride until they wi$e up.
Posted on Reply
#30
TheLaughingMan
Why don't they just advertise during the driver installation like every other software on the planet does. No one will get made if they get the "It will be a few minutes to install these new drivers. Doesn't Quake Champions look awesome by the way. We will just leave this video and this link here while we finish the install."
Posted on Reply
#31
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
TheLaughingManWhy don't they just advertise during the driver installation like every other software on the planet does. No one will get made if they get the "It will be a few minutes to install these new drivers. Doesn't Quake Champions look awesome by the way. We will just leave this video and this link here while we finish the install."
AFAIK, they already do this. I'm guessing they are looking for other ways to increase revenue beyond just ads during the installer.
Posted on Reply
#32
hyp36rmax
XzibitConsumer push back is a good thing

When a company adopts a No.Fks.Given (or however you want to call it) policy, the consumers are just along for the ride until they wi$e up.
I agree wholeheartedly about consumer awareness and voicing feedback. That post just sounded so malicious making it sound like these companies were doing this to screw the customer on purpose. There should be a gut check within the company before moving forward with these campaigns. Otherwise consumers will do that job and we get where we are today.
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#33
r.h.p
What's the big deal , for me not much
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#34
Divide Overflow
Some people seem to suffer "outrage" over fairly trivial things these days...
Still, glad to hear AMD listened and responded quickly.
Posted on Reply
#35
RejZoR
Solidstate89Oh, it's a shortcut to AMD's driver management software now? No, it wasn't. So good job with that false equivalence right there.
Stop saying things I NEVER said...
Posted on Reply
#36
Solidstate89
RejZoRStop saying things I NEVER said...
You absolutely said this:
But a bloody shortcut? How often do you forget to uncheck "Create shortcut on desktop" in installers. Better start barking at all those companies pre-checking that option in installers!
You were comparing a shortcut to a piece of software you intentionally were installing to an advertising shortcut that a piece of driver software placed on your desktop without your permission. As if the two are even remotely comparable. There's nothing about your comment I took out of context.
Posted on Reply
#37
kruk
hojnikbWhen Nvidia does it, "BURN THE WITCHES!!!!!!!!111"
When AMD does it, "They mean good"

Such hypocrisy.
Nobody has ever said the icon was a good decision - you just pulled that out from where the sun never shines.
Solidstate89Keep defending the indefensible because it's your favorite company. It's a real good look.
Did I miss the posts on this forum where you bash nVidia's telemetry? If you didn't do that, GTFO of this thread.
Posted on Reply
#38
RejZoR
Solidstate89You absolutely said this:



You were comparing a shortcut to a piece of software you intentionally were installing to an advertising shortcut that a piece of driver software placed on your desktop without your permission. As if the two are even remotely comparable. There's nothing about your comment I took out of context.
Except the entire thing... And frankly I don't give a damn, I have better things to do.
Posted on Reply
#39
Franzen4Real
I don't agree with the practice, but I don't think it deserves anything close to a "major outcry" since it only a link and not an installer.

There's no doubt that they should have a check box to opt in, but why not also give an incentive for users to do so? Perhaps they could work with Bethesda to make an exclusive in-game cosmetic item (red themed armor, or cross-game appearance stuff ala Blizzard like a vault boy head helmet). When you choose to opt in and then click on the link on your desktop, it would also give a random onetime DLC code.

This way, Bethesda gets extra game advertising, AMD gets their telemetry, the user gets a "thank you for opting in and giving us information" exclusive game item, and the world can find something different but equally trivial to majorly outcry about.
Posted on Reply
#40
Solidstate89
krukNobody has ever said the icon was a good decision - you just pulled that out from where the sun never shines.



Did I miss the posts on this forum where you bash nVidia's telemetry? If you didn't do that, GTFO of this thread.
Please find any post where I defended the inclusion of telemetry and said it was a good thing. The closest you'll find is a post I made that incorrectly stated that the telemetry only came with GFE, which is apparently incorrect now.
RejZoRExcept the entire thing... And frankly I don't give a damn, I have better things to do.
Sure buddy. Whatever you say.
Posted on Reply
#41
evernessince
hojnikbWhen Nvidia does it, "BURN THE WITCHES!!!!!!!!111"
When AMD does it, "They mean good"

Such hypocrisy.
Yes, because Nvidia's Telemetry service is so comparable to a desktop shortcut /s
Posted on Reply
#42
erocker
*
I'm pretty sure these things used to be included with drivers all the time. The "outrage" that is being reported on (over a link? really?) is nothing more than children on the internet whining. I almost find it insulting to people that have to read this. Not TPU's fault as the "media" in general seems to find whiny ramblings of internet children relevant in some way.
Posted on Reply
#43
Nkd
Jesus! WTF? Turn the world upside down for an icon you can delete in 1 second. Good lord! We have turned in to cry babies over this privacy shit. There is no tracking involved and no advertising popups. Just a shortcut to promote beta signup. Jeez people delete it and waste a second on it instead of hours complaining.
Posted on Reply
#44
acperience7
Wow. I didn't plan on downloading this driver (last one is still working great for me), so I didn't really pay much attention until I saw how many people were in replying in this thread. If I'm not mistaken (and I may, because it's been years), didn't ATi/AMD do this before generations ago? Just a link, no actual software/games installed with it. Which is what they did this time too.
Posted on Reply
#45
warrior420
I've been in the Beta for a few weeks, and i didn't even notice the icon...
Posted on Reply
#46
silentbogo
cdawallIsn't it a closed beta? I mean I don't remember nvidia ever handing out beta keys..
Exactly. Just got my key, and the game is all covered with "NDA. No streaming. No screenshots. No other kinky sh#t.". I mean, everything, from character screen to loading screens and menus.
Not sure how they expect 80,000 people with AMD invites to comply....
Posted on Reply
#47
silentbogo
erockerI'm pretty sure these things used to be included with drivers all the time. The "outrage" that is being reported on (over a link? really?) is nothing more than children on the internet whining. I almost find it insulting to people that have to read this. Not TPU's fault as the "media" in general seems to find whiny ramblings of internet children relevant in some way.
Like constantly unchecking NVidia 3DVision driver during installation :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#48
1c3d0g
Divide OverflowSome people seem to suffer "outrage" over fairly trivial things these days...
Still, glad to hear AMD listened and responded quickly.
First world problems... ;) Nevertheless, good that they listened to their customers feedback.
Posted on Reply
#49
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
It was just an advert to me, its akin to the adverts catalyst and crimson drivers have during install, just delete the icon and move on.
Posted on Reply
#50
uuuaaaaaa
xkm1948Did i start this? Dont care. Quake is awesome.
Right on!
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