Are casual gamers ruining gaming?

[scaledriver]

We've all seen the influx of developers changing games to make them easier to play, sacrificing depth so that the majority of gamers don't get lost or confused.

Is this trend to make games so easy they cease to be fun? I keep thinking of older games that made you figure out where to go rather than just showing you the path (Fable 2). This hobby is getting more mainstream, that's fine, but what happened to actually having a challenge?

Many games this year could have been great but they were just way to easy without any way to make them more difficult (Borderlands).

Am I just nostalgic for games that used to have real challenge? Is this an antiquated view to have about the hobby?

 

[Hiphophippo]

There are plenty of challenging games out there if that's your thing.

 

[Woodsey]

Only if you own a Wii to be honest. It's the only thing "casuals" seem to be interested in. And Nintendo are pandering to them like nothing I've ever seen.

 

[Heart of Darkness]

No, because there is no such thing as casual or hardcore gaming.

 

[dekkarax]

A medium will have difficulty surviving if it only appeals to one group of people.

 

[Julianking93]

They're not ruining gaming, they're just annoying.

Don't worry, when the Wii's popularity dies down, so will the casual gamer population and everything will be back to normal. Unless Nintendo decides that they want to make another casual gamer system and continue being another branch of Playschool...

 

[SirusTheMadDJ]

I love how everyone forgets that casual gaming has been around a lot longer than Popcap...

The only thing "ruining" gaming is cookie cutter sequels and "by the numbers" FPS and RPGs. Producers who look at the top selling charts for new ideas, and the whole underlying decay of the whole industry by focusing on graphics before anything else.

 

[scaledriver]

There are plenty of challenging games out there if that's your thing.

If you can suggest some for PC, 360 ,PS3 I need to expand my library since this year has been pretty lackluster.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

My big problem with casual gaming isn't that it makes gaming easier. My problem with casual gaming is that it takes from gaming's image as a legitimate artistic medium. The very word "game" is one of the biggest problems that gaming has with being viewed as valid. People who don't "play games" (more problem words) hear the word "game" and think it's some silly little thing kids do for fun, like playing monopoly, etc... but it's not the sort of thing adults ought to waste their time on regularly. Needless to say, people who believe this haven't seen games like Bioshock or Oblivion (just to name a few), genuine artworks in interactive media. The games they do see, however, are games like Peggle, or the endless number of shitty Wii games. Games that really are just "games," nothing more than distractions. And as a result their opinion of gaming remains in the area where they view gaming not as legitimate interactive media, but as just a "game".

 

[lvl9000_woot]

Nope. Just imagine if they mixed the addictiveness of casual games with the graphics of 'regular' games...

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

There are plenty of challenging games out there if that's your thing.

If you can suggest some for PC, 360 ,PS3 I need to expand my library since this year has been pretty lackluster.

If you want something hard, then go online and import the Touhou series (Bullet Hell shooter) from Japan. You can find an English patch online. On its 12th game, with a few fighting games in between. Try the Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry series too (360 and PS3). The odd numbered DMC games are harder though, and all the iterations before 4 are last gen.

 

[Kage Me]

Casual games can be challenging. Case in point: Kororinpa.

 

[Bediz]

...WHAT?!

Are casual wine drinkers ruining sommeliers? Are recreational baseball players ruining pros? Are everyday internet users ruining web development? Are sports fans who don't watch every game ruining their team? Are daily drivers ruining the collectible car auctions?

I fail to see how having casual fans of a hobby/activity/profession/business can ruin it. If anything, it helps because it brings new ideas and different ways of thinking into the fold. When one asks if such a thing is "ruined" it merely shows one has no ability/desire to expand one's horizons. The old favorites aren't going anywhere, what reason does anyone have to fear new innovations?

 

[scaledriver]

I really don't care about graphics. I just want my games to be deeper than Halo/COD/Wii Sports.

I don't find casual games addictive, just boring.

 

[j0frenzy]

Yes. It is my Wii and playing Smash Bros. Brawl and Rock Band 2 that is Borderlands to be too easy. That makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[Kasawd]

Although the ability to challenge the player may certainly boost the quality of the experience of the game, it is not a necessary component to making a game fun. As far as I'm concerned, gaming is a relaxing past time that I should enjoy. There should be very few moments where I'm stressed enough to consider discarding the controller. If this happens, something has gone terribly wrong with the game.

Casual games may not be difficult but one may still have fun playing them. So, to answer your question, no, casual games or gamers are not ruining the experience.

As far as I'm concerned, it's the gung-ho type of "Hardcore" gamer who is ruining the experience because alot of the ones I know do not have fun while playing. They only wish to wrack up points. I feel as if they are missing the point.

As to the Wii. It's a fun console that I enjoy immensely alongside the other consoles.

/rant

 

[super_mumbles]

I'd say "casual gamers" are only half the people 'ruining' gaming. The other half, are these "hardcore" people who buy the newest "It's the same as last time, but shinier and some ever so slight changes you won't even notice" games.

The longer both groups persist in their buying habits of games the faster gaming is going to be ruined....for the minority.

 

[SirusTheMadDJ]

I really don't care about graphics. I just want my games to be deeper than Halo/COD/Wii Sports.

First off, Wii sports is a casual game.

Second off, Both Halo and CoD are pretty shallow in the first place.

 

[Tharticus]

I wouldn't say ruining gaming, it's perhaps that companies is finding their niche determining what draws them out. Nintendo does the Wii well for casuals while even 3rd party groups fall flat to their face when they release a game to the Wii.