Hu... i guess my grandma was right, video games are just a fad... a fad that has lasted 40 years so far... well if she was right about that, then she might just be right about the internet.
David Jaffe Predicts Next Console Generation Will Be the Last
- Thread starter Logan Westbrook
- Start date
So here's an idea: how about you cut back your investments into graphics/cinematics/sound somewhat and focus on making games that have interesting stories and better game mechanics. I mean, there isn't anything fundamentally wrong with games like Devil May Cry or Mario 64, and most people would agree that FFVII (or even FF VI) was a hell of a lot more fun than FFXIII, and any of those could be produced today at a fraction of the budget.
I suspect that console games (and PC games), instead of going away completely or moving towards always-on services, will just shift back towards the previous generation's level of graphics technology, settling into a place where the investment barrier isn't quite as high as it is today, and release cheaper games that run on less-expensive hardware that's more widely available. In other words, we'll see the bigger developers settling into a technical half-way point between current AAA games and what the indie devs are putting out now.
Oh yeah, and sorry to bust your bubble Jaffe, but if you completely eliminated piracy and used game sales you probably wouldn't get from 300,000 sales to 850,000 sales. You might get to 400,000 or even 500,000 sales, but 350,000 of those sales still aren't going to happen because those people can't fit a $60 game into their budget. That's why they buy after-market or resort to piracy in the first place. And that's assuming that 850,000 people even WANT to buy your game at ANY price.
Stop blaming all your income woes on the consumers. It's not ENTIRELY our fault.
I suspect that console games (and PC games), instead of going away completely or moving towards always-on services, will just shift back towards the previous generation's level of graphics technology, settling into a place where the investment barrier isn't quite as high as it is today, and release cheaper games that run on less-expensive hardware that's more widely available. In other words, we'll see the bigger developers settling into a technical half-way point between current AAA games and what the indie devs are putting out now.
Oh yeah, and sorry to bust your bubble Jaffe, but if you completely eliminated piracy and used game sales you probably wouldn't get from 300,000 sales to 850,000 sales. You might get to 400,000 or even 500,000 sales, but 350,000 of those sales still aren't going to happen because those people can't fit a $60 game into their budget. That's why they buy after-market or resort to piracy in the first place. And that's assuming that 850,000 people even WANT to buy your game at ANY price.
Stop blaming all your income woes on the consumers. It's not ENTIRELY our fault.
OH SHUT THE FUCK UP, JAFFE
You know what's hurting the industry more? Buggy games that need Day-One patches, publishers that won't listen to legitimate customer complaints, treating customers like criminals, and telling gamers to screw off and don't buy it if we don't like it (then complain about lack of sales and blame piracy or pre-owned sales), along with poor reviews about said games.
The games industry will only die if it refuses to change and even the most detached hermit of a share holder will realise that they need to change as soon as they feel the quake in their wallet. So nothing to worry about.
More importantly games would become much more profitable if games companies stopped trying to do photo realistic graphics.
Gameplay will always, always be infinitely more important than graphics and besides that, those games that decide to make their own art style tend to stand out way more than those that just build a world out of shades of brown. People appreciate style.
Designers, if your imagination is locked to reality, get a new job, designing gameing (not simulation) experiences isn't for you.
More importantly games would become much more profitable if games companies stopped trying to do photo realistic graphics.
Gameplay will always, always be infinitely more important than graphics and besides that, those games that decide to make their own art style tend to stand out way more than those that just build a world out of shades of brown. People appreciate style.
Designers, if your imagination is locked to reality, get a new job, designing gameing (not simulation) experiences isn't for you.
Yeah, he's right. I'd bet on a PS5 never coming out indeed. In ten years, any computer you buy in a store will be able to run a game you need a high-end console to run and any kind of internet you have will be able to download it quickly and with small to no cost. Unless you're like in Africa - then it'll take maybe twenty years.
Although he's got his reasons inverted here. Piracy and used games mean people manage to play games even though the value they expect for them is not quite $60. I find it hard to believe used games are that much of a problem when analysts in and out of the industry say that after a game is a month old if it didn't make as much money as it was expected to publishers shurg and damn it to hell.
Although he's got his reasons inverted here. Piracy and used games mean people manage to play games even though the value they expect for them is not quite $60. I find it hard to believe used games are that much of a problem when analysts in and out of the industry say that after a game is a month old if it didn't make as much money as it was expected to publishers shurg and damn it to hell.
He's right, $60 games won't be around forever. They will be replaced by $70, $80, $90 games.
Remember when games were $20? Now used games are that much IF you are lucky.
Remember when games were $20? Now used games are that much IF you are lucky.
Developers need to realize that if the don't make shit games, people are less inclined to trade them in. For example, i purchased GTA4, Fallout 3, F:NV & Assassins Creed, and will never trade them in because they're kick-ass and i regularly come back to play them.
Stop making games with no re-playability and the loss of sales (which isn't really a loss as people were never going to buy them full price anyway) wont be so massive.
Stop making games with no re-playability and the loss of sales (which isn't really a loss as people were never going to buy them full price anyway) wont be so massive.
Maybe you are right about the $20 thing. I was mainly remember Computer Gaming, which was my first experience with games. But console games have always been too expensive. I actually rarely buy new titles at the shelf price.Sir John the Net Knight said:
But that just means we're one step closer to the death of radio...and on the brink of a phonograph supremacy!Shycte said:
Okay, am I the only one sick of hearing Jaffe vomit and call it pearls of wisdom? The guy has a successful franchise, I'll grant him that... even if I thought it was crap. But every few days he's making these doom and gloom predictions that are making even the people whining about the Mayan calendar sick of hearing him. Seriously, we just need to start learning to smile, nod, and pat him on the head before we send him back to his corner to color in his Jumbo-Sized Spider-Ham coloring book.
On a helpful note, devs, if you're so worried about the money you're losing to pre-owned and piracy, well... start looking at the root cause (ie, buggy and short games that are reiterations of what we just bought LAST year that aren't worth as much as you're asking for them) and quit trying to play 'Pass the Blame.' You can point the fingers all you want, it won't stop the issue unless you quit dealing with the symptoms and start treating the disease.
On a helpful note, devs, if you're so worried about the money you're losing to pre-owned and piracy, well... start looking at the root cause (ie, buggy and short games that are reiterations of what we just bought LAST year that aren't worth as much as you're asking for them) and quit trying to play 'Pass the Blame.' You can point the fingers all you want, it won't stop the issue unless you quit dealing with the symptoms and start treating the disease.
Or maybe the market will shift to smaller scale downloadable games on console or a console marketplace akin to steam. You can't sell downloaded games and although you can still pirate them since you need the internet to have the game require an internet connection (and the DRM that goes with it) won't be quiet as odious. Claiming that the end is nigh because one system is struggling is shortsighted at best. I support the idea that games will evolve and survive. Gaming radial evolution FTW!
You know, I think that the entire reason that the PC market's been doing reasonably well, adapting and all that, is precisely because of it being on it's deathbed for the last few years. Adversity begets strength after all.
Neither PC gaming nor console gaming is dying, and we are seeing the emergence of new platforms and modes of gaming in the mobile gaming space. The market is big enough to support all the platforms.
However, what is dying is this old mentality of the AAA title. The idea that every game created must be of such design and caliber is what, in my opinion, is breaking the industry. It was not a problem when there were just a couple per year or every two years, but when every game tries to be such, the model becomes over-extended and begins to break down. Game companies can't support creating it, and gamers can't support paying for it.
Game companies are going to have to diversify in all areas of design, development, target audience, marketing, and modes of experience. The AAA title is not sustainable as a universal marketing or gaming strategy. It only works in small bursts.
However, what is dying is this old mentality of the AAA title. The idea that every game created must be of such design and caliber is what, in my opinion, is breaking the industry. It was not a problem when there were just a couple per year or every two years, but when every game tries to be such, the model becomes over-extended and begins to break down. Game companies can't support creating it, and gamers can't support paying for it.
Game companies are going to have to diversify in all areas of design, development, target audience, marketing, and modes of experience. The AAA title is not sustainable as a universal marketing or gaming strategy. It only works in small bursts.
Thats just it though, the market will adapt to take on the challenges that apparantly are dooming us all. I believe extra credits came up with a good idea for countering preowned games in one of their episodes. Plus piracy has been around for ages, affecting both the music and film industries aswell and their still doing fine with no end in sight. Why is it suddenly the end of the world now.
EDIT: I just had a thought about the price of making an AAA game now a days. eventually like everything else technology will get to a point where it can cut down the manpower and time it takes to make such a thing. I think what the industry needs to do is to hold back and chill out for a bit to let technology advance a bit further because at the moment its trying to be ahead of the technology which inevitably is more expensive, difficult and time consuming.
EDIT: I just had a thought about the price of making an AAA game now a days. eventually like everything else technology will get to a point where it can cut down the manpower and time it takes to make such a thing. I think what the industry needs to do is to hold back and chill out for a bit to let technology advance a bit further because at the moment its trying to be ahead of the technology which inevitably is more expensive, difficult and time consuming.