Gogogic CEO Says Single-Player is a "Gimmick"
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does this guy need to re-learn, or just learn what sociological, and psychological constructs with respect to the human condition.
Humans by nature are adversarial creatures, and in so saying thrive emotionally on the realization of being better then another at something, and in many regards there is a high majority of people who only care about such in small context (immediate friends/family), and then there is a smaller group who has actually grown beyond such aspirations, and doesn't care if they are better then another, but only that they are better then who they were before beginning the experience (these are the people who have no inclination for leaderboards, or multiplayer whatsoever). though there is a somewhat good amount of people who adopt this adversarial nature to such a degree that they don't care about a situation unless they have the chance to prove that they are better then another, but first many of them realize that they must learn what such skills are needed so that they can be better then another.
this coincides with the fact that yes many games are/were created to be single player because they intend to tell a story (however mediocre it may be) many "casual" games have no intention of telling a story. Some do, and I applaud them for it, but the majority it is just tacked on. the concept of game goes hand, and hand with having an opponent, but it has never been proposed that the opponent had to be a person just that it had to be an opponent. the entire context of game theory only ever proposes opponent, and never says that it must be human. how bout this I have a game that is single player, and has no want or need for a multilayer aspect, and gives full realization of accomplishment upon completion. A PUZZLE, a fucking cardboard puzzle. it's a game, shows self improvement, and has an opponent yourself.
EDIT: now if you'll excuse me I have to go and calm down with a nice game of Solitaire.
Humans by nature are adversarial creatures, and in so saying thrive emotionally on the realization of being better then another at something, and in many regards there is a high majority of people who only care about such in small context (immediate friends/family), and then there is a smaller group who has actually grown beyond such aspirations, and doesn't care if they are better then another, but only that they are better then who they were before beginning the experience (these are the people who have no inclination for leaderboards, or multiplayer whatsoever). though there is a somewhat good amount of people who adopt this adversarial nature to such a degree that they don't care about a situation unless they have the chance to prove that they are better then another, but first many of them realize that they must learn what such skills are needed so that they can be better then another.
this coincides with the fact that yes many games are/were created to be single player because they intend to tell a story (however mediocre it may be) many "casual" games have no intention of telling a story. Some do, and I applaud them for it, but the majority it is just tacked on. the concept of game goes hand, and hand with having an opponent, but it has never been proposed that the opponent had to be a person just that it had to be an opponent. the entire context of game theory only ever proposes opponent, and never says that it must be human. how bout this I have a game that is single player, and has no want or need for a multilayer aspect, and gives full realization of accomplishment upon completion. A PUZZLE, a fucking cardboard puzzle. it's a game, shows self improvement, and has an opponent yourself.
EDIT: now if you'll excuse me I have to go and calm down with a nice game of Solitaire.
Going through this in my head I can't think of anything that can be classed as playing by yourself that didn't start off as a social activity. Pong is a digital representation of Tennis which is a two to four player activity.
So I can totally see where he's coming from, but single player is not a gimmick, it's a legitimate way of gaming.
I still don't understand why he would start saying this stuff though, because it's only going to piss people off.
So I can totally see where he's coming from, but single player is not a gimmick, it's a legitimate way of gaming.
I still don't understand why he would start saying this stuff though, because it's only going to piss people off.
Dear god, I think I would break every bone in my foot before I grew tired of kicking this guy in the nuts.
How long does a feature need to be around before it's no longer considered a "gimmick"? Twenty minutes, or twenty years?
In the words of Lucille Bluth; "Let's make sure we never give him any real power."
How long does a feature need to be around before it's no longer considered a "gimmick"? Twenty minutes, or twenty years?
In the words of Lucille Bluth; "Let's make sure we never give him any real power."
Wanted to spew my own venom at this guy's illiterate statements but I guess I'm too late. All relevant crap has been said.
Thank you fellow Escapist readers.
Thank you fellow Escapist readers.
*cough* TOR *cough* Dragon Age Facebook game *cough* Mass Effect social games integration for war readiness *cough* Elder Scrolls Online *cough*soren7550 said:
It's almost as if he only makes social games and therefor has every motivation to egregiously lie to people about the nature of interactive media.
Yeah gaming with friends is great.
So is reading a great book, or like, playing a great single player campaign. Discuss it with your friends later.
You have attempted to veil your self-promotion as a tactful argument and failed miserably.
*pst* his annotationteh_gunslinger said:
Books are such a gimmick. The first stories were told in groups, but back when books were invented it was impossible to create a book that could tell its story to a group. Now that we have books on tape, written books will be irrelevant for anyone outside a very niche audience.
Gamers Say Gogogic CEO is an "Idiot"
The CEO of social gaming company Gogogic dropped 50 IQ points when he said that all games are meant to be played with others.
Reykjavik-based Gogogic specializes in casual and social gaming, so it does have a certain bias about how people play games, but even so these comments by CEO Jonan Antonsson are pretty dumbass. In a recent interview, he effectively dismissed single-player gaming, saying that while there's a "strong audience for hard and unrelenting games" like Demon's Souls, games are meant first and foremost to be played with others.
"The single player mechanic is a gimmick - games are meant to be played with others and it doesn't matter if it's in-person or online," Antonsson said. "The first games were designed as multiplayer experiences, but when computer and console games became a thing there was a need to construct an antagonist and/or a protagonist for commercial purposes. You couldn't depend on people coming together to have a synchronous experience over a game. That would have simply stifled sales. And since there was no reasonable way to connect people in other ways - the arcade was the only serious attempt - it became an industry need to project the game as the other player."
"Playing a game is a multiplayer activity and can easily be seen as such when you watch young toddlers play by themselves," he added. "They invent someone to play with, someone that they talk to and interact with."
Naturally, he is being insulting stupid - historically, especially as children, people have avoided each other due to fear of bullying - and videogames have changed the definition of "play." You don't read multiplayer books, after all, and listening to music or watching television isn't an inherently social activity either. Antonsson made himself look like the George Bush of the gaming industry somewhat by stating that "score board = multiplayer" but he then went on state something even stupider.
"Now we can connect people in and around a game through real time PvP and PvE mechanics and the need for pure single player games had gone down. We have multiple plots and stories and build the meta-experience for the entire audience. The premise for making games has changed - reverted back to building multiplayer experiences that are true to the game form," he said. That was not thestupid part, what he siad next is. "This doesn't mean that we have run out of room when it comes to great single-player titles or games that make you sweat and curse every couple of minutes. It means that those titles have to be very appealing and cater well to the hardcore audience."
Jonan was last seen being pulled into a basement by Skyrim, Deus Ex, Bioshock and Ocarina of Time, all of them wielding baseball bats. We hope that when he comes back, he has gained some perspective.
Source: Common Sense
The CEO of social gaming company Gogogic dropped 50 IQ points when he said that all games are meant to be played with others.
Reykjavik-based Gogogic specializes in casual and social gaming, so it does have a certain bias about how people play games, but even so these comments by CEO Jonan Antonsson are pretty dumbass. In a recent interview, he effectively dismissed single-player gaming, saying that while there's a "strong audience for hard and unrelenting games" like Demon's Souls, games are meant first and foremost to be played with others.
"The single player mechanic is a gimmick - games are meant to be played with others and it doesn't matter if it's in-person or online," Antonsson said. "The first games were designed as multiplayer experiences, but when computer and console games became a thing there was a need to construct an antagonist and/or a protagonist for commercial purposes. You couldn't depend on people coming together to have a synchronous experience over a game. That would have simply stifled sales. And since there was no reasonable way to connect people in other ways - the arcade was the only serious attempt - it became an industry need to project the game as the other player."
"Playing a game is a multiplayer activity and can easily be seen as such when you watch young toddlers play by themselves," he added. "They invent someone to play with, someone that they talk to and interact with."
Naturally, he is being insulting stupid - historically, especially as children, people have avoided each other due to fear of bullying - and videogames have changed the definition of "play." You don't read multiplayer books, after all, and listening to music or watching television isn't an inherently social activity either. Antonsson made himself look like the George Bush of the gaming industry somewhat by stating that "score board = multiplayer" but he then went on state something even stupider.
"Now we can connect people in and around a game through real time PvP and PvE mechanics and the need for pure single player games had gone down. We have multiple plots and stories and build the meta-experience for the entire audience. The premise for making games has changed - reverted back to building multiplayer experiences that are true to the game form," he said. That was not thestupid part, what he siad next is. "This doesn't mean that we have run out of room when it comes to great single-player titles or games that make you sweat and curse every couple of minutes. It means that those titles have to be very appealing and cater well to the hardcore audience."
Jonan was last seen being pulled into a basement by Skyrim, Deus Ex, Bioshock and Ocarina of Time, all of them wielding baseball bats. We hope that when he comes back, he has gained some perspective.
Source: Common Sense
Who gave this guy an interview? Why should we CARE what he thinks? I hope his business goes under and his golden parachute is torn to shreds, so he ends up eating out of a gutter for the rest of his life.
"Mr. Antonsson, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
This just in: An Escapist forum poster thinks that Gogogic CEO Jonan Antonsson needs to remember what the word "gimmick" means. Because I'm that Escapist forum poster is sure that the word "gimmick" shouldn't apply to the majority of games that allowed for such a large market to develop. The large market, in which Mr. Antonsson is trying to make a a living.
Also, that poster thinks Gogogic CEO Jonan Antonsson should stop drinking alcohol through straws.
Also, that poster thinks Gogogic CEO Jonan Antonsson should stop drinking alcohol through straws.
CALM DOWN GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't rise to the bait. This guy is entitled to his opinion, but I strongly disagree that single player is in any way a gimmick any more than books are. Given that he'sNorswedish Icelandic it might be a bad choice of language rather than a malevolent statement.
Don't rise to the bait. This guy is entitled to his opinion, but I strongly disagree that single player is in any way a gimmick any more than books are. Given that he's
Whatever his opinions, this game doesn't sound too bad.
Good point, but that doesn't make singleplayer in any way a "gimmick". Many people prefer to play alone, and you have to recognise and respect that.
And this, us introverts need games too! I'll be damned if I'm forced to play with people all the time.DeliciousTruffle said:
I don't believe I could do justice in writing to just how wrong this random man is. I will let Dr. Cox have that honour.