Hardcore gaming is dead forever...

[Hyper-space]

I think you're wrong.

elaborate lol. well if you fee like it

Dark Souls? Super Meat Boy? Dungeons of Dredmore? any of these NEW AND RECENT title ring any bells?

Games went from being bullshit-hard (that is, where the difficulty lay in mindless trial-and-error) to actually hard (where skill is what matters, not remembering where every enemy and trap is located). Oh and fucking Ninja Gaiden is still going strong.

 

[SamFancyPants252]

Another elitist who doesn't want filthy non gamers playing games. Oh and he has 5 posts! Listen to this guy, he's clearly being objective and unbiased about this whole thing!

Dude, get a blog.

don't get me wrong, i have nothing against anyone playing a game, i never said that. what i have a problem with is devs selling out to newcomers like this in order to increase profits. Im not going to go beat down the door of someone because they cheese me in a game, its the devs fault for making the mechanic in the first place.

Oh I'm sorry, you are under the impression that game developers don't want their game to sell well and earn money? Why bother not advertising to make your game a failure financially, let's make it impossible and inaccessable too to cater to those 'hardcore' gamers out there who make up zero point nothing of the population!

 

[Eternimus]

Let's be honest here, "hardcore" is completely subjective. What some may consider hardcore others may consider cheap, or uninteresting, or etc. I mean I saw a show where they were doing stuff about who was the best gamer, and one of the challenged was ROCK BAND. That's a party game, and certainly not hardcore. It's fun, in short bursts, but not hardcore. And had no business in a gamer show.

I've been playing games for a long time now, (more than two decades) and the fact of the matter is gaming is way more accessible now, and it's a huge industry, even with the rampant piracy. Back in the day gaming was a very small group of stereotyped individuals who managed to get a game system and games for it, and bragged about their success. But now that the tech is so much cheaper, and the widespread internet access, anyone can be considered a gamer. Companies are only out to make profit. That's their job. If that means making their medium easier and more accessible to make more profit, they will do it.

Having said that, "hardcore" gaming, if by hardcore you mean extremely difficult, is far from dead. With Dark Souls having shipped 1.5 mil copies, and the other more difficult games people have already mentioned here, it isn't dead. There were never many "hardcore" gamers, and there never will be. More often than not, if someone can go through on easy mode, they will.

But let's be realistic. Unless you're playing the original Ninja Gaiden or Final Fantasy with only white mages, in a house that's on fire, while you are punched in the groin repeatedly and have a mouthful of bees, "hardcore" doesn't really apply to gaming. What may be easy for some might not be easy for others, so you can't really have a true definition of "hardcore".

 

[Michael Hirst]

Is Dark Souls not hardcore? Is Uncharted 3 a casual fest for new comers to gaming only? People who whine like this need to grow up in the gaming world there is room for everyone and traditional hardcore games are released all the time, we're not living in an age of Angry Birds being the only kind of game out there (despite the fact that it is really fun ) Sometimes hardcore games come in clever disguises; it seems everyone underestimates Catherine, them were some damn hard block puzzles.

I'd definitely agree that shooters have taken a turn for the worse by using the gameplay designs put in place and popularized by Halo and Call of Duty, I do miss the days of having a quad jumping flak cannon duel in Unreal Tournament but to say all shooters are now casual is ridiculous. We're even getting a new Serious Sam game for crying out loud that's as old school as you get in terms of design for a shooter.

There's even a huge Indie market of old fashioned 2D games, the hardcore crown of which now rests firmly on the head of Super Meat Boy, fantastic game that in terms of difficulty destroys a lot of what I called hard back on the NES.

Gamers now have more variety than ever in the type of game available to them and they're not just restricted to current gen games, with the availability of emulators being so wide you can get a chance to play some of those insanely hard titles you never got a chance to (I only played Castlevania 2 years ago)

 

[orangeban]

I could just point out all the "hardcore" (whatever that really means) that have come out recently, but that isn't nearly controversial enough. So instead I'll say this:

Hooray. Thank god that hardcore gaming is dead. Too long has gaming been an elitist club, full of snobs who look down on those who dare to demand games that are remotely approachable, too long has the ruling class kicked at the feet of those who wanted to join in, but just couldn't breach the first hurdle. Throw the gates of gaming open to the masses! Allow everyone to play! Only then will gaming become accepted, only when we stop acting like hipster tosspots moaning about how our favourite hobby has gone "casual" and "mainstream".

 

[TitanAtlas]

Having High hoped for Serious Sam 3 though.... it looked like a blast and like a good hardcore game ;D

 

[Something Amyss]

Hardcore gaming has always been dead to me.

As I'm one who believes that gaming is simply gaming, neither casual nor hardcore no matter how much you like to fool yourself otherwise. And in my eyes only those who win money in competitions, like the MLG dudes, can ever call themselves hardcore.

Seriously, I've never given a rat's ass about what's hardcore and what's not.

It really does seem like, most of them time people are pissed off that other people are having fun, too.

 

[krazykidd]

for a simple reason really, now that video games have become a profitable market, there really is no incentive to make a good hardcore game anymore that really pleases an increasingly niche section of gamers. Every year i see less and less hardcore games coming out( i think the last one i played was Vanquish, and that game wasn't very successful. I don't even want to think about FPS). The fact of the matter is, the people who truly care about video games are greatly outnumbered by casuals, and the gap will only increase. Its even making its way into PC, which for a long time was protected from too much casual entry due to it being somewhat expensive, and not completely easy to pick up, but now even it is becoming more accessible and watered down. This is a serious problem guys we need to consider, but there's not much we can do about it. one day everything's going to be a wagglenoobtubenolearningcurve casual fest, and devs are still going to make millions.


Just my opinion though. what do you guys think?

Firstly , congratulations on having the gaul to poat a thread like this , you are going to get flamed a lot for this.
Secondly, i agree with you whole heartedly . In this day and age people don't want challenge , they don't want to think,explore , practice,etc... They just want quick mindless explosions and fun. I have nothing against these people, hell i don't even blame casual gamers for the lack of hardcore games. I blame the developpers. Thats right the developpers for turning gamers lazy and treating them like mentally deficient adults. It's almost like they don't think we could handle a could handle a proper challenge and if they don't hold our hands we will get lost and give up om gaming. A good example of this is Castlevania: Lords of shadow. Not a bad game ,( not a castlevania game but whatever), but in that game there are a couple of puzzles , pretty good ones even , but theres an option to skip them all completly. As if gamers were too stupid to be able to complete them. I half expect then in a few years video game developpers are going to have games that play themselves and all gamers are going to have to do is watch and from time to time choose what path the hero takes , kinda like interactive movies. That might be pushing it to an extreme but inwouldn't be surprised if maintream gaming took that route.

I'll end with this: Retro gaming for the win.

 

[Scizophrenic Llama]

The Witcher 2 is pretty damn far from a casual game, same with Dark Souls. The former will kick your ass on normal, the latter is unforgiving as hell.

 

[hermes]

No. Hard games still exists, if you are willing to search for them. Dark Souls is an example... In fact, games like Peggle can be a lot harder to master than your average RPG, so I guess that is more hardcore than, lets say, Saints Row.

And also, I for once welcome the trend of not forcing people to endure punishment in order to progress though the games they bought. Maybe you are too young (despite sounding like you miss the last 20 years of gaming), but when you grow up I hope you will understand not everyone is willing to spend weeks trying to beat some boss fight.

 

[TriggerOnly]

Another elitist who doesn't want filthy non gamers playing games. Oh and he has 5 posts! Listen to this guy, he's clearly being objective and unbiased about this whole thing!

Dude, get a blog.

If you think post numbers mean something your clearly just a idiot, who is one of the masses. Try reading, and taking in what its about. Not just shooting A man down with no substance replays.

On Topic: I have to agree but there will always be the hard core games on the PC. (were 99% of hard core games are. Not a " Elitist" its just the way it works.) Its just there is so many weak "dumbed down" games out there, it makes the good ones hard to find.

I agree with your post don't get me wrong. i just found it hilarious how you called someone an idiot, one of the masses and all other insults, but can't even use the right you're.

Also it's 'an idiot' not 'a idiot'

My English has never been all that crash hot, and I do see the irony in it ^^. Thanks for looking past the English for the most part to understand my point but.

 

[Iron Mal]

for a simple reason really, now that video games have become a profitable market, there really is no incentive to make a good hardcore game anymore that really pleases an increasingly niche section of gamers. Every year i see less and less hardcore games coming out( i think the last one i played was Vanquish, and that game wasn't very successful. I don't even want to think about FPS). The fact of the matter is, the people who truly care about video games are greatly outnumbered by casuals, and the gap will only increase. Its even making its way into PC, which for a long time was protected from too much casual entry due to it being somewhat expensive, and not completely easy to pick up, but now even it is becoming more accessible and watered down. This is a serious problem guys we need to consider, but there's not much we can do about it. one day everything's going to be a wagglenoobtubenolearningcurve casual fest, and devs are still going to make millions.


Just my opinion though. what do you guys think?

Well you seem to have a very loose definition of what 'hardcore' actually is (I'm taking a guess your taking it to mean games that are difficult to play through and complete) and one that doesn't really seem to hold up when you stop and think about it (there are several great games out there that are pretty forgiving in their difficuty and there are plenty of absolutely abysmal games that possess testicle crushingly cruel difficulty curves walls).

There is absolutely nothing wrong with games being manageable, if they weren't then I have to ask you how exactly do you expect new people to get into the hobby? They need a jumping on point somewhere (and with the hobby becoming more and more popular it's more important now than ever that games be accessable and enjoyable, sure, there are still sadistically cruel games out there but those aren't going to be fun for most people and as we all know, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few).

I think it's a bit of a false conclusion to assume that casual gamers don't care about the games they play. I'm sure that they do, just in a different way (just as you can still care about music or film even if you don't surround yourself with the most inspired and obscure art-house films and bands).

If you're finding games to be too easy and watered down then you need to stop and think about who you are when you make that judgement, you've probably been playing games for a long time (I'm assuming) so it goes without saying that everything is easier to you, you've already mastered it by now (show some consideration and compassion for those who haven't had as much experience with games as you have).

 

[Joos]

Hardcore gaming has always been dead to me.

As I'm one who believes that gaming is simply gaming, neither casual nor hardcore no matter how much you like to fool yourself otherwise. And in my eyes only those who win money in competitions, like the MLG dudes, can ever call themselves hardcore.

Not sure about that, there are plenty of games out there that cater both for hardcore gamers as well as the casual crowd by having a very good AI/difficulty slider for SP and ranked MP built in to them for even matchmaking so you don't get too unbalanced games.

Also, your father smells of elderberries.

 

[Rijo]

Playing Doom with the Lights off: Hardcore
*End Post here* lol

 

[Imper1um]

Two words: Dark Souls.

"Hardcore" gaming isn't dead, its just the hardcore gamers have to look a little more. There's still that niche of players that feel that they have to be raped by the "butt-raper 8000" in order to have a fun experience, and some game companies will continue to cater to those (such as those who asked for a Demon's Souls Sequel).

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

Can't you just take some sand paper and massage your crotch with it while you play a "casual" game?
Honestly, I've been an avid gamer for a looong time and I enjoy a good challenge but I really don't see this absurd step onto easy street that so many gamers do. I mean, that is why difficulty settings are there. Either way, I prefer an honest challenge and fun. I am all set with games that are so poorly designed that you have to just die over and over again to get anywhere and then call it hardcore.
Honestly, this is mostly what it boils down to. I play old school RPGs sometimes and a lot of the massive difficulty I run into is just poor game design. Do you really want to go back to those days?

 

[albinoterrorist]

well i never really defined what hard core was outside of being difficult, which is pretty vauge.

Imo its really just any game that takes dedication to master, and also rewards you for it(for example not losing to cheese tactics that a casual would use since they don't understand the game very deeply).

Any game of the Armoured Core series.

Seriously. I'd like to see anyone call it "casual".