I think Gaming is slowly dying.

[Nannernade]

I don't think it's dying at worst... it's a rough patch. I've seen a ton of things wrong with how games are developed now a days take for example Dragon Age 2, that thing has lazy written all over it, the only non lazy thing about it is the dialogue I'm sure there is more but I won't include it. Speaking of which though did anyone else notice the typo on the back of the box?

Enough rambling on from me, eventually game developers will realize what they are doing is just fucking things up well... let's get rid of Bobby Kotick first then we'll see how things pan out... is gaming dying? No, sure there are plenty of sequels that don't need to be made but even those have some good qualities about them that we love, they may not be the greatest but we do make references to them. Thank you for your time if I have offended anyone please do not hesitate to chew my ass in a nicely worded quote or message.

 

[pope_of_larry]

it seems like you have a view of the past that is just wrong. we only remember the good for the most part. look back and nes or n64 games and there will be more bad games then good games. and as far as pc games go i don't see starcraft coming to x-box any time soon or just about any good mmo

 

[Revista sin valor]

... let's get rid of Bobby Kotick first then we'll see how things pan out...

As a fan of some franchises that Activision has ruined, I completely agree. We need to act quickly before he ruins WoW for good and ports it to the consoles (I wouldn't put it past him). The other large publishers (eg. EA) should be split up and so they will stop ruining(/prevent them from ruining) good franchises.

 

[scorptatious]

About the "Follow the Leader and lack of innovation" thing. Games have been doing this since the industry first started. When games like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog came about, several people created games based around colorful cartoon mascots in a 2D side scrolling platformer environment to cash in on it's success. The same thing happened with games like Super Mario 64, which caused a stream of 3D platformers to be the major trend during the late 90's and early 2000's. And now, thanks to games like Halo and Half Life, shooters, along with motion controls, are currently one of the biggest trends right now.

My point is, trends come and go. No doubt within a few years, a game will appear that will try something different and innovative that becomes a massive hit. Which, as a result, will spawn hundreds of games that attempt the same thing in order to cash in on it's success. Then, after a decade or so, that will also die out.

 

[Lizmichi]

I'm sorry but I can't take you seriously when you say that's a fact in your first point without giving proof of what you say. Gaming is not dying it's changing. Video games is a business and allot of what you listed has to do with business.

I also don't believe it's stagnating, if that were the case games like Minecraft and Amnesia wouldn't exist. Valve is still going strong and the only major problem people seem to have with BioWare is Dragon Age 2, I for a fact love it and don't see a reason why it's getting all this hate. Yes using map layouts over and over is annoying and poor work on their part but every thing else is fine. Still you can't tell me you're not looking forward to Mass Effect 3 or hoping for Jade Empire 2.

 

[deadxero]

The success of games like Minecraft and Terraria negate most of what you're saying... some idiots will by whatever shit Activision, EA, or Zynga spit out. Others will find games that are fun to play and enjoy themselves. LowFi games made by gamers, focusing on making software that is simply fun to play. It has been proven that a small group of people can put together something great. It has been proven that there is a large enough market to support this type of development.

Gaming is not dying. It is changing. People building their reputations building amazing indie games are the future of the industry. Sooner or later the large scale studios will catch on and follow suit, or start hiring these people themselves. It's all profit for them. They don't want to make shit-ware, they're just caught up in the bureaucracy that is corporate growth. The industry is maturing and going through growing pains. It will pass and we as gamers will benefit in the end.

 

[Johnson294]

Gaming is just as bad now as it has ben before. It's not like people actually made games NOT for money back years ago... Recently, there's been more unique games than there has been on previous consoles

 

[TheFinalFantasyWolf]

The industry is changing, but its not dying.

 

[DSK-]

FOUND IT!

Now, apply this to the WHOLE of gaming and Bob's your uncle, we have a winner.

Oh good, I was all ready to post this in the event someone didn't use it in this thread. Thank you sir, you saved me typing some image tags. Cookie for you! (and milk - but only if you're good!)

OT: It isn't. Console's are more prevalent in gaming = more market share = developers catering for more of the market = bigger profits. It's business.

PC gaming is a minority now compared to how accessible console gaming is, especially in monetary terms.

It doesn't mean it's dead.

 

[Harlief]

Blaming piracy is bollocks. There's this fantastic service called Steam which initiates universal updates at a rate which makes piracy impractical, the games are reasonably priced and there's no risk of damaging your game CDs and having to buy them again. They monitor cheaters, there are dedicated servers and there are some great community features which make gaming with friends incredibly easy.

The only companies complaining about piracy are the companies who refuse to change their business models in this age of broadband. For all its quirks, Steam is a success against piracy. Hell, a lot of games I had previously pirated I now own legitimate copies on Steam because they provide a way better service than piracy.

 

[icame]

About the "Follow the Leader and lack of innovation" thing. Games have been doing this since the industry first started. When games like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog came about, several people created games based around colorful cartoon mascots in a 2D side scrolling platformer environment to cash in on it's success. The same thing happened with games like Super Mario 64, which caused a stream of 3D platformers to be the major trend during the late 90's and early 2000's. And now, thanks to games like Halo and Half Life, shooters, along with motion controls, are currently one of the biggest trends right now.

My point is, trends come and go. No doubt within a few years, a game will appear that will try something different and innovative that becomes a massive hit. Which, as a result, will spawn hundreds of games that attempt the same thing in order to cash in on it's success. Then, after a decade or so, that will also die out.

Oh look, Someone intelligent.

This has always happened people. Its how the entertainment industry as a whole operates.

 

[Supp]

Yes we are going to be living in a world of Final Fantasy 50's and Call of Duty Super Ultra Warfare 5. But as long as there are developers who think "Hey let's make something completely different" (and there are) gaming is going to last forever.

Final Fantasy isn't a fair comparison; the games have changed quite a bit since Final Fantasy I, for better or for worse. Hell, some of the Final Fantasy titles are (bad) MMOs, an actual genre change within the "series". CoD on the other hand is basically the same game released each year, but with tweaked gameplay and new maps.

Quite Frankly, I'm quite happy with this years games. Pokemon Black, Radiant Historia, Starcraft 2, Diablo 3 and DotA 2. That's the most games I've ever been excited for in a single year. The only problem is that of these games, only one isn't a sequel. I'm really getting fucking sick of sequels.

 

[Xannieros]

Gaming isn't dying...

Gaming as we know it is dying. Streamlined games without real story or any innovation. Gimmicks such as motion controls, and facebook games taking over.

This is whats killing us. Games like The Witcher 2 and a lot of "indie" games bring what type of game most people want.

 

[Haukur Isleifsson]

And I think you are being to close minded about the possibilities of "gaming" as a medium. Video-games as we know them might well be doomed (and some would say good riddance). But the concept of interactive electronic entertainment based on visual and auditory mediums is not going anywhere. The economics, technology and such behind how they are made will change but they will still be there in some form or another.

 

[Moromillas]

yoink

Wait a second, wait a second. Did you just say the Metroid series is gone for good? Where did you get this? Or find this out? Link for us?

 

[IamGamer41]

You forgot games Like LA Noire ,Metal Gear Solid Guns of the Patriots and Heavy Rain that have more watching them actual game play.I'm all for a good story but god damn let me play more then watch.

 

[zehydra]

"Pirates are going to ruin PC gaming. This is a fact"

No it isn't, silly. Sure I believe Pirates are screwing PC gaming up, but it isn't a fact that they're going to ruin the whole thing.

In fact it's not a fact to say ANYTHING is going to happen. You can have a fact-based conjecture about the future, but that is not the same thing as saying that it is a fact.

 

[Futurenerd]

Sorry dude. Games will be around forever, and we'll be gamers as long as that's true, and we're not going anywhere.

 

[brainslurper]

1. Pirates and Consolisation
Pirates are not killing gaming. People who pirate games do so because they cant pay for it. And if they couldnt pirate it, they would probably not play it at all. The people who would pay without being able to pirate are such a small market share it's almost ridiculous we are getting so worried about this.

2. Premium fees and DLC's.
I do see a divide here, and I think that divide will be between consoles and everything else. If you look at valve, a very traditional pc developer, they offer free dlc to their games 4 years after their release, and get their only income from that game at this point from people buying optional items. I can see many more pc game makers going this way, and even if they dont., I dont think this is a genuine threat to gaming. Charging too much money for something will only result in people not buying it, and companies like ea and activision are smarter then to let that happen.

3. Follow the Leader and lack of innovation.
In this instance I do see an issue, but I see light at the end of the tunnel when I look at new distribution software, for example the app store. On there there the content is so diverse and so original that I can see it going for many more years. And then there will be something to replace it, some new technology to take advantage of. When the app store was released, touch gaming was amazing, and everyone wanted to take advantage of it, and the iphone was the best at it. This isnt going to stop at the iphone, I know that. I cannot predict the future, how people will play games or what more technology will add to gaming, but I know that technology will keep gaming going.

4. Cash cows and not doing it for the art.
Of course they arent. And their work is for the most part devoid of any passion for gaming as a medium. So dont buy their games? In two words, fuck them.

Gaming IS evolving, and people always try to take advantage of artistic mediums. But the more innovative and creative people we have contributing to the medium the less overall control AAA devs will have over the medium in the first place.

 

[ToxicSpill]

Oh, you silly goose.