Is gaming dead for you?

[Baron_Rouge]

I think it's better than ever, personally. You can look at companies like Naughty Dog, Insomniac, Sucker Punch, Rockstar, Nintendo, etc. and see that they're making creative, balanced, extremely enjoyable gaming experiences just like they always have, but with modern processing power, they can make more believable and fully realised worlds. I think it's only getting better. Of course, there are some companies whose business practices I don't agree with, but hasn't this always been the case? I think with better technology, better games will come naturally if stalwart developers like these don't lose their way

 

[Arnoxthe1]

It's getting a lot better and a lot worse at the same time. But that's what you get in a continually growing industry.

 

[The_Waspman]

I wouldn't say gaming is dead to me, but it's certainly retired. What was once a life of buying new releases once a month, using the majority of my free time to play and trying to stay on top of things has become a slower process for me.

For starters. I've told myself that I'm done with new consoles. Once the PS3, Wii and 360 all become obsolete, I'm done with TV consoles.

Pretty much this. For me, its not dead, but it is comatose. Gaming is becoming increasingly inconsequential to me. I don't enjoy it as much as I used to, and I'm going to go right head and blame all the hype. Marketing has beating gaming into this coma. Because with productions spiralling out of control, games have become increasingly slight, more stripped down. They take less time to complete and have less replay value, and everything I read about the fourthcoming consoles makes me less and less interested.

So yeah, I'll be done with gaming once the next gen takes over. Hell, I think there are only about five games between now and then (by then I mean around about 2014) that I'm even vaguely interested in.

 

[Vault101]

no

and people who go on about this kind of bullshit really really annoy me

hey! you....yes you!, person who likes past games better

I LIKE CURRENT GEN TRASH BETTER THAN YOUR BELIVED CLASSICS!! WAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

ah that felt good

 

[Evil Cabbage]

Well, as for your first point, I think this signals more that games are alive rather than dead. The fact that games are being scrutinized in a similar manner to film and TV by both gamers and the media (correct me if I'm wrong on the media) suggests that games and game culture have become a much larger part of society that they once were, subject to social norms and criticisms.

As for your second point, I agree that it's shameful when developers rush out a game with a truckload of bugs and simply patch it, however it's important to acknowledge that patches can be used for good instead of evil - like fixing minor glitches that most games (old and new) have in some form, and in rare cases, adding new content.

I think a key thing to this discussion is that gaming is much larger today and contains many more facets - i.e AAA, AA, indie, iphone apps, etc. I notice that most people in this thread seem to be referring to the AAA market. Further, I object to the use of the word 'dead' because it implies a state of permanent... well... drudgery.

I, like many haven't been that interested in AAA games this year, however, for all we know, we might have a great year in a few years. So, I don't think that games are dead, just that AAA games are in a coma

 

[LiftYourSkinnyFists]

People are growing vaginas at an alarming rate. hence why people complain about Tomb Raider rather than the murder, use and beating of prostitutes in Grand Theft Auto... YOU PEOPLE PICK THE WEIRDEST OF CHOICES TO SHOW SEXISM AND VIOLENCE ETC ETC IN VIDYAGAMZ

 

[Something Amyss]

Every argument I hear now is about violence, sexism, and other forms of brutality, and while these arguments have always existed it does not excuse the current growth in the past couple of years.

Not really. It's still rather proportionate to the base. It's just that gaming is now a mainstream industry like never before.

Take for example the reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise. Now, I've never really been a fan of the series but I do find the current comments about it to be incredibly irritating. First the games were too sexist. She was always the busty brunette treasure hunter with guns poised for combat. Now they're saying she's a victim, a shell of her former self and a punching bag for men.

So first it was that the games were too sexist and now it's that the games are...Too sexist?

my how times have changed!

I've asked a few women on the subject of old image versus new, and a great deal of them didn't know what I was talking about, and the few that did either cared less or thought it was a sexist image.

Well, my girlfriend seems to care. In part because she likes games. Weird.

This is also why anecdotes suck. Most of the women I know DO care.

I was in the category of "I could care less," and you know why? Because it's a VIDEO GAME!!! You play them for entertainment and nothing more.

It's almost like...Some people aren't entertained by that stuff.

Nah, the "it's about entertainment" argument holds water. Completely.

But it's not only that. Games are being released in less that satisfactory condition. A lot of them are in poor quality, have tons of bugs and glitches, and this is quickly becoming the norm. Ugh, and don't even get me started on storyline and multiplayer.

Bugs and glitches were ALWAYS the norm. The major difference is they can patch it now. I'm not sure how old you are, but what are now called AAA titles used to be loaded with bugs in the NES/SNES eras, and I think the PS1 era was even worse. And shitty hardware dates back to the NES, as well. The "toaster" style NES was a faulty design they knew about, long before the PS2 or 360.

People like to white-wash the good old days, but be realistic. I grew up in days when you would pay the equivalent of 100 modern bucks with NO quality assurance and ZERO hopes of getting a patch or an update unless they released a brand new version, and then you'd have to pay again.

Seriously, people. This is not a new thing. Save-destroying, game-unplayable, controller-snapping bugs are almost as old as gaming.

So I have to ask. Has gaming died for you or what?

If these are the reasons gaming is "dying" for you, I think you're doing something horribly wrong.

But seriously, I just bought like a dozen new games on Steam, and a second controller so I can play multiplayer locally with friends. I've always been a console player, but with the advent of controller-ready PC games and indie titles (which cover a lot of genres I love), I am in a state of gaming Nirvana.

And yeah, consoles are pissing me off. Probably why I have only bought two console titles in the last 18 months.

 

[Laser Priest]

Gaming is just as grand as ever, if not more.

Just as it becomes more popular, it becomes more exposed to idiots. Happens to everything.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

So I have to ask. Has gaming died for you or what?

No because there's tonnes of fucking awesome games still left to play. I've said this before but if you can't see that then just fucking leave, this argument is bogus.

 

[legendp]

What is going on with the current generation of video games? Sure, industries such as Sony and Microsoft have had their blunders in the past, but things seemed to have just spiraled out of control.

Every argument I hear now is about violence, sexism, and other forms of brutality, and while these arguments have always existed it does not excuse the current growth in the past couple of years. Take for example the reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise. Now, I've never really been a fan of the series but I do find the current comments about it to be incredibly irritating. First the games were too sexist. She was always the busty brunette treasure hunter with guns poised for combat. Now they're saying she's a victim, a shell of her former self and a punching bag for men. I've asked a few women on the subject of old image versus new, and a great deal of them didn't know what I was talking about, and the few that did either cared less or thought it was a sexist image. I was in the category of "I could care less," and you know why? Because it's a VIDEO GAME!!! You play them for entertainment and nothing more. But it's not only that. Games are being released in less that satisfactory condition. A lot of them are in poor quality, have tons of bugs and glitches, and this is quickly becoming the norm. Ugh, and don't even get me started on storyline and multiplayer.

So I have to ask. Has gaming died for you or what?

Definitely not, for me it's better than ever right now. Sure games are shorter but as far as I am concerned are of far better quality, games like the Witcher 2, mass effect 2 (and 3 with the exception of the ending), portal 2, batman arkam city, the firts crysis game, starcraft 2, uncharted 3, Hell I even thought bulletstorm was a great game. As for syndicate, it may have been short but the gameplay and atmosphere was actually alright (don't know why everyone hated it). Then there is the wealth of indie games like amnesia the dark decent, trine 1 and 2, Q.U.B.E and many many brilliant more. Gaming is currently better than ever but some people love to find any reason to hate on whats new, sure there are classics but they are few and far between. in the past 3 year more high quality fun game have been released than all the games released before 2003 (in my opinion, ofcourse)

also, I hate to be a grammar nazi. But I never understood why people do this this, shouldn't the phrase be "I couldn't care less". because if you say I could care less, that means you can care less than you currently are (get what I mean), then agian my own grammar is pretty bad (I just hate when people use that phrase incorrectly)

 

[someonehairy-ish]

"I could care less,"

Could you? So you do care then?

...

The only game I've played in the past few months is COD: BlOps out of sheer boredom. And there isn't anything I'm particularly looking forward to either. So yeah. Bit dead. I only come on the website for the random discussions/weekly features/flame war fun.

 

[Khazoth]

No, but the community by in large needs to be taken the way of Old Yeller.

Enthusiasm has died though, innocence of the community was rather brutally taken. Take a look at that post for Deadpool's new game and you'll behold a sea of.. "I really don't wanna get excited yet."

But beyond not wanting to get enthusiastic for games? There is so much of a lack of reason to be enthusiastic for people like me. Ashens and Guru Larry did a wonderful video on E3 that pretty much summed up nicely what it has devolved into. For me personally? E3 was an advertisement for one, long, mediocre first person shooter. 85% of which was brown.

 

[Sylveria]

Actually, I never claimed that "extension". I don't even see why you'd think why taking an issue with someone's attitude would make such an "extension" necessary.

Or in other words - I didn't actually say that, nor did I imply it. You made that part up.

Because of the attitude that you took in order to oppose his attitude. You stated that his attitude was "plain wrong". That's being contrary for the sake of starting an argument. There was no reason for you to include a statement like that, and yet you did anyway. In fact, judging by hazabaza's response to your post, you actually edited your post to include stating that his attitude was wrong.

And the point of an extension is that it's indirectly implied without the person stating so. It's how passive-aggressive people on the internet like to argue.

Just read and stop putting words in his mouth so you can argue with them. I know you want to put that English degree to work since you ended up flipping burgers, but you have to debate what's actually there, not inferring additional points.

 

[Sylveria]

So I have to ask. Has gaming died for you or what?

No because there's tonnes of fucking awesome games still left to play. I've said this before but if you can't see that then just fucking leave, this argument is bogus.

You don't like it? GTFO!.

How post-9/11 America of you.

 

[saintdane05]

"With all the beautiful games in this world, why sit here chirping negativity?"

-Me, editing a quote I found on Facebook.

 

[shrekfan246]

Just read and stop putting words in his mouth so you can argue with them. I know you want to put that English degree to work since you ended up flipping burgers, but you have to debate what's actually there, not inferring additional points.

This is probably the single most arrogant and presumptuous thing I've ever read in my entire life. And I'm not going to dignify it with anything else.

Good day.

 

[Gitty101]

No. No and no again. Gaming is better than ever. It's just the usual catatonic media-hungry crowd who are bringing up the issues which are flooding the gaming community at the moment.

 

[legendp]

Definitely not, for me it's better than ever right now. Sure games are shorter but as far as I am concerned are of far better quality, games like the Witcher 2, mass effect 2 (and 3 with the exception of the ending), portal 2, batman arkam city, the firts crysis game, starcraft 2, uncharted 3, Hell I even thought bulletstorm was a great game. As for syndicate, it may have been short but the gameplay and atmosphere was actually alright (don't know why everyone hated it). Then there is the wealth of indie games like amnesia the dark decent, trine 1 and 2, Q.U.B.E and many many brilliant more. Gaming is currently better than ever but some people love to find any reason to hate on whats new, sure there are classics but they are few and far between. in the past 3 year more high quality fun game have been released than all the games released before 2003 (in my opinion, ofcourse)

also, I hate to be a grammar nazi. But I never understood why people do this this, shouldn't the phrase be "I couldn't care less". because if you say I could care less, that means you can care less than you currently are (get what I mean), then agian my own grammar is pretty bad (I just hate when people use that phrase incorrectly)

Everyone hated the new Syndicate because it was based on a mediocre isometric action game from the 90's.

hating on a game because it's not accurate to it's 10+ year old routes I think can be a little ridiculous (especailly when you can see that other than the name they are two different games entirely), if the game been called something else than I doubt people would have had such a problem, I didn't care for the original syndicate and I downloaded the advanced config tool (allowed me to turn down bloom and turn off grain) I got it cheap aswell ($30)

 

[GAunderrated]

Not trying to beat this dead horse so I hope no one picks up on it but for me the console market is almost dead. The PC and handheld market is actually thriving for me.

As Jim Sterling pointed out in one of his controversial episodes, consoles are just adopting the worst of PC's practices and in some cases actually making them worse. It is way more convenient and cheaper for me to stick with the PC and handheld's especially since the "exclusives" for consoles are getting a bit too bland to sell anymore.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

Seeing as how its my job, a little part of it has died. The part where I separated the professional from the Casual. Seeing as how I'm making games, I pick every game that I plow apart. Its less of a dynamic sense of escapism and more psychological analysis and introspection on player behavior.