Why do people hate App Store games?

[Zhukov]

People hate App Store games?

Huh.

They always struck me as rather inoffensive. Surely there's not much to hate about Cut the Rope.

"Ye gods! Someone is developing a game not specifically tailored to my tastes! A game that will be bought by people who never played Ocarina of Time and think fantasy RPGs are for lonely nerds. They're ruining the games industry!"

 

[badgersprite]

Because people hate change and like to shake fists at any and all things that aren't catering specifically to them even though they had no intention of playing these games in the first place and the existence of this product affects them in no way whatsoever?

App Store games are fine, harmless fun. Some are even genuinely good, and they're no threat to anything. The only games that are going to end up on the App Store are the kind of games that would have ended up on the XBLA anyway, like LIMBO or Puzzle Quest. They probably won't even be changed at all to make the switch, and how is it a bad thing if those small indie devs actually start making money for a change?

Haters to the left, to be quite honest. This is as "damaging to the industry" as having sudoku or crosswords in newspapers.

 

[targren]

Not trying to disagree with you, but do you mind if I ask for some examples of this happening? I have a lot of games on my iPod, and yes, a lot of them do have very similar gameplay, but I haven't really played any that are essentially flatout copy/pastes of originals

The quintessential iPhone game: Angry Birds.

It was, for some reason, not as popular when it was a flash game called "Castle Clout"

 

[skywolfblue]

Because people hate change and like to shake fists at any and all things that aren't catering specifically to them even though they had no intention of playing these games in the first place and the existence of this product affects them in no way whatsoever?

App Store games are fine, harmless fun. Some are even genuinely good, and they're no threat to anything. The only games that are going to end up on the App Store are the kind of games that would have ended up on the XBLA anyway, like LIMBO or Puzzle Quest. They probably won't even be changed at all to make the switch, and how is it a bad thing if those small indie devs actually start making money for a change?

Haters to the left, to be quite honest. This is as "damaging to the industry" as having sudoku or crosswords in newspapers.

I agree. People are upset over nothing.

 

[NickCaligo42]

They don't so much hate app store games as much as they hate how upset the AAA industry gets over app store games and how much they overreact to it.

 

[Something Amyss]

Has that actually happened though?

Re-read what I said, and tell me if I think it's actually happened.

It's basically a matter of time. And that was my only assertion. Is your argument "It hasn't happened yet, so it won't?"

Because then, you REALLY are an optimist.

And naive.

But cute job comparing marketing trends to end of the world predictions.

 

[Strain42]

Has that actually happened though?

Re-read what I said, and tell me if I think it's actually happened.

It's basically a matter of time. And that was my only assertion. Is your argument "It hasn't happened yet, so it won't?"

Because then, you REALLY are an optimist.

And naive.

But cute job comparing marketing trends to end of the world predictions.

My argument isn't "it hasn't happened yet, so it won't" it's more "what evidence is there to suggest that it's going to happen?"

Now if BioWare releases an app store game that manages to make more money than the entire mass effect series, I'll concede there might be something to worry about. You call me naive, but I call you paranoid.

Not trying to disagree with you, but do you mind if I ask for some examples of this happening? I have a lot of games on my iPod, and yes, a lot of them do have very similar gameplay, but I haven't really played any that are essentially flatout copy/pastes of originals

The quintessential iPhone game: Angry Birds.

It was, for some reason, not as popular when it was a flash game called "Castle Clout"

I've played Castle Clout. I actually even played it long before ever playing Angry Birds. But aside from being the same genre of game, they really don't have all that much in common. It's no different than the people who said that Saints Row was a blatant rip-off of GTA (which once upon a time maybe it was, but it grew into its own thing)

And while I can't think of a proper example right now, I'm willing to bet that Castle Clout wasn't the first game of that genre either. Humorously enough, Armor Games actually have put quite a few games on the app store lol.

But that's just my opinion. I'm sure others will disagree, and I'm not claiming to be right.

 

[Something Amyss]

My argument isn't "it hasn't happened yet, so it won't" it's more "what evidence is there to suggest that it's going to happen?"

Now if BioWare releases an app store game that manages to make more money than the entire mass effect series, I'll concede there might be something to worry about. You call me naive, but I call you paranoid.

Dude, look at their attempts to increase profits. The industry as a whole will jump on fads, from FPSes to casual games (and they already have).

Pattern recognition is not paranoia. Don't be disingenuous.

 

[PeePantz]

snip

I really don't think it's going to put any sizable dent in the big budget (or AAA) studios. It might retard a small amount of developers who make large profits from shovelware and don't grow to working on larger projects. That being said, if they're happy with their niche, who cares?

However, the only console/gaming giant I see being crushed is Nintendo. Look at the Wii. The sales of the Wii and its titles are completely stagnant. I firmly believe this has to do with the explosion of mobile device app games and the like. The Wii found itself exploiting an untapped section of the gaming market with games that are very comparable to these app games. The amount of shovelware that appealed to the "casual" gamers were only available to consumers via console. Now, the consumer doesn't need to be confined to the living room. The same type of games are available on any mobile device for such a drastic reduction in price.

Unless Nintendo changes its business philosophies, I feel they will continue their downward spiral. With the WiiU nearing the shelves, I'm very aware that they haven't.

 

[Aeshi]

Personally, I'm not that into handheld and casual gaming, but I recognise they they are good at what they do. TBH, I think a lot of the hate the games get is actually rooted in hate of Apple as a company and Apple products, not the games themselves.

This.

Plus as others have said there's the whole "Usually a rip-off of a game you could find for free on Newgrounds/Armor Games/wherever" thing.

 

[Woodsey]

The issue is not the games (although I do find them mind-numbingly boring), but that publishers seem to think everyone's about to throw out their copies of Skyrim to go and play Angry Birds and Farmville instead.

 

[targren]

I've played Castle Clout. I actually even played it long before ever playing Angry Birds. But aside from being the same genre of game, they really don't have all that much in common.

Not that much in common? They're both ballistic-physics games. One just replaces the trebuchet with a slingshot and swaps the guard sprites for pigs. I think your standards might be just a bit too forgiving.