Where are all the games?

General and high profile video game topics.
User avatar
VideoGameCritic
Site Admin
Posts: 18106
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Where are all the games?

Postby VideoGameCritic » April 25th, 2015, 6:48 pm

When I look at the video game sections in stores like Best Buy or Target, I am shocked by the lack games for this generation of systems. There's very little shelf space dedicated to the PS4, XB1, and Wii U. In fact, it seems like the older systems have a better selection.

I could understand if these systems just came out, but 2 1/2 years later? What's going on? Is the download market taking a bite out of retail? Are there just less companies making games? I don't know what to make of it. I know it's a slow part of the video game season, but even during the holidays the selection was small.

Anybody else noticed this?

Tron
Posts: 870
Joined: April 9th, 2015, 8:02 pm

Re: Where are all the games?

Postby Tron » April 25th, 2015, 7:11 pm

I was just at Target & wasn't impressed w/ the selection. I still don't even want a PS4 or Xbone. The one game I'd really like to buy is download only; that being the Resident Evil Remaster. I think the logical conclusion is indeed that downloads are affecting retail space. This generation is so unappealing to me.

jon
Posts: 1562
Joined: April 9th, 2015, 4:30 pm

Re: Where are all the games?

Postby jon » April 25th, 2015, 7:43 pm

I've noticed it too and I think it's the downloads. And less companies are making games.. How can a lot of companies make games these days? Every single game apparently needs to be so realistic that it just costs so much. It's a joke. It's like the PS1 "rule" of no 2d games the rule now is it has to be just like real life even though we're a good several generations away from being able to pull it off without any embarrassing flaws. Like how ridiculous the people in the stands look in sports games. I think that has a lot to do with it. I have great memories growing up of going to Toys R Us (and later on Best Buy) and me and all my friends having an NES and it's a lot different now. I was at the mall today and of course passed Gamespot and went inside. The colors are so dull it's like the crappy magazines, and you can't get any info on the back of the game. Remember when there would be paragraphs on the back of the game with tons of info and pictures about the cool new features? That was also part of the fun of going to stores.

User avatar
ptdebate
Posts: 1072
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 8:39 pm

Re: Where are all the games?

Postby ptdebate » April 25th, 2015, 9:39 pm

I don't go to stores to buy the majority of my games, but that is in large part dictated by my work schedule. I can't justify the extra time of going to a store for the explicit purpose of buying a game.

For me at least, I have more games to play than I can possibly make time for. I'm still trying to master The Evil Within's hardest difficulty as my backlog of new games piles and piles up. This Spring was one of the best release seasons in recent memory with Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, Bloodborne, the new Battlefield, Dark Souls 2: GOTYE, MLB15, and Mortal Kombat X all in the same month. Those who don't have enough to play simply aren't looking.

Sut
Posts: 845
Joined: April 8th, 2015, 4:23 pm

Re: Where are all the games?

Postby Sut » April 26th, 2015, 3:20 am

I'm probably part of the problem with this, I normally buy games online or a supermarket.

Tron
Posts: 870
Joined: April 9th, 2015, 8:02 pm

Re: Where are all the games?

Postby Tron » April 26th, 2015, 9:34 am

Again this shouldn't come as a surprise. the industry wants a digital market. Microsoft tried aggressive moves that the market just wasn't quite ready for. To start this generation off there have been retail releases to appease the gamers. Now that the majority of gamers are onboard we'll see less and less retail releases and more and more wonderful subscription perks and digital only titles.

User avatar
Rev
Posts: 1487
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:31 pm

Re: Where are all the games?

Postby Rev » April 26th, 2015, 9:46 am

I'd have to agree that digital games have probably made a large impact on retailers' gaming departments. The sad part is that it isn't just the video game sections, but movies, music, and anything else that people can get digitally. The day that gaming goes solely digital will be the day I stop collecting games from that generation. However, I'll probably still pick up a console from that generation, I just won't collect games for it.

David
Posts: 191
Joined: April 20th, 2015, 3:10 am

Re: Where are all the games?

Postby David » April 26th, 2015, 10:24 am

The Wii U doesn't get shelf space because it's just not selling very well. The PS4 and XB1 have only been out a year and a half, so hopefully as the systems mature they'll have a larger presence in stores. I'm sure digital games have made an impact, but I bet places like Amazon have made more of a difference. Since getting the Gamer's Club membership at Best Buy (20 percent off all new games) I buy most of my games on their website.

User avatar
velcrozombie
Posts: 610
Joined: April 12th, 2015, 3:37 pm

Re: Where are all the games?

Postby velcrozombie » April 26th, 2015, 11:51 am

Sut wrote:I'm probably part of the problem with this, I normally buy games online or a supermarket.


This is me to some extent. I wanted to buy The Wonderful 101 last week and, instead of just going to Target or Walmart, I went to Gamestop. While I'm not a biggest fan of the chain, I figured I should try to give some business to an actual game store rather than an all-in-one (especially since I felt guilty for not buying my Wii U from them in the first place). I went in and, after not finding the game on the shelf, asked an employee if they had any copies. The employee (who was nice and just doing his job) told me that the game was becoming "rare" and "hard-to-find", and that they might be able to order it for me and ship it to my house...in a week. I thanked him, left, and went to Wal-Mart, where they had a stack of copies of the "rare" game. Dammit, Gamestop! You had one job!

SigSauerLover
Posts: 167
Joined: April 8th, 2015, 5:51 pm

Re: Where are all the games?

Postby SigSauerLover » April 26th, 2015, 12:54 pm

I used to toot the PC horn as much as everyone else. But then I realized, not a whole lot of astounding PC games either! I'd argue there are LESS than on the PS4 and Xbone. I noticed the Wii U is the only platform I have with any good games coming out this year!


Return to “Video Games General”