Video Game Industry can't go on like this?

[VideoGameCritic]

A reader passed along this really insightful article which details the challenges of the current industry, including a lot of elements you may not have considered.

https://kotaku.com/the-video-game-indus ... 1836606033

One interesting point is that the price point of games has remained steady at $60 for the last 20 years. So publishers are trying to make up ground with microtransactions, special editions, live service games, etc.

[VideoGameCritic]

I was just thinking about another way publishers have saved money - by phasing out quality assurance!

Now they just release a buggy beta build, knowing they can always patch it up later. Not only does this same labor and money, but they can get the game out a year earlier!

This is another reason why I continue to embrace physical media. When you burn something to disc or cartridge, most reputable companies will do their best to make sure the game works out of the box. My Switch has been offline for some time, and I never have issues with the games I buy. Obviously there are exceptions, like Doom that requires a huge day 1 "update".

If you download something, all bets are off because they assume you will be receptive to frequent updates.

[Voor]

Interesting. I never thought about that. I guess I just assumed the cheaper disc format was enough to combat inflation and keep the games at that price. I saw where there’s a Fornite tourney with a $3,000,000 prize, so despite putting out a free game, they are making a lot of money with the things you mentioned.

[Sonicx9]

Critic you should watch these two videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=166UJe9-P-8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSQOJqikw8c

These are must watch videos as it does show that online gaming/live services are not better for video gamers with their monetization problems. It also the main reason why I prefer the Nintendo Switch over PS4 and Xbox One as both are more about gimmicky live service games that focus on making people addicted to spending lots of money on DLC/Micro Transactions and Loot boxes. And force people to log in every day to get in game items which also causes problems making it feel like a job. It even affecting single player games that do not need this junk.

No wonder why both EA and Activision do not do much Switch support as the system does not support what they want with monetization live service support which I do not like at all.

And as for Switch critic, you do not need a update unless the box warnes you such as MK11, NBA 2K series, L.A. Noire, etc. And BTW critic Doom 2016 on Switch works without patch update as it only needed to unlock online multiplayer.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0r54vECHkI so you can get that version and still play it fine without an update.

[Matchstick]

I just flat-out don't care about keeping up with modern gaming anymore. It's a combination of many things (getting older, getting married, getting other hobbies) but whether the gaming industry lives or dies just doesn't matter to me.

Main reason? There is such a massive, nearly endless backlog of already released content that I'll never even be able to play all of the games on my own personal "wishlist." This includes older games that I've bought but never really touched (any GBA or DS Catlevania, Zelda: The Wind Waker, any Final Fantasy after III/VI on the SNES) and newer games that I just haven't gotten around to purchasing yet, let alone playing (StarLink, Wolfenstein New Order / New Colossus, Mortal Kombat 11, Shadowrun Returns, Assassin's Creed Origins / Odyssey, Metroid: Samus Returns).

Whenever a new lineup of consoles is announced, I just kinda scratch my head and wonder, "Who's really ready for this? Are you telling me you've already played *every* current gen game that you've wanted to, and are already ready for more?" I'd imagine that 95% or more of gamers have some sort of backlog, myself included. If the gaming industry died a quick death tonight, it wouldn't matter to me too much, as I have years, if not decades-worth of other games sitting on the shelf ready to play, no Internet or access codes required.

While I don't mind when newer games want to update themselves, it is a pain in the butt. Nothing is worse than sitting down ready to play a game, only to have your console tell you, "Wait, wait, hold on, I'm not ready yet. Can you come back in 45 minutes or so?" Pathetic. I'm the one who gets to tell my game console when I'm ready to play, not the other way around! Whenever that happens, I usually just wind up playing an older offline game, and by the time the newer game is ready to play, I just don't care about it anymore. Better luck next time.

Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Google, Valve, and whoever else can do whatever the heck they want. Gaming nowadays is not the gaming that I grew up with, and while I accept that, I am more than willing to just drop it and let it go. Let the current generation enjoy their always-online, always-up-to-date offerings, and if they like it like that, more power to them. Me, I'm better off smacking M. Bison around for the umpteenth time in Street Fighter Alpha 2 on the Saturn, and I can guarantee you I'll have more fun doing that than I will with any current PC, Switch, PS4, or Xbox One game. Different strokes for different folks.

TL;DR - If you ask me, if modern gaming's fate is to die, just let it die, already. We'll all be fine one way or another.

[Voor]

I agree, over time, you just figure out what you want in gaming. I’m like you—I’m waaay too far behind to catch up now. And that’s ok. I’ve learned that when I have time to play, I enjoy platformers, Mario Kart, or speedrunning NES classics. That’s it. I play too sporadically to get invested in big adventure games or an RPG, and I’ve never liked open world games.

The only game I’m interested in purchasing at the moment is Mario Maker 2, for the multiplayer component. But I’m scared lag may ruin it.

[jon]

I’m in the same boat. I’ve got several lifetimes worth of fun to be had just from my favorite games plus about at least 50 games I haven’t yet, all classic gaming. A few years ago I had a sort of identity crisis. I felt guilty I hadn’t played basically with a rare exception, any 7th or 8th gen games. I barely played any 6th either. But I quickly realized that if rheee was a system modern tut catered to my tastes, 2d arcade action, I would be a modern gamer

[bluenote]

I agree, over time, you just figure out what you want in gaming. I’m like you—I’m waaay too far behind to catch up now. And that’s ok. I’ve learned that when I have time to play, I enjoy platformers, Mario Kart, or speedrunning NES classics. That’s it. I play too sporadically to get invested in big adventure games or an RPG, and I’ve never liked open world games.

The only game I’m interested in purchasing at the moment is Mario Maker 2, for the multiplayer component. But I’m scared lag may ruin it.

I'm in the same boat. I do have a switch, because I love nintendo franchises, but i dont have a ps4 or xbox. I've barely scratched the surface of what the ps3 has to offer!

[Voor]

I wonder if that’s an issue—companies are pumping out games at a faster rate than before, overwhelming the consumers? Plus the games are bigger and take more time to finish than the old days.

Years ago, I decided that I would just stick to Nintendo franchises, since that was the only feasible way I could imagine “keeping up”, and I haven’t come close to being able to do even that.

So that’s how I came to the conclusion that in an earlier post.

Everything gets overdone. I remember years ago when a “modern retro” 8 bit styled game came out, and everyone was excited. Now, the market is flooded with them.

[laserdiscfan]

Like others have said, I don't really care what happens to gaming. I love my PS4, but most of the games I buy are HD remasters of older games and perhaps the occasional reboot of an older series (Resident Evil, for example.) I couldn't care less about new franchises, online gaming and micro transactions. I don't like Rockstar Games, I don't like first person shooters, I don't like sports games, games made by Electronic Arts, or MMORPG's; which leaves me very few 8th generation games that I legitimately like. Maybe once or twice a year I get excited for a game, but that's it, compared to fifteen years ago when there would be a dozen titles a year I could get excited about. It could be because I'm older, married and have other responsibilities and hobbies; but the industry doesn't appeal to me anymore.