Gamer has worries about the future of gaming

[Ms Andry]

I don't think games have gotten worse, but my main concern as a long time gamer overall is DLC. :/

Pretty much only this. I'm pretty sure it's just that we've been playing games so long that you really just can't do much anymore. I played Amalur for 50 + hours before I got bored of it, and honestly that's a lot more playtime than most old games had back then.

I think its also nostalgia glasses

[Flextt]

Well, actually, before MW, there was CoD 1 and it was innovative. Even though it lacked in gameplay and innovation to the shooter genre, it was orchestrated quite perfectly. That has become a trademark for the CoD series. Unfortunately, the franchise has been fleshed out since then.

I too think, that gaming suffers from a rather bad paradigm shift: Instead of creating a video game a developer sees fit, video games underwent a thorough process of streamlining. This has partly to do with the key word accessability. Since I am afraid of derailing this thread, I must make a concession, because we, as gamers, greatly profit from the increased public awareness and acceptance widespread gaming has created. In general, the more positive climate and attitude towards gaming and gamers, the public dialogue about games, higher quality releases on par with blockbuster movies.

It also means, that good games, albeit punitive and very hard, will never receive the same amount of attention as the next Modern Warfare. Corporative business has discovered the gaming industry and its paradigm will shift towards the wishes of investors and the ability to appeal to mainstream.

[bcbully]

TSW OP people like us are hanging all our hopes on it being truly different.

[skatblast]

Just dont hype yourself up for every game you go and buy. If skyrim were released instead of oblivion is 2005 everybody would be saying thats the best game ever created. Step forward to today and if the same game is released its "not ready" or "the combat is bad". No, actually the game is really good you just cant expect a real life experience out of it like the game is 20 years ahead of its time or something. If anything wait till the next set of consoles to decide on whether the golden ages of gaming are over or not.

[Deleted]

I do think that games are coming out too fast these days.

It used to be just sports games with a new version every year, now we have a COD annually a Assains creed annually we have a bioware RPG annually, battlefield is like evey 18 months., an annual spiderman game, annual fighting games I think games are just been pushed out too fast these days pumping games out in 1 to 2 years agfter their sequel is definatly having an effect on their quality they need to push it out a little more IMO.

I guess its because games are getting really expensive to make they need to get the revenue in faster.

[Poppincaps]

I am around your age, and I've been feeling the exact same way and I've come to the conclusion that it's us... or perhaps just me. When I was younger I bought so many terrible games that I thought were amazing, but now if a game isn't very good I won't even consider playing it. I play Kingdoms of Amalur and I like it, but I don't feel any motivation to finish it. The only game in the past 5 months that has really interested me was Skyrim... I think I may just take a break from video games and catch up on some anime in the meantime.

[Coldpro]

I don't think it's that games have gotten any worse. In fact, in the past generation we've seen some of the biggest, most ambitious titles, originating from entirely original IPs, than we've ever seen.

The problem is that we've just all seen it and done it before. How many ways can you wrap up a shooter in different packaging and still be interesting? How many ways can you wrap up a racing game in different packaging and still be interesting? How many ways can you wrap up an RPG in different packaging and still be interesting? How many ways can you wrap up an action/adventure game in different packaging and still be interesting? And so on and so forth.

At some point you'll just have to realize that you've played so many games that you have to take a step back and remember that they're just games and not these OH MY GOD AMAZING, LIFE-CHANGING things that we thought they were when we were kids.

To me, if its not half life, I don't want it. Thats just how it is, nothing can live up to those expectations for me. That, and as you said, we've seen it all done before. However, you're also right that we've seen some of the best games ever in the last decade, as well as some new ways for PLAYING those games that are just excellent.

[Morae]

Population of games is changing. At first it was more like "its only the computer geeks that play with computer!". In time, this idea has started to go away. It isn't anymore just the old gamers that play lot of stuff. There is now wider audience. Thus, like others have said, games are now made to make as much money as possible. Yeah, they were probably for that before too, BUT I think games were more often made with idea of "We want to make good game that people will buy" instead "We need to make game that as many people as possible will buy so it will at least have to look good".

[Deleted]

MMOs are to blame (in my case anyway). I used to play a large variety, but then a friend introduced me to Runescape. Then I moved onto WoW. During my time of playing those two games, I didn't venture out into many others. A large part of this is the lack of social aspect with single player games etc. The only game that I can remember which was an exception to this was GTA: San Andreas... that was a masterpiece, although I'll never pick it up and play it again. It was my first GTA game and the subsequent games just didn't immerse me anywhere near as much.

Nostalgia doesn't necessarily mean that it still is amazing in our current time. I'll mention WoW with this as well - just because the nostalgia that comes from thinking back to Vanilla and TBC feels so great, doesn't mean that's how the current/future WoW should also be. It just wouldn't work (part of the reason why Cata failed IMO). It's great that Blizzard are finally finished with following the Warcraft lore and creating their own new story adventure for WoW.

[satori sartori]

Blame the casual gamers.
Again.
More games does not mean better games.

[Daverid]

I think my Biggest problem with Games is lack of Originality ... And I Mean that across all fields ...

Worlds/Universe ... It's SO easy to Capture A Population of Gamers with a Really intriguing and Awesome Universe... Whilst some of the looks of Races and Events that occur may be slightly Cliche, anything new is GOOD. For Example the Mass Effect Universe. Probably one of the greatest new gaming Universe's in a long while. Whilst some of the Characters/Races/Planets can be things that are "Similar" to Standard Sci-Fi ... They're all still New, Interesting and a good chunk of it Unique. It really helps Make people feel apart of a New Game and New Universe.
It's what FPS games are lacking atm ... They're all just using Nuclear Warfare... Modern Day Settings .. Russia VS Rest of the World. And it's getting ridiculous. Like why not put Modern Day weaponry but perhaps just 10 years in the Future? Where some absurdly small country has All of a Sudden taken Control of Half the World and The Rest of the world Fights back ... Something UNEXPECTED. A FPS that would perhaps get us to see some new and interesting environments, Other parts of the World.

Small Innovations of Gaming Mechanics ... I think alot of people Undervalue what Really Smooth Game Mechanics can do to Enhance a game. Like think back to COD:MW (THE ORIGINAL) ... That had some incredible Leaps and Bounds in Gameplay Mechanics .. It was incredibly Smooth and playing the game just felt so good. That's one of the Reasons people got so Hooked on Modern Warfare, and why Fanboys still are today. Then of course there's the Big Game Series just getting Repetitive (Addressed further Below) and the fact that they aren't willing to change, take Minimal Effort.

Repetitive Gameplay for Easy Cash ... I think this is honestly a far more serious problem then Anything else. The Original Modern Warfare (As stated Above) had some great new Gameplay Mechanic Changes that made Combat heaps better then any previous FPS game. However they Latched onto this and haven't even bothered to try and change anything in 5 years and 4 COD titles. Yet they pump out some familiar silly storyline and sweet $100 a Game. I look at what they did with Mass Effect and I see a Team of Devs that are actually Passionate about making their game better each time. They changed Combat from 1 and 2 .. And even though 2's combat was Good, they still went and improved it for 3. THAT'S what COD should have done. But no they decided they'd had enough Innovation for a Decade and for 4 Titles just Copy Pasted Combat to reduce Development Time, to pump a game out faster, for More Cash.

I believe these are probably the biggest problems Games are facing atm. DLC isn't the problem .. Hell we've seen some INSANE content come out through DLC and I believe DLC works well (Companies just need to learn When, where and how often it's appropriate). Every Successful game over the years has always Innovated in some way, be it Gameplay, Story, Universe ect. It's lack of Innovation in Second, Third, Fourth Titles in the Series and Companies Using the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" Ideal to Maximize Profits.

I don't think AAA titles are going to ruin the Gaming World .. Or in the Future we should be worried that Games are going to become Stale and Crap. Just look at the Mass Effect Series. Innovation through gameplay in each Title AND huge Additions to the Story and a Incredible Universe. It's the Games like COD that we need to watch out for ... Where they create one Massive, Cool and Innovative/Slightly Innovative game .. And then proceed to feed it's loyal fanbase Crap for the next 2,3,4 titles. You don't have to recreate the Genre in new Titles .. Just IMPROVE it. Something that we have seen before, and we will see again. Have Faith!

[Pr0ev0lution]

i don't worry at all over the years games have been getting bigger and more ambitious, however alot of stuff these days is style over substance. what i mean by this is they may look pretty and be very good games but there is just a lack of content which isn't justifying the cost of the game, thats why personally i'm loving the rise of 5-15 pound (i guess 10-20 dollar) indie games over the last year or 2.

but thats just me, if you find yourself growing bored of various games quickly it may just be that you are naturally growing out of them.

[Averrix]

I'll tell you what killed the video game industry and made it all so streamlined and casual.......THE WII! I'd like to see now how many of those people who bought a Wii who still play it today. Not talking about the hardcore gamers, talking about the parents and grandparents who never played a game in their lives who bought one. That is what killed it. Then the iPad/iPhone fad.

CASUALS KILLED GAMING! Everything is made so easy for them now so they will buy it. Even if they never beat the games, what does a company like Activision care if someone paid $60 for their game and played it for 5 minutes. They got their money.

[drwelfare]

Games are becoming more like movies and less like books. Shorter boiled down story and options, designed for broader appeal.
People want everything to look perfect and shiny and feel familiar.

Also less new features to make things innovative. Dont want 40+ keys needed for a FPS

[Tsuna]

@OP, Play old(er) games for awhile. Not like PS2 older, I'm talking PS and below if all possible. When I wonder why there are a billion and a half checkpoints in games about blasting aliens with guns I dig out Contra for the SNES and lament over just how stupid hard that game was (without cheating). When the RPGS have all "been there, done that" I find the games that pioneered the genre and made it beautiful and play those again, Chrono Trigger (SNES), Grandia (PS), Final Fantasy pre 7, things like that.

This is just my opinion, but with games that are done solo I tend to look for massive worlds with big stories, regardless of how the story is told (it can be as linear as FF13 and still be good in my opinion as long as the story was interesting enough). MMO's need to capture the Guild feeling, that's really the main reason I've loved WoW for six years (Pandaria looks great). Most other games no longer have serious sway on my interests. Nintendo makes games that go well in a party (Mario + activity name, SSB, etc). Most fps games' multi player content stress me out because people want to "Win" more and I'm more interested in seeing how far I can get this warthog to fly with a grenade and a rocket launcher.

Anyway, gl with your dilemma, and like other folks have suggested, try some different game titles. My advice, start from the oldest stuff you can get.

[ophion1990]

Maybe you're the one outgrowing games? I went through something similar when I was 18-20, I lost interest in gaming almost completly for a while, I still played but only a couple of hours a week or so.

[Deleted]

17? sorry dude but you havent been gaming long enuff to comment on the evolution of gaming. you have been spoiled endlessly by modern day graphics and mechanics and probably think gaming didnt start till the xbox2/playstation3 times. some of the better pc games started over 20yrs ago and have evolved into the gems they are today.
makes no sense how you can worry about the future of gaming when you obviously dont know much about the past.
overall just sounds like your bored with gaming.

Your argument might be true but ow well can't choose the year i am born into , also i've played games since Xbox 1 and even PSX so it's not like i know nothing about the past .

@Shootandkill im doing excactly the same i am watching anime hoping for some cool release but the only thing i see are single players being turned into MMOs Skyrim,Kingdoms of amalur etc

The problem with the gaming industry is that they are out of ideas i mean there's so many MMO's out there ... Just bring in your mind if you're favorite game from 90s was being remade for 2012 that would be awesome.

When i play a game i want it to be challenging not faceroll through everything ok i do not want to be super hardcore i prefer the difficulty level of the final fantasy XIII series for example you couldn't faceroll everything even random mobs could kill you with ease,what i mean is i want mistakes to be more punishing.

[Profyrion]

I'll tell you what killed the video game industry and made it all so streamlined and casual.......THE WII! I'd like to see now how many of those people who bought a Wii who still play it today. Not talking about the hardcore gamers, talking about the parents and grandparents who never played a game in their lives who bought one. That is what killed it. Then the iPad/iPhone fad.

CASUALS KILLED GAMING! Everything is made so easy for them now so they will buy it. Even if they never beat the games, what does a company like Activision care if someone paid $60 for their game and played it for 5 minutes. They got their money.

Games and gaming evolve. It's the opposite of a stagnant market. I'm sorry if you're unable to adapt.

Activision is a publisher. It's their job to get the game in players' hands, and that's it. So yeah, they're going to stop caring after you paid. That's when the developer comes in. There are exceptions, but developers put a lot of creative energy into their product. They want you to like it. The entire purpose/drive/intent of creating games is so other people can derive fun from them. It would be counterproductive to create games for the sole purpose of generating revenue.

Remember what happened to Guitar Hero?

[bobo333]

as soon as there's big money to be made, innovation will be stymied while formulae, market research, deadlines and shareholders meetings dominate.

i might sound like a hipster, but games were better before they were cool.

but not all the blame can be put on the money-men. the consumer has his part in all this. the reason why there's a million shooter clones on the consoles, the reason why hollywood churns out terrible comic-book reboots, the reason why you hear the same songs on the radio, is because joe public apparantly keeps paying for it.

if you want some good games i only have two recommendations. go indie, or go retro

[lightgil]

I tend to dislike casual gaming it is sad that a challenging game had become the rarity. Challenges are fun but wii stick waggling where you can't fail the game are really boring.