Are "Triple A" gaming companies liquidating their current audience?

[Biomega]

Is maliciousness really easier to believe?

I find it amazing how often this argument seems to crop up, with people implying (or outright inferring) that there must be some sort of sinister malevolence behind certain business decisions - which, of course, is complete and utter nonsense in pretty much every case.

It's really an amazing transfer of responsibility that's taking place there. People are quick to label predatory business tactics as "malicious" because that way they absolve themselves from being part of the (paying) audience that make such practices feasible in the first place.

You cry and moan about formulaic AAA titles and rehashed movies, but YOU ALL PAY FOR THEM ANYWAY. The reason companies do these things is because they, you know, WORK. They make money. Maybe they may turn out a destructive menace in the long run when IP is milked dry and slaughtered to the last, but for now, in the short term, it sure seems like a good idea to take all those rubes for a ride. Rubes like YOU, the consumer who complains yet doesn't act.

If no one bought these games or went to see those movies, things would turn around right quick. But they do.

Now don't get me wrong, though. I am not here to tell you what you may or may not like and enjoy. That's up to you. That's ON you. I'm just pointing out that whining about the state of AAA in a forum post before you go and pay those $60 to pre-order Call of Battlefield: Modern Milkage XII anyway is hypocritical and counter-productive. You valuing your participation in the "hip-ness" of the gaming zeitgeist over your ostensible principles is what allows those companies to continue on as they do. Same for movies, etc. Countless people who complained how shit Venom was, adding that they "just went to see it because of friends". Well, shucks. Studios don't give a shit if you like it as long you - and everyone else - pay the money. And as long as you keep on doing that, they'll keep on putting out shit, because shit is easy to make. And - again - I'm not saying you can't do whatever you want to do; I'm just saying that you need to be aware of what you're doing, and what it tells companies.

I'm guilty of many such a bad indulgence myself. But I'm trying to do better. I've stopped going to see movies I don't think will be good. I've stopped buying games that I think are not being made in the way I actually enjoy. I've cancelled my WoW subscription because I disagree with many of the choices they're making, even though I really would like to play a WoW-like MMORPG. I've stopped playing Magic: the Gathering for similar reasons - not because I hate the game, but because I don't like what it's becoming, and many of the directions they're taking; and not giving them money as a reward is the only realistic way I have as a consumer to deliver at least some impact. I have no illusions about actually effecting change. But neither am I ignorant of the fact that working AGAINST change also isn't the way. But that's my personal decision, and my personal choice - and everyone has to make those for themselves.

[Powerogue]

I find it amazing how often this argument seems to crop up, with people implying (or outright inferring) that there must be some sort of sinister malevolence behind certain business decisions - which, of course, is complete and utter nonsense in pretty much every case.

I think you misinterpreted the post by only reading the first sentence. I was basically saying they were predatory, rather than stupid. "Nyeh heh, we're going to destroy our OWN income and credibility for no reason other than to spite fans!"

If they're making a game, they want it to be successful and make them money. That's their whole thing. To think they want to spite the fans involves thinking they actually care about them enough to feel that sort of malice. Or anything for that matter.

[Biomega]

I think you misinterpreted the post by only reading the first sentence. I was basically saying they were predatory, rather than stupid. "Nyeh heh, we're going to destroy our OWN income and credibility for no reason other than to spite fans!"

If they're making a game, they want it to be successful and make them money. That's their whole thing. To think they want to spite the fans involves thinking they actually care about them enough to feel that sort of malice. Or anything for that matter.

No, that's exactly what I mean.

People find it easier to consider companies outright evil, than to admit that they are simply doing what their business sense tells them to, i.e. exploit their customer base for maximum profit at minimum effort - because that is, in part, due to consumer complicity. Telling yourself you are part of the problem, though, is much harder to admit than to just flip it around and call the companies malevolent bastards who just want to spit in our faces.

[Tenjen]

dont blame maliciousness for the blind callousness of greed and incompetence.

A lot of this is due to 2nd and third generation business people taking over and not understanding the tenants their predecessors aligned with. They take things a step further than their formers and are a good deal more short sighted, having not been told by they shouldnt go too far or do that thing.

A lot of the people making things like this are like the Financial Executives put in charge of blizz by Activision. They dont understand the unique culture and environment which formed the games' formula for success. They just understand their factory format cost cutting mass production method and ram it in or shut games down in the franchise and create new ones which pay lip service to the franchise but are designed as they want it.

the latter takes franchises and paints a thin layer of what its all about ontop of a game designed according to their model. Rather than a game made with the franchise in mind. Its akin to printing cartoon characters on lunchboxes with the same intention behind it, except they are doing it to the core product (which no longer actually exists, it was killed and smushed into paste to make the paint).

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"companies want ot make profit" is fine and all but these things are designed to be money eating machines and the behaviour is "we want all the money out there or we will shut this game down. everything we do is to make it churn out more money until doing so kills it" rather than "we are making a quality product which customers will pay us for".

The former is just not sustainable, given that each year they have to declare higher and higher profits projections and stock value increases to their real customers, the stock holders. Where even hugely successful games are declared failures because they didnt mean these ridiculously increasing projections.

[apelsinjuice]

its all about doing as little as possible for as much as possible

[Coombs]

Indie devs make games because they love games. Triple A corporations make products to increase their wealth. You see, they don't play video games, they play the game of life. And in the game of life victory means yachts, coke, and 20 year old models. I'd move to mobile and destroy all of your beloved IPs as well.

[Gaidax]

I think people have a hard time accepting that PC will not be a thing in a decade. Get on with the times.

[Fojos]

I think people have a hard time accepting that PC will not be a thing in a decade. Get on with the times.

"Get on with the times" Are you satisfied that new games are a bunch of trash with no depth whatsoever (mobile games)?

[CogsNCocks]

A lot of this is due to 2nd and third generation business people taking over and not understanding the tenants their predecessors aligned with. They take things a step further than their formers and are a good deal more short sighted, having not been told by they shouldnt go too far or do that thing.

You read my mind. I was thinking recently that these big game companies executives have gone through several phases. The first generation founders really liked games and breaking new frontiers, these guys were nerds. The second generation liked both games and money. The third generation just likes money and wouldn't look out of place in the boardroom of Goldman Sachs.

The future of gaming ultimately lies with a new generation of studios such as CD Projeckt Red, Warhorse Studios, CIG, independent Bungie etc... change is inevitable. Let's hope they learn from their predecessors mistakes. The old guard of Valve, Sony and even Microsoft aren't going anywhere though. There's massive demand for good PC and console games and tremendous opportunties for those who are able to cater to that demand.