Opinion - Video gaming is on the decline!

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

TL;DR - The future of video gaming looks bleak. From the PC to the smartphone, from EA to Kickstarters, there are a few things that are happening...

1) Game systems and PCs are becoming too advanced for small companies to produce decent games, which means less choices

2) Like Hollywood, there is a lack of variety, which is why so many AAA-games have flopped this year. Are they running out of ideas?

3) Rushed releases. Game comes out with major bugs and either spends ages getting patched or never gets patched.

4) Greed wins. Free-to-play (pay2win), DLCs and early access scams. The bottom line for gaming is now all about making money and not making good games anymore.

I am a PC gamer at heart, but I still play consoles, handhelds and smartphones. Doesn't matter what platform it is. They seem to all be suffering from these problems. What do you think?

This is just my personal experience. It'll be different for everyone, but I'm sure everyone is frustrated with the direction that video gaming is going. We can look by platforms or publishers, but I am really starting to dislike the system that's emerging.

Any PC gamer knows that Steam has completely taken over the platform, with Origin coming in a putrid second. Games are generally made in two ways: AAA titles or Early Access. Steam or Origin, here are some of the bigger PC games that have come out this year. Rome II; Borderlands Pre-Sequel; Civ Beyond Earth; Sims 4... they are all part of a series of games, but they have also been flops. Total War because the game was completely broken. Pre-Sequel and Civ:BE because they are different, but lesser versions of their respective predecessors (Borderlands 2 and Civ V). Sims 4 because they took huge steps back. In fact, it feels like they've all taken huge steps back.

DayZ is a perfect example of early access games gone wrong. People buy the game so that developers can use that money to further produce the game to its completion. Only... the developers screwed everyone over. From day one, people complained about massive problems (bugs and hackers), but absolutely nothing has been done to improve the game. Despite the millions they've got, development has been going at a snail's pace... because they are now using all that cash to produce DayZ for the console. Being the most-funded Early Access game, this has become a humiliating embarrassment for Steam.

I can go on about other PC games that are very popular but still crap, but we can see it with other platforms too. Look at all the FPS flops, with Halo 4, BF4, Titanfall, Destiny, and the list will surely go on into the next year. EA Sports has destroyed NHL, Madden and FIFA (glory to PES!). It's all about Ultimate Team now. NBA 2K15... had a lot of money put into it but very little time and development - it's buggy as hell. Sports games are now all about presentation and secondary profit (Ultimate Team). In terms of gameplay... here's a good litmus test. Does the defending work or is it broken? NHL, Madden, FIFA, NBA 2K... they all fail the test.

The system is this: Publishers, ever hungry for money, are now pushing for new ways to get more money and get that money faster. Any backlash goes straight to the developers (aka Rammer, who will probably die of a stomach ulcer from the stress). How to make money? Ultimate Team for one, but also DLCs and pre-orders. Corrupt the big journals to give good reviews and get consumers to buy into the hype. Games are always going to be rushed now. And before the game can get completely patched post-release, get the devs to change gears and work on new DLCs and expansions instead, while ignoring the bugs. EA, 2K Games, Ubisoft... they are all guilty of this. And with advanced consoles like Xbox One, PS4 and Wii U, games are much too sophisticated for small developers to make decent games for these systems. So publishers take on a more domineering role (they buy off developers like slaves) and are able to exercise more control than ever before. Like oil companies, they have no concern for the long-term consequences. They see short-term money, and LOTS of it.

Rant aside, I know there are great games that are still coming out. Recently, Far Cry and Dragon Age come to mind. The Wii U had a very slow start but they've come out with good games and are really picking up the pace. But there have been so many disappointing titles this year, and it felt like a weekly occurrence. The more marketed the games were, the crappier they played. Do you disagree?

[Twilight Sparkle]

haven't played a major MMO since final fantasy XI. i've dabbed in FTP like silkroad and vindictus over the years, and minimally used cash shop for cosmetic purposes

the trend i see now is people being more selective of the games they're looking forward too, and as soon as they see gameplay, reviews, complaints, etc they'll go based on that, more so than in the past, where people will buy a game just because everyone else has and there's more online competition, or it's just something to talk around the water cooler. even if everyone does buy this game, they'll be over it within a week

when wwe 13 came out, it was amazing. i still play wwe 13, because wwe 2k14 and 15 are the exact same games, but they mixed story mode and updated the roster. the graphics and gameplay haven't changed at all, but i'm all for the create a character

i haven't owned an EA nhl game since... ****.... nhl 06

i recently bought the last of us for the ps3 and i love this game. while that game was hot, and everyone bought it, i sat back and waited for the hype to die down to play it for myself, because when you buy in to hype of a popular game, you're setting yourself up for disappointment-- which is what i think everyone nowadays thinks of games, ESPECIALLY "sequels" when you're getting the same old **** with a different year pasted over the old one (and if you're lucky, you get slightly better graphics).

i've dropped pc gaming because there isn't anything that interests me anymore. i have my ps3, with the last of us and wwe13 and for pc, i have gta san andreas and emulators for gamecube, ps2, ps, n64, snes, sega and nes

[Rick Grimes]

Hahahah.

With sites like Humblebundle, G2a, and desura around to support the community, make gamers look a little better, help indie development, and charity at the same time, I'm not too worried.

On top of that, even stepping into a smaller Korean MMO like Archeage has made me realize just how alive the gaming community is.

Early Access gaming is a BRILLIANT addition to the community, Sure, you'll see some games come and go quite quickly - but there will always be a reason for that, the good games will endure ala Minecraft, and we've had some absolute GEMS come out of Early access like Wreckfest, Banished, Broforce, Project Zomboid, SpeedRunners, The Forest, This War of Mine

With products like the occulus rift coming - the next generation of gaming is on the way too.

Add in the fact that you have youtubers like Pewdiepie, JackSepticeye, and the Achievement Hunter gang all bringing extra instant attention to new games, and the gaming community via youtube - and now thanks to pewdiepie & South Park, even National TV, its going to do nothing but help.

Some AWESOME recent AAA titles include Dragon Age Inquisition, Far Cry 4, & Shadow of Mordor, I don't know what you're upset about my friend.

[Valentine]

It's really sad how bad the NHL series has gotten. I used to buy every annual release, but they've gotten so bad that I haven't even had a tinge of desire to buy either of the most recent two. The last one I bought was NHL 13, and I waited until a year after release and only paid $10 for it, and still don't feel like I got my money's worth. I feel like they intentionally made the game modes that I liked worse, probable with the intent of pushing players towards game modes that are secondary income streams for them, as you've mentioned.

The PC seems like it will do okay at least. This may be the least desirable console generation, but PC has some strong exclusives coming out soon, and my Wii U has seen more use of any console since I first bought my old Xbox 360 since it helped me rediscover how much fun simple, shiny Nintendo games can be. So for now I'll just keep plugging away at Dragon Age Inquisition on my desktop, have a few more runs at TIE Fighter and see if I can get through some of the harder missions, sit down with my girlfriend and play some Super Mario 3D world or Mario Kart or Smash Bros, and patiently wait for Witcher 3 and Star Citizen to come out. If I get bored with those, I'll go see what kind of crazy mods are out for Skyrim or get in a quick round of Counterstrike.

There may be a lot wrong with gaming these days, but there's also a lot right.

[Ghostsof1915]

It's really sad how bad the NHL series has gotten. I used to buy every annual release, but they've gotten so bad that I haven't even had a tinge of desire to buy either of the most recent two. The last one I bought was NHL 13, and I waited until a year after release and only paid $10 for it, and still don't feel like I got my money's worth. I feel like they intentionally made the game modes that I liked worse, probable with the intent of pushing players towards game modes that are secondary income streams for them, as you've mentioned.

The PC seems like it will do okay at least. This may be the least desirable console generation, but PC has some strong exclusives coming out soon, and my Wii U has seen more use of any console since I first bought my old Xbox 360 since it helped me rediscover how much fun simple, shiny Nintendo games can be. So for now I'll just keep plugging away at Dragon Age Inquisition on my desktop, have a few more runs at TIE Fighter and see if I can get through some of the harder missions, sit down with my girlfriend and play some Super Mario 3D world or Mario Kart or Smash Bros, and patiently wait for Witcher 3 and Star Citizen to come out. If I get bored with those, I'll go see what kind of crazy mods are out for Skyrim or get in a quick round of Counterstrike.

There may be a lot wrong with gaming these days, but there's also a lot right.

You've hit the nail on the head with simple games being fun. Game Designers are getting so obsessed with the technology and graphics that they forget, uhh...what about the story or gameplay? I've found the most fun games are revamped old games on my iPhone ( Pirates!).

The Sports franchises look better than before. But they play worse than ever before. They get rid of things that players like, and forget the little things. I also can't stand that on easy levels you can wipe the floor against the cpu. But raise the difficulty level one step, then the game becomes impossible to play!

Make games that are fun to play, let the graphics enhance that. Stop making games that look good, but play lousy.

[Mr. Ambien]

Having worked for Konami in Redwood Shores and for the F2P MMO industry, I hope it's on the decline because people want to see the trend of declining QA in favour of more marketing expenses to be a trend that reverses, among other things.

[D-Money]

The worst thing about gaming is I have to wait another year for a new Battlefront.

[-AJ-]

I don't think a lack of choices will kill gaming. It's quite easy to pour hundreds of hours into a good triple AAA game. I will agree that too many companies are rushing games and thus pushing unfinished games. However, I don't see this as a threat to the industry, but rather, an opportunity to new, upcoming companies to create good, fully finished games to compete with competitors' unfinished ones. At some point the competitors will realize this and we should be back to seeing mostly finished games (there's always going to be some rushed games coming out).

I have another theory that gaming will trend towards PCs. If gamers themselves don't move to PCs the systems they play on will become more and more PC-like until they are virtually indistinguishable. Personally, except for EA's NHL games, I have almost completely switched to PC, despite only having an average laptop to use.

[-AJ-]

Make games that are fun to play, let the graphics enhance that. Stop making games that look good, but play lousy.

I can't emphasize enough how much I agree here. Way too many companies create games for graphics and not gameplay, when the latter is so much more important. Unfortunately, the illogicality of that fact translates to the younger generation sometimes, further propelling the idea.

[Tangelos]

Personally I grew out of video games. Realized I was missing out on life because of it.

Doubt it's on the decline. A lot of the world is pretty damn lazy and video games is probably the most fun you can have being lazy

[Aladeen]

The worst thing about gaming is I have to wait another year for a new Battlefront.

I agree with this so much its not even funny. All other games are just filler waiting for this game to be released.

[GLASSJAW]

In response to the TL;DR

1. This just seems straight up incorrect to me. Are you saying indie game developers had more opportunity with getting products on the PS2 or SNES or something? All you have to do is look at an online marketplace or Steam and see how many indie games and developers are making good (or at least widely played) games. 3 of the top 4 sellers right now are indie games. Prison Architect, Binding of Isaac, and 7 Days to Die. I think indie developers, like indie bands, like indie artists, like indie everything have a better opportunity now than ever before to get their product out there.

2. Hollywood has a huge variety

3. I don't really have any opinion or much experience with this, except Diablo 3--which I think is one of the most comically misguided game receptions I've ever seen.

4. Gaming has always been about making money. DLC can be done effectively (Skyrim), F2P can be hugely successful (Dota 2, League of Legends). Early access is something I personally avoid, though

Basically I just sorta disagree. I have no problem with sequels. If you don't like them, don't buy them. The sequels will stop being made. It always makes me laugh how every year CDC'ers cry and cry about Call of Duty, then go buy it anyway. Then cry about it and cry about it, then buy it again the next year.

You're ignoring games that use F2P or DLC very effectively. Dota 2, League of Legends, Hearthstone. Bethesda, Rockstar, and Blizzard all provide well-received DLC and expansions too.

I think a lot of your criticisms could be directly applied to games of all periods, if you augment the argument slightly, like by saying the SNES had games that were full price yet EXTREMELY short. "How can you charge $50 for Aladdin and its 25 minutes of gameplay when Chrono Trigger costs the same!?!" -- Buying a game has always been a gamble in terms of quality. It's not like the PSX or SNES had great games coming out each week or even month.

Anyway, consumers don't have a right to high quality product. It's up to you to do your research and go see which movie you think is interesting, play which games fit the criteria you look for, or listen to the bands that play the music you like. In video games, EGM and GamePro provided all of this information and more back in the day--but now you can simply Google it

Dollar = vote.

[Master Mind]

I think for the most part games have gotten repetitive, and have adapted a "rinse and repeat" approach. NHL games are a prime example.

Then there's all those games that everyone's in to, but I just don't enjoy at all. Take COD for example, I love FPS games, but I don't like COD, and I don't like how many other franchises are using traits found in COD. It's bringing the genre down for me.

There's still many good games being released. But not as many as I would hope, and not as many spectacular games either IMO.

I also don't get into any of that early access, beta, DLC, mods, or whatever the latest trend is. I also can't stand watching "lets play" videos that have taken over youtube.

I just like to pick up a game and play it. Just the story mode, and some local multiplayer if I have friends over. That's the way I enjoy gaming.

[GLASSJAW]

I think for the most part games have gotten repetitive, and have adapted a "rinse and repeat" approach. NHL games are a prime example.

i agree, but i also think it's important to note that this is absolutely nothing new, and not some symptom of new capitalist greed or something. NHL games have ALWAYS been repetitive.

source: NHL 94, 95, 96, 97, etc.

[Caboose]

AAA development has become so bloated its almost sickening.

Emphasis on graphics over gameplay has rendered the the industry tepid. Companies like Ubisoft constantly releasing broken garbage and still selling units shows how complacent customers have become.

So called 'Next Gen' consoles cannot run games at 1080p 60 fps yet we are on the advent of 4K displays?

[Master Mind]

i agree, but i also think it's important to note that this is absolutely nothing new, and not some symptom of new capitalist greed or something. NHL games have ALWAYS been repetitive.

source: NHL 94, 95, 96, 97, etc.

Yea the NHL games usually do that, and once in a while make something new (who knows when that will happen again).

But there are many other franchises that do this now, and not just in sports. When sequels are being made every 1-2 years, that's when it becomes a money grab.

[g_bassi13]

I primarily agree with Caboose, but I'm still bankrolling a lot of them all the same. If a game is respectable, and playable, I'll probably be the there.

The biggest problem I have personally is with the control they're trying to overlay on it, the extra way they're trying to find ways of exploiting cash they haven't earned.

This would include all the "account associations" and drm out there where you don't buy games, but are instead being granted licenses to someone's property. The Free to plays of the world are being bankrolled by XP boosters and things not related to the quality of production. Early access has it so you don't even need to complete a game before putting it out for purchase. Day one DLC and even many post release ones see games compartmentalized and sold in pieces.

Would say there was no real golden age of gaming ever, but things do still seem to be getting worse. Gamers aren't a really stand up and principled group, and things like standing up to the XBONE's obtuse planned restrictions is more of an exception than the norm.

Of the games you mentioned as an exception, both are a bit off in my opinion. Both are quality productions, sure. Far Cry 4 is a good game with a lot to do, but it's a recycled sequel that tries so hard to emulate the formula of its predecessor that it doesn't feel too much like a new experience. After playing Dragon Age, it's a large step forward in basic scope after the massive steps back that were Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age 2, so it's a good mark against the trend you're speaking out on, but it's still a pretty bland game with storytelling issues and gameplay mechanics.

I've played enough decent games this year that I can't really complain. More with the business side of things, and the obvious downward trend it's pulling things in. There will always be a place for great games, but things are going to keep getting worse on the whole.

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

Hahahah.

With sites like Humblebundle, G2a, and desura around to support the community, make gamers look a little better, help indie development, and charity at the same time, I'm not too worried.

On top of that, even stepping into a smaller Korean MMO like Archeage has made me realize just how alive the gaming community is.

Early Access gaming is a BRILLIANT addition to the community, Sure, you'll see some games come and go quite quickly - but there will always be a reason for that, the good games will endure ala Minecraft, and we've had some absolute GEMS come out of Early access like Wreckfest, Banished, Broforce, Project Zomboid, SpeedRunners, The Forest, This War of Mine

With products like the occulus rift coming - the next generation of gaming is on the way too.

Add in the fact that you have youtubers like Pewdiepie, JackSepticeye, and the Achievement Hunter gang all bringing extra instant attention to new games, and the gaming community via youtube - and now thanks to pewdiepie & South Park, even National TV, its going to do nothing but help.

Some AWESOME recent AAA titles include Dragon Age Inquisition, Far Cry 4, & Shadow of Mordor, I don't know what you're upset about my friend.

November and December has been very good for games. The rest of the year has otherwise been bad. I wonder how successful sales were for Shadow of Mordor, since the LOTR craze is past and the fact that fans had to put up with a lot of crappy iterations in the past.

In any case, I think PC gamers are ultimately the nerdiest, hardcore gamers out there, especially since it's the only platform today (along with smartphones) where developers can independently make games. That community is much more tight-knit than any console.

I also have a few early access gems in Zomboid, Forest and 7 Days to Die. But a lot of people who got DayZ have lost a lot of faith in developers. They don't trust them to finish the game. Unfair, yes, but these are the consequences.

In response to the TL;DR

1. This just seems straight up incorrect to me. Are you saying indie game developers had more opportunity with getting products on the PS2 or SNES or something? All you have to do is look at an online marketplace or Steam and see how many indie games and developers are making good (or at least widely played) games. 3 of the top 4 sellers right now are indie games. Prison Architect, Binding of Isaac, and 7 Days to Die. I think indie developers, like indie bands, like indie artists, like indie everything have a better opportunity now than ever before to get their product out there.

2. Hollywood has a huge variety

3. I don't really have any opinion or much experience with this, except Diablo 3--which I think is one of the most comically misguided game receptions I've ever seen.

4. Gaming has always been about making money. DLC can be done effectively (Skyrim), F2P can be hugely successful (Dota 2, League of Legends). Early access is something I personally avoid, though

Basically I just sorta disagree. I have no problem with sequels. If you don't like them, don't buy them. The sequels will stop being made. It always makes me laugh how every year CDC'ers cry and cry about Call of Duty, then go buy it anyway. Then cry about it and cry about it, then buy it again the next year.

You're ignoring games that use F2P or DLC very effectively. Dota 2, League of Legends, Hearthstone. Bethesda, Rockstar, and Blizzard all provide well-received DLC and expansions too.

I think a lot of your criticisms could be directly applied to games of all periods, if you augment the argument slightly, like by saying the SNES had games that were full price yet EXTREMELY short. "How can you charge $50 for Aladdin and its 25 minutes of gameplay when Chrono Trigger costs the same!?!" -- Buying a game has always been a gamble in terms of quality. It's not like the PSX or SNES had great games coming out each week or even month.

Anyway, consumers don't have a right to high quality product. It's up to you to do your research and go see which movie you think is interesting, play which games fit the criteria you look for, or listen to the bands that play the music you like. In video games, EGM and GamePro provided all of this information and more back in the day--but now you can simply Google it

Dollar = vote.

1) Perhaps I should've omitted PCs and smartphones, which are the only options for indie developers today. I am saying that even in the previous console generation, there were gems in the PS Store and Xbox Arcade. Third-party titles had a chance. With systems like the PS4 and Xbox One, you can't make a decent looking game. The target demographic for the Xbox One and PS4 looks really small to me. So I revise my statement: the consoles have become too advanced and can't release enough games to pander to a wider audience. It'll die because it relies solely on AAA games.

2) Hollywood has a huge variety? I just checked your other post. You put Boyhood, Birdman and Budapest Hotel as your top movies. They are all independent films! You didn't like Guardians of the Galaxy, a.k.a. the best summer blockbuster Hollywood had to offer this year. Action junkies are picking foreign films like The Raid and Snowpiercer. This is all anecdotal, but I don't even think you like Hollywood. Think about all the crap that came out this year. Every movie is designed to be a blockbuster nowadays. Spielberg's legacy (Jaws) has slowly killed off genres like Horror and Rom-Coms. The only things left are blockbusters, dramas, thrillers, cartoons and musicals. That's all Hollywood has to offer now.

3) EA, 2K Games and Ubisoft are all guilty of this. They are three of the biggest publishers out there. They pressure the developers into rushing a product, telling them to cut corners and shove everything into the closet wherever and whenever possible. The reception is predictably bad but the money has already been made from the pre-orders. The developers take all the heat and corporate goes home with the money. You're a PC gamer. You know that Rome II is legendary for being a broken game that's still being patched a year later.

4) You are naming exceptions: Riot Games and Valve (not just DoTA but also CS:GO and Team Fortress 2). Entire game is free (CS:GO always goes on sale), and the only extra money spent is aesthetics. Honestly.... how many other games work like that...? Everything else is all about having DLCs which should've been included in the base game. Harder difficulties are now DLCs. New maps are DLCs. Graphical features (usually blood/gore) are now DLCs. And we are also seeing a pattern where DLCs that should've been in the base game are now incentives in pre-orders. When you see that crap, you know the game is going to play like garbage. Aside from the exceptions noted above, Free2Play has always been Pay2Win. You also mentioned Hearthstone, but a lot of people are still very upset with Blizzard. No, not Diablo for me. It's Starcraft II. They completely f'ed it up.

I can't deny what DoTA and League are doing to the gaming industry. They are bringing a spectator craze that I thought could only be achieved in South Korea. Meanwhile, everything else is falling behind. You mentioned sequels. I have a problem when sequels actually seem to regress from their previous iterations. Total War, Civilization, NHL, Sims, SimCity, Walking Dead, Halo, Assassin's Creed, Naruto Ninja Storm, and of course Starcraft... the list definitely goes on.

[DollarAndADream]

There used to be a time where you could just see the title of the game and you knew it was going to be great.

Nowadays, it seems all of the big guys are mostly just rehashing their games and not updating much about them.

Assassin's Creed is an example of that. Play one now and play another from 4 years ago and there isn't a lot of difference besides graphics.

Whenever I want to buy a game now, I always look into reviews and gameplay videos before I do. I seek out opinions first and maybe watch a live stream of it.

I can't just dive into a game because the older ones were good. Unless it's Nintendo with Zelda or something because they always do a fantastic job in the Zelda universe. Although they did mess up Metroid when they went with Other M, but that was a different developer so I wasn't expecting much.

There are so many open world third person free roamers nowadays as well. When you look at inFAMOUS, Shadow of Mordor, Assassin's Creed, GTA, Watch Dogs, Sleeping Dogs, etc etc etc. Although I do like most of those games because it's a lot of what I'm into, they just start to blend together over time. People even describe Shadow of Mordor like a cross between Batman: Arkham games and Assassin's Creed with all the climbing up buildings and killing from above type of stuff.

[Rick Grimes]

November and December has been very good for games. The rest of the year has otherwise been bad. I wonder how successful sales were for Shadow of Mordor, since the LOTR craze is past and the fact that fans had to put up with a lot of crappy iterations in the past.

In any case, I think PC gamers are ultimately the nerdiest, hardcore gamers out there, especially since it's the only platform today (along with smartphones) where developers can independently make games. That community is much more tight-knit than any console.

I also have a few early access gems in Zomboid, Forest and 7 Days to Die. But a lot of people who got DayZ have lost a lot of faith in developers. They don't trust them to finish the game. Unfair, yes, but these are the consequences.

DayZ was a piece of crap with no hope long before it ever hit Steam, if people were stupid enough to buy it twice and get screwed... the community is as much to blame as the developers are - A quick bit of research pretty much tells you that the ARMA2 Engine simply isn't capable of doing what they want to with the game.

The only hope for DayZ was to rebuild from the ground up, but they won't do that because people are stupid enough to continue to waste their money on that gigantic waste of hard drive space.

For the record, I bought the ARMA2 stuff for the mod and tried it there first, and then had the full version gifted to me in exchange for some old TF2 Crap.

as for PC gamers being the nerdiest/hardcore, thats as foolish as saying all black people are criminals. Pretty much every gamer has their own Niche, some hunt Achievements(I'd look up highest xbox gamerscores, you'll crap yourself!) Some prefer to game alone, some can't game on their own and ALWAYS have to have a buddy to play with, some PC gamers just play Candy Crush, some casually play League of Legends, Some stream, some stream to make money....I could go on, but, point made.

2014 wasn't the best year for gaming, but it certainly wasn't a bad one either.