Long console life-cycles responsible for decline in Core Gamer segment says NPD

Gaming's core segment has been on the decrease for a while now, so do you think the injection of next-generation consoles will help bring that segment back up? Or is it going to continue to decrease?

[smashcrashbash]

I thought it was all the crap developers have been doing over the years to make gaming $hit and catering to making the game accessible for the casuals before making it good and/or challenging is what is bringing the decline in core gamers?

[RuleNumber5]

Do you think that once the next-gens are released, developers will refocus back to making great games for the sake of making great games? Not sure.

[3-4-5]

Somebody will step up and make something Great on the next gen. Once that happens everybody else will have to up their game or be forgotten.

The influence of indie games is huge for Gaming in general. I hope larger dev's take a look at some of the unique ideas floating around and maybe expand upon them a little instead of giving us the same old.

[ABizzel1]

"Long Console Life-Cycle" has nothing to do with it. It's leaked news of new consoles launching, and Sequel-itus. People know new consoles are coming and are holding off for them. Some people need to save money to purchase their new $250 - $500 next-gen console and if that menas missing a couple of games then so be it. Especially since moste of the games coming out are part 3's of the franchise that started this gen, or Part 6+ of older franchises. Too many sequels, not enough original, and knowledge of new consoles has dropped sales.

Nintendo has no massives amounts of income coming in from the Wii (which affects total games sales) thanks to the world knowing the Wii-U is launching later this year. People kill me with their total disregard to facts and trends. Is that not what an analyst or professional journalist is suppose to recognize and report? This article would be better served this time next year, and that's only if the PS4 and Nextbox don't have E3 showings and say "not this year".

[Godmars290]

I thought it was devs too focused on next gen hardware. Not actually exploring or experimenting with what they had.

Based on that, that they'll be relying/aiming at multiplatform engines like Crytek and UE4 or whatever its up to now, we'll only be getting more of the same - which is real world, real time 1st and/or 3rd perspectives.

[morkendo23]

Gaming's core segment has been on the decrease for a while now, so do you think the injection of next-generation consoles will help bring that segment back up?

REALLY?? x720-ps4 will not inject new blood in gaming if the games you like not there to please. the problem with ps3 there is no core/casuel gaming 98% is core gaming other 2 percent is hit and miss casuel games.
HOW ABOUT NEW IP'S OUTSIDE OF FPS AND MULTIPLAYER GAMES. core gamers might be tired of same ol same ol FPS games. they need to bring back 2 player games and sidescrolling games. everyone is DELIGHTED

I vagley turn on my ps3 now days im worn-out on FPS and MULTIPLAYER ONLINE GAMING most of the time server is down or some nutjob kid or teenager disrespecting themself using profanity it become BORING un-useful activity.

[sway_z]

morkendo23

With respect...if the behaviour of some teen online or the fact that you seem to ignore other genres and keep purchasing FPS's suggest that you have the wrong hobby in gaming....or you're seriously one dimensional.

You can easily ignore FPS's due to the sheer choice of genres available to you...and have you ever heard of Single Player? ..you do realize you don't have to sign in to play your chosen console/s.

Try Yoga....?

[DARK WITNESS]

I think there are a number of factors here but in a way I am a little happy to hear this. If enough of the core show they are not interested in gaming like they use to, maybe the publishers will start to see the change on their pie charts and then maybe the men in grey suits will actually consider going back to when gaming was great.

I think Nintendo opened a can of worms with the wii and the runaway success it had when it first launched. I lot of publishers and MS (not so much Sony) saw all the $$$$$$ and that was the begining of the end for core gaming as it use to be.

They could not just stop making core games, so they just took everything that was aimed at the core and made it more "accessable".

They seem to think we have not noticed all the bullshit and we are just going to keep buying blindly like sheep.

I think there are plenty of devs out there that have great ideas, but their hands are tied by the guys with the money. The guys with the money don't want to take the risk they just want the money which is only natural.

Next gen I don't expect much to change at all. They have pushed a lot of bad habbits our way and we the gamers have taken to them so why would things change.

Not until they start to see a sharp decline will they start to notice.

I can think of loads of so called big name IP's that normally I would have bought day one, but the last release I have passed on all together because I have lost interest completely.

My only interest now is the one or two new IP's that come out once in a while.

[00001]

i think console makers got caught up with the new install base they have and the sheer size of it, not to mention the longevity of these consoles life cycles. Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony all saw the wider market and tried to see what would stick. I think core gamers felt the lack of attention because of this. I do think Next-Gen will be more focus because all three companies know what their working with in terms of audience and size this time around. So i think that'll translate into a much more focused gaming experience for hardcore and casual gamers.

[Megaton]

Console gaming made me run back to PC gaming. I had always switched back and forth between the two dating back to Oregon Trail and Super Mario Bros., but this gen really pushed me hard back towards PC.

While some of the things I hate about this gen are inescapable no matter the platform, I find that most of them are magnified on consoles.

[Lord_Sloth]

PS2 would suggest otherwise. Low Quality games are to blame.

[Bathyj]

I think because consoles were so expensive and powerful, they needed to have a longer life cycle.

The down turn in core interest is brought on by publishers pandering to the casuals and reluctance to invest in any project that doesnt look like it will be a megahit.

There are exceptions to the rule of course.
Some still strive to be different, but how many ip's have been destroyed this gen by game makers trying to appeal to the CoD crowd?

[mananimal]

Long Life cycles??,, thats a funny EXCUSE., imo tht has nothing to do with it, IE: PS2, but the factor as it always is, heard the statement its all about the $$$??, well for the games Industry the statement reads: ITS ALL ABOUT THE GAMES!, nothing more.

Its simple, this Gen's focus turned to CASUAL GAMING, or Corporate GREED as some may call it, & also DRM, those 2 big DEFACTO points have turned the Core Gamer off to gaming in General.

Not a longer life cycle, just ridiculous, but i expect nothing less from the media & journalism press which is own & controlled by the very same people & groups, who have lead gaming down the path its headed, at the expense of its true fanbase, life blood of gaming , the CORE GAMER.

Will the Core Gamer come back in its previous numbers?, hmm
Answer: Yet to be determined imo, not to sound pessimistic, but I dont think so, cuz of the casual & DRM related focus of the Industry. Next Gen will start with a bang , some great CORE GAMES to attract the core gamers back, who will in turn become like salesman, & sale the idea of it as being awesome, then whn we're on the bandwagon or hooked on the Next Gen game crack, theyll tell us to F__k off again, & start the same casaual, DRM, tyrannical practices they did this Gen(IE: Diablo3, etc).

So same crap, same old tired song ^ dance, just new Gen.

PS- the fact tht some media & press are just now "admitting" in a sense tht theres been a decline in Core Gamers #'s, solidifies my opinion even further.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Long console life cycle the decline of game sales? Honestly, the longevity of consoles has a small role in that but devs make games that "cater" to the casuals is the main reason. Core gamers & none core gamers don't mix usually. The controls, game features game mechanics. Are much more simplified this gen.

A perfect example of that, is the former well known AAA shooter known as Call Of Duty.

Plus, the masses don't wanna spend another 450$ on a new console lets just be realistic.

[ChunkyLover53]

I called this a while ago, but honestly I think those people will be back once there is new hardware and software to get excited about. No matter what games come out now or next year for current hardware, we'll all have a feeling of seen that, done that before.

We need new software to push new, powerful hardware.

[sway_z]

Even if this were true....every console generation experiences a downturn toward the end of its cycle....

it's called a 'Transitional period' ....no news here!