Growing Up Or Just Getting Old?

Game Industry - David Cage is a poor figurehead for industry evolution - but that doesn't make his arguments invalid.

[N311V]

Excellent article and I agree with most of what was said. As an older gamer I feel the only thing missing from a lot of games is an engaging story. A lot of highly rated games get most aspects right (gameplay, art, and sound) but sadly lack an affecting memorable narrative. I'm glad Cage is pushing the industry on this aspect, I feel it'll inevitably get there but with Cage and his less vocal supporters help, a little quicker.

[NewMonday]

the games industry is in the B-movie/exploitation stage, in the future we will look back and laugh.

[Picnic]

They who are laughted at are still creating more pleasure for others than those who do the laughing. Even the most B-movie of games may be doing so deliberately for style and some may become regarded as a cult classics. In a fair world, it could be argued that anything that deserves to be regarded as a cult classic also deserves to be regarded as a popular classic but, to my displeasure, this is clearly not a fair world.

[Tapani]

Excellent comment on an excellent article!

[Thatguy-310]

I do enjoy and appreciate games that have more thought put into the story line but it's also great having games that bring the child in me and bring good old memories. It's great if a dev wants to take a more approach to a game but it's kind of a slap in the face for every other dev for criticizing their work. Still love QD games though. Can't wait for beyond:two souls.

[reznik_zerosum]

David Cage for me represents all the bad way for gaming to evolve in terms of characters and storyline,imitating another medium to extent of completely simplifying everything that defines gaming is wrong direction.If you want good storytelling (but not good story) in gaming,play valve games.

[NukaCola]

You told me that a guy trying to create a different type of gaming experience is wrong, but I should play first person shooters AKA the over flooded genre? Yeah Cage's games aren't perfect but they are great. It's a real shame that people don't seem to get it. With all the evil from publishers and the bastardization of the industry, you'd think when these glimmers of hope/these original creations come out, people would be more open to except them as opposed to lash at them.

[kneon]

If nothing else David Cage and Quantic Dream should be applauded for making the games they want to make rather than caving in to focus groups and publisher demands like so many other developers.

That is how the industry will move forward, not by releasing rehashes of the same old thing over and over again.

[Conzul]

Nah, Cage's problem is different: He believes that his media is a 50/50 split between games and movies. In reality it's more like 70/30 in favor of movie. He needs to start overcompensating in the other direction if he wants to get relevant.

[miyamoto]

Imitation?

Music 3,000 years old?
Sports 3,000 years old?
Motion Pictures/Films 112 years old
Radio 110 years old
Television 90 years old
Animation 83 years old
American comics 75 years old
Japanese manga 68 years old
Video Games 40 years old

Guess what, these media all tell stories as a common denominator. How is that imitation? They are all used to tell stories in their own way.

Maybe he wants video games to be accepted by the same majority that patronize all of the above mediums of entertainment and information.

Maybe he wants video games to be about many subject matters and to be relegated to a few types of subject matter like super heroes for American comics and more like Japanese manga which covers just about any subject in Japan.

Maybe he wants video games to grow and mature as the gamer matures and not be relegated to child's plaything status.

Video game medium of entertainment is young and compared to others and its the right time to mold it into a rich, dynamic, relevant and useful medium for entertainment and education.

For 40 years, as a form of entertainment, video games has become a major force to be reckoned with; lots of potential and growth for such a young industry and Cage want's it to grow in the right way perhaps.

Look at American comics it has been relegated to superheroes, action & fiction & action as subject matter only..... while in Japan, young and old, everyone reads manga and watch anime for all sorts of subject matters. From lawyers to basketball to baking bread to the operating room.

Maybe he likes video games to be relevant and beneficial to all kinds of people, boys and girls, young and old as a medium not only of entertainment but of artistic expression
or education.

Its really dangerous if video games are relegated to just a few kinds of games such as shooters, kiddie games, or be dismissed as stuff for nerds or kids.
For 16 years Sony has been trying to take away this stigma.

Maybe he wants the whole society to accept video games as legitimate medium as movies, music, print media, TV shows, radio, etc.

I myself want many of my friends to appreciate the fun I get from video games.

kapish, mate?

[reznik_zerosum]

meh,hes untalented tryhard that is ruining this medium.

kapish, mate?

[NastyLeftHook0]

we need original games that are industry changing like call of duty and angry birds.

[OcelotRigz]

Thats why i like Cage, Rockstar and Valve, to name a few, as game developers. They just make what they want, go with their own flow and resist jumping on the "whats selling" bandwagon.
Thats why i also feel that Indies are so important to gaming evolving, as devs are free to be creative and take risks, something that the bigger devs cant do because of the pressure from publishers.

Personally, with the likes of Greenlight, Ouya and kickstarter, the future looks bright for creativity and innovation to become more relevant to gaming in general.

[iceman06]

I think that David Cage is actually pretty accurate with what he is saying. However, the manner in which he expresses his opinion just rubs people the wrong way. As a gamer that has watched the industry grow from the early days of sprites that represent some stick figure of a man to actually fully realized character, I also would like to see these beautiful models come to "life" with some substance. Games need to evolve past the common denominator of hoping to appeal to teen and tween aged boys and give us something deeper and more profound in terms of story and character. I don't mind a mindless shooter or two, but don't let that be the gold standard for how to make money in the industry. Cage might or might not have it right, in terms of games. But, at least he is willing to push the bounds of story and character and attempt, in his own unique way, to entertain.

[Conzul]

This is one of the most well-written articles I've ever seen on n4g!