The big day is finally here! You’re installing the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime and Direct X drivers for the umpteenth time anxiously awaiting the experience that is going to eclipse all others. Then an hour later you feel like a chump whose been duped. Welcome to the near perpetual state of gaming in this day and age: disappointment.
Skewed and Reviewed have written an Opinion Piece covering issues in the gaming industry, how current issues were issues years ago, and what can be done to help restore consumer trust.
Nothing. It's up to the gamers to stop consuming content from companies that they don't agree with.
How do you know if you agree with it or not unless you play it? Which without conventions forces gamers to rely on trailers. Perhaps Demos should be made more frequently. But companies need to do better as well.
But is that not what they have now? Tons of gameplay or are you talking about watching actual gamers play it versus the trailers and streams? The big issue is that some companies pay streamers and influencers and they create content but for me; that is hardly a fair, unbiased, and factual look at a game.
They usually are attached to the money sadly. It would be nice to have gamers in charge but you have so much money invested that business people are needed. Hence the issue; you need people who know business but are also gamers who know have an eye to the community. It sounds simple in theory that if you give gamers quality games that they want to play; money will be made. But that is not always so.
Marie Dealessandri speaks to Borislav Slavov and Gustavo Santaolalla about “the new golden age of games music”.
A famous actor from Starship Troopers has showered praise on Helldivers 2 and said he is open to the idea of playing General Brasch.
There are rarely any games that I actually look forward to, but mostly because they don't really interest me.
I looked forward to Bioshock Infinite, and, after playing that, I was incredibly satisfied. I was how Batman: Arkham City was going to turn out, because I didn't think it could live up to the first game, but I ended up loving it as much, maybe even a little more than Arkham Asylum. Then, there was Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. It's Ghost Recon with an ability to turn invisible? AWESOME! And, after many delays, I finally got to play it, and...it turned out to be one of the most mediocre shooters...well, pretty much ever. I'm excited for Nintendo games, but I know I'll like what ever they produce.
But, then I look at my favorite games from last year, and I realize, none of those games I've really ever heard of until on the released date or well after. Deponia, FTL, Lone Survivor, Spec Ops: The Line, those are all games that have been sticking with me. There are games even further back that I still remember playing because they've been a memorable experience. I'll even revisit them from time to time.
It's not that games that I have been looking forward to have never been good(Bioshock Infinite is definitely going to stick with me), but the thing is I feel like most of the major games have been coming were never really meant to be memorable or special or noteworthy; they were meant to make money, so they take the safest possible routes out there.
So, if we don't care about a lot of the games that have been incredibly hyped after playing them, I think that says something more about the games and how the industry is taking advantages of us.
Well said! This is the exact state of the industry yet we can't really point a finger in any direction.
Games industry is business and there is simply nothing more to it. Marketing machines are only doing their work. Think it like this: The better they can create hype and sell more products while providing as little as they can to the customer, the better. Wouldn't you aim for the same goals if it was your wealth building up with every sale? Business at its purest form.
Is it fair for consumers? It is if you wish to ride the hype train. For developers and publishers? Of course it is.
This is why I stopped reading much about upcoming games. They always give you unrealistic expectations. Just pick and choose after release (and price drops). Now I'm neutral going in and come out feeling generally positive about games.
I guess I just have a good spidey sense about these things, 'cause the only disappointing game I've picked up at launch in a long, long time was Duke Nukem Forever. And hey, if you're gonna pick a stinker, might as well pick the worst turd ever.
Excellent article! :) You make very valid points pertaining to the near infectious hype surrounding soon-to-be-released titles in a clever and interesting way. I usually end up renting more than purchasing newly released titles because I'm always skeptical about the particular experience they will deliver. However, I ended up pre-ordering Bioshock Infinite (being an avid fan of the first two installments) and ended up being more than satisfied with my purchase.