Skyrim developer: Call of Duty is hardcore, multiplayer has RPG element

Todd Howard, design director on Bethesda Softworks' Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, has said Call of Duty is hardcore and its multiplayer component has RPG elements.

[BeastlyRig]

Call of Duty is a casual Arcade game.. That has been remade over 3 times!

Call of Duty makes the most money but won't give dedicated servers!

On PC I know an indie developed shooter name Red Orchestra 2 & they offer dedicated servers! And They don't make even half of what activision makes!

I don't want spell streaks in skyrim..

[RedDead]

It is a hardcore game with a mixture of Casual and hardcore audience. The reason I dislike it is because it releases full priced expansions year after year.However, Casual game is....nintendogs. Cod has just attracted Casual gamers. It's about as Hardcore as a casual game will get...Hard to explain really.

Anyone who really thinks the game is casual needs to learn the difference...

[I-Pirate-Games]

Bethesda should just care ONLY about their games right now

[Washington-Capitals]

exactly RedDeadDestroyer, well put. It is a hardcore game with a mixture of Casual and hardcore audience.

The hardcore aud will always enjoy the elements of the game that make it competitive while the casual will enjoy the game for its accessibility. That what makes THE CORE FUNDAMENTALS of call of duty soo great. Im not saying overall its an amazing game, but at its core, the gameplay is what is soo stellar and really not matched by any other game out there.

[StanLee]

Call of Duty isn't a casual game. It's accessible. There's a difference. The casual gamer is satisfied to get 1 or 2 kills and have fun. The more hardcore gamer takes time to create classes, stat track, play in clans etc. There is nothing casual about Call of Duty. What funny is I hear people say how they loved Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and how the franchise has become casual and then in the same breath, criticize the franchise for being unchanged since Call of Duty 4. How does that make sense. If it's unchanged, how has it suddenly become a "casual" game just because a less hardcore audience plays the game?

[RememberThe357]

I think when people say hardcore games like Deamons Souls pop into their head. With that as a benchmark at shooter with auto-aim doesn't seen so hardcore. It's more about perspective. I'd say COD is right in between casual and hardcore, I'd call it "easycore". Matter of fact I'll coin that right now lol.

[Otheros00]

Any game that holds your hand through the entire game is casual. Being Super accessible is casual. After 2 squeals and the game remains unchange then it needs to die off.

[Aloren]

Really ? well, give cod on veteran (or even normal really...) to a "casual gamer", then send him in an online match... then tell him this is casual.
So, no, being accessible doesn't mean it's casual.

Also, according to your definition, most (if not all) games are casual. What's this nonsense about only games that makes you want to die being "hardcore" ? Just cause you want to play cod 300 hours and don't want to spend 300 hours being punished in Demon's souls doesn't mean you're not a hardcore gamer...

[StayStatic]

"spell streaks"

Epic Winning !!!

[ViserysTargaryen]

Dedicated servers cost money that Activision can't afford. You see Activision is like a black hole. Once the money goes in, it doesn't come out.

Dedicated servers exists on the PC because the community is awesome. They're almost entirely ran by fans. If you look at the fan servers and EA servers for BC2 you'll realize that more that 90% of BC2 servers are actually ran by gamers.

[Blacktric]

Well said. You need a crown...

[crematory]

6vs6 doesn't need dedicated server bro
its a waste of money , and trust me when i'm telling you dedicated server is not the a cure for a lag
its all about u ping and the game netdcode infrastructure

[radphil]

and yet P2P makes it even WORSE for lag.

[shayol33t]

Are you honestly defending P2P against dedicated servers? Why?

Legitimate question, why do you prefer p2p over dedicated servers?

[fossilfern]

I cannot wait for Red Orchestra, just over a month to go! :D

[llMurcielagoll]

Could not agree more.

[Heishiro__Mitsurugi]

*reads title* mmm *rubs eyes* what?

[tablav]

I think it's actually pretty nice to see devs supporting each other and not trying to bitch and get one over on their rivals.

Also, a game being popular does not make it bad or even casual. It's like everyone who posts on a gaming site thinks they're some kind of elite gamer who is somehow better than the creative professionals who make the games they play.

Kudos to Todd Howard for showing some maturity.

[Tr10wn]

*reads your comment* mmm *rubs eyes* how old are you?

[Apotheosize]

Good god, I wish RPG devs would make games for people who play RPGs and not for the COD audience

Bioware said the same and we got DA2!

Goddamnit

[Fishy Fingers]

Games are not "casual/hardcore", gamers are.

[HelghastSoldier1]

well said............

[dalibor]

Nope. Imo its also about how the game is made to run and the controls as well as the players themselves. Example, look at B3 controls compared to any COD from COD4 and up. B3 has different control layouts to remember as opposed to just having one control layout a la COD(or other games for that matter). You can get in tanks, choppers and so that have different controls. Same for AVP game, the human, alien and predator each have different controls to the character in use making it harder to really master. Now to the running aspect, some games have different health systems and damage that can be done. It's harder to get a kill in a certain game as opposed to another changing the way you play and how to approach a situation. Than you have the maps themselves, some maps are easier to master compared to other games. Not that any of you are wrong but imo some games are harder to master thus you get less people who truly can master it. Oh and I forgot to add the difficulty as well. Older games didn't even have a save point haha. Now thats hardcore.

[Burning_Finger]

COD is a Hardcore failure.

[kramun]

I'm not much of a COD fan, but I'm sure a lot of companies would love to have a 'failure' like COD.

[bozebo]

Random explosions kill you because some crap player died again and spammed his or her nades/tubes after spawning for potential lucky kills.

Shooters should be about GUNS, CoD isn't anymore. If they allowed dedis (in MW), the community would fix it for them on PC. But having dedis would mean they couldn't charge for that stats tracking junk that everyone else provides totally for free. It costs them literally nothing to be able to provide dedis, the engine they are recycling is entirely capable of spewing out a dedicated server application. Infact they probably had to invest time and money in porting their XBL backend systems over to PC and renaming it iwnet.

Also, Call of Duty can't be classed as the most popular game in the world. I bet that The Sims, Pokemon, CS and World of Warcraft - or at least one title amongst them - have had more playtime invested in them than CoD. At the moment, BO will have the most concurrent players for a title aimed at gamers - that is true, but it isn't the definition of "most popular game in the world" .

[mananimal]

Call of Duty is a Casual Shooter, its SHOOTERS FOR DUMMIES, Its stable and selling point are the PERKS, lol, without those DAMN PERKS, which makes it EASY, it would not have gotten so popular, but since most gamers are playing for SELF ESTEEM issues, Call of Duty suits there TASTE, lol. As far as Mr. Howard goes: I will PASS on your STREAMLINED Casual-ist version of Elder Scrolls also....maybe in a year, I'll see you in the USED bargin bin. You wouldn't know a good shooter from your BUTT, while the Industry continues to put out STREAMLINED BS, I'll just continue to sit back, SAVE Tons of $$$, while i refuse to compromise principal. gee whiz, you think were stupid?...like we dont have EYES and SENSE to COMPREHEND the evolution that takes place from 1 game to the Next in a series? SKYRIM is shit compared to Elder Scrolls 3.

[StanLatMarveldotCom]

God, I don't know why I'm responding to you but okay, here goes; First, admittedly perks are a huge part of the Call of Duty formula. Because of perks, Call of Duty is the only online shooter that truly allows players to play the way they want to. I've used a light machine gun with lightweight and marathon for a more mobile heavy gunner class or ghost and marathon with an SMG for a more stealthy rushing class. I can go on for a bit but that's the RPG element Todd talks about. While a casual player wont care about the nuances of create a class or perks and their strengths and weaknesses, the hardcore player does, giving him a decided advantage. The casual player doesn't care about map knowledge, traffic patterns or heat spots but these detailed stats are there to help make players better if they so choose to use them. You think bullet drop on sniper rifles or vehicles are any more hardcore features?

[mananimal]

you've become accustomed to PERKS, so now you think your Hardcore, lol, the truth is PERKS take the shooter out of 1st person shooter's, your responding to justify your Love for PERKS in shooter games, I prefer shooters that Just take SKILL w/o the window dressing, that so many gamers love now. The ONLY THING hardcore about COD, is how COMMITTED gamers are to PERK NATION, thats it. No, you cant have Hardcore and PERKS in the same class, NO WAY.

[theEx1Le]

One question, Why you so mad?

The game is the same as its always been, theres balance in the in-balance of Cod. What i mean is even though all the noobs that camp and use the overpowered perks, can easily be taken down with a different combination of perks.

And there is absolutely nothing to suggest that Skyrim will be mainstreamed. They haven't done it before and its sells well enough for them not to now.
Just because the developer defends a game that you don't like doesn't mean they will immeadiately incorporate noobish elements in their own game.
In the actual interview (not this "article") they state that they want to help ease players in who don't understand the game, not make it more noob friendly.

[Pintheshadows]

Don't challenge him. He'll write you an insulting PM because he doesn't agree with your opinion.

He called me a kid several times and claimed i'd never played Daggerfall or Arena despite the fact I had bought them up in a prior conversation.

I wouldn't mind but I pay a mortgage so calling me a kid was just dumb.

[fullymoated]

This guy clearly has a KD ratio less than 1.0 and can't keep up with the competition. Maybe stick to a team based game where you get rewarded for participation instead of headshots.

[fooxy]

Skyrim people have no idea what they talking bout so I... don't buy their game nor the Infinity Ward one :D I win !

[Tr10wn]

cool story bro... got another one?

[Heishiro__Mitsurugi]

Battlefield 3 is hardcore.

[iNMyFiN4LH0uR]

rest assured BF3 is just as 'hardcore' as COD. they are essentially the same games when we use such terms and perspectives to view these games through.

[D0ffy]

Now that was 30 seconds of reading I'll never get back.

What the hell can I use that for? Rubbish article.

[Harelgur]

COD is more casual than popcap games

[ViserysTargaryen]

Just hype and marketing speak, nothing to see here. Hes just playing to the CoD crowd to get more sales thats all.

[lategamer]

Because Call of Duty fans will be like, "OMG Todd Howard Game Director for Skyrim said Call of Duty is Hardcore! Now we have to buy Skyrim!!11111"

:|

[Tr10wn]

Hmmm are you sure what skyrim is? is the sequel of one of the best RPG's out there if its not the best, i don't think they need to hype skyrim and they already got marketing out there, haven't you seen a giant dragonborn painted in a building?

I think he just say it and that's all, i don't really care because i will still buy both games, sadly... and it will be hard to play both games at the same time but i will do it.

[qwertyz]

riding activations nuts I see.

[exsturminator01]

I don't understand what you people mean by casual. That it appeals to a wide audience? Or that it attracts a lot of people that wouldn't normally game? I think a lot of the conflict here is coming from the undefined terms "hardcore" and "casual." I could put my definition here, but I don't see much point since everyone has a different one.

As to Bethesda's RPG statement, I think they've got a point. You level up stats for XP, unlock perks and weapons, and win games for CoD Cash to buy equipment. RPG's are some of the most addictive gameplay experiences (ask any WOW player), and part of Call of Duty's success I think can be attributed to that addictive RPG element.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

well said and spot on... the RPG addictive element has been the secret sauce behind COD's success. Take away the perks, kills streaks and custom weapons/loadouts and you have just another good shooter. With those elements and COD became crack for many. Leveling up or "Prestiging" became a new term in shooters that was never really uttered much cause it never mattered on a whole. It was just a "rank" you got but not that you really unlocked anything useful.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Shooter RPG is the emerging genre the past 3yrs. Shooter mechanics and hit detection (no dice rolling) but RPG elements that augment damage dealt, abilities, choice of weapons and-add on's. Really the only element missing right now to really blend is loot drops that allow you to find/keep something found in a PVP match.

[fullymoated]

When is Borderlands 2 going to be announced?!

[OC_MurphysLaw]

@Fullymoated I get your point that Borderlands does that ....but its not a PVP shooter. I am talking a game like COD that as you played PVP you could potentially stumble across some cool upgrade that was a random loot kind of find. I am sure its coming but right now that is about the only thing I can see that current PVP FPS games dont have that RPG's do.

[fr00ty-wizenhymer]

I just cancelled my Skyrim pre-order.

[Ser]

Bethesda, please...just...stay away from CoD. Don't even...don't even LOOK AT IT.

Back to work on Skyrim, Todd! *whip cracks*

[artdafoo]

STFU and worry about your own effin games.

[Tuxedo_Mask]

I knew this would happen, I just wondered who would be the first to say it. As an RPG fan it amazes me what passes as an "RPG" these days. I remember a time when RPGs weren't popular at all with a majority of gamers, now for whatever reason everyone wants their game to be categorized as an "RPG" even if it's not.

Oblivion is barely an RPG, I wouldn't even consider it to be one although it does have certain elements, Fallout and Mass Effect 2 (I never played the first so I can't judge it) are also games masquerading as RPGs. Dragon Age: Origins was an RPG, but Dragon Age 2 is moving away from the genre which is why a lot of people were upset with it.

If too many games that aren't really RPGs keep getting the RPG label real RPG games won't exist anymore.