Is Capitalism Devolving Games?

Isaiah Taylor of the ITBrog.com writes: "During this holiday season games will no doubt top several sales charts. Given this year's major releases I ask how the games industry is evolving? From Fallout: New Vegas to Gran Turismo 5, how has quality effected what we buy?"

[Godmars290]

Always thought the proper merchant rule was make a good product people will like and use and that merchant makes money.

Today its more like promote something weather it works or not, make people want it, and by the time they realize they didn't need it in the first place you've already sold them ten other things.

There's also the "fun" bit where tech advancement has allowed PC mentalities to creep into console gaming. Like with Fallout 3 where a buggy, nearly unplayable, game is released and patches to fix it come out after. With some a-hole bringing up the notion of having to pay for those patches.

[kaveti6616]

capitalism has ALWAYS been about selling something to someone for more than it's worth. That's how you make profit.

and fallout 3 is not unplayable. I played it for 30 hours and encountered 2 bugs.

[gametheory]

Its been a while since I last signed in, but I saw so many stupid comments that I had to sign in. Whoever says capitalism sucks is ignorant at best. There is no other political and economic system that can actually make things *happen* and *work* other than capitalism.

If there is demand for a product at a particular price, and whoever is selling it is making a profit, then that product is being sold at what it's *worth*. Capitalism isn't about "selling seomthing to someone for more than it's worth", because if that someone was willing to pay for it, then it is already worth it for that person; if you don't think games are worth paying for what they cost in the market, then DO NOT BUY THEM. There are others who are certainly willing to pay for it, it's your loss.

[TheStorm]

Capitalism does work, yet there is a plague that does destroy it, and it's called marketing. Marketing brainwashes people (including myself) into things we may not need, and that may not be that great of products. People scream "oh just don't buy it" or "I don't get effected by it." That's a lie. Most people are hardwired in today's society to absorb a lot of marketing and they don't realize it it. Even when something is "cool" marketing has taken place a lot of times.

Many things that are marketed thankfully can be good or worth the money. But a lot of things out there are broken, (especially in the game world) and don't really deserve the purchasing it does, but it only gets it not because of quality, but because of marketing, almost a "lie" saying that their product does what it says it does. In a real free market, people will continue to buy something if it is truly quality. Sadly a lot of the games that are bought and go through the roof are hardly quality, but marketing has convinced people that it is a product they need.

[wsoutlaw87]

that has to do with people not caring about bugs more than the game it self, not capitalism. If the fallout bugs are more annoying than the game is fun, no one will buy the next one, causing them to improve to regain sales; thats capitalism working. I love when someone uses 3 games to define an industries direction just because they were released recently. Capitalism and competition improves games, people who buy them no matter what hurt games simple as that.

[HolyOrangeCows]

No.

Without Capitalism, we wouldn't have games like we have today. Communists and socialists aren't interested in entertainment.

[kaveti6616]

"There is no other political and economic system that can actually make things *happen* and *work* other than capitalism."

Human society will fail to advance if you just sit on one idea that kind of works for a few centuries and think it's the be-all-end-all system.

Not that I give a shit about human society. But I am confident that capitalism, the system which brought so much wealth to CERTAIN countries of the world, will eventually be their undoing. The whole Gordon Gecko "Greed is good" mantra is the reason why our banks decided to gamble away our money. In fact, they took those risks because those banks are designed to operate like a corporation. They invested OUR money into a deferential economy (an economy based on the buying and selling of debt, and financially makes up about half of the global economy) and they lost.

Capitalism is a stupid, moronic, system, whereby a few rich nations leech off of the labor of the third world countries and actually delude themselves into believing that they are helping those third world people by giving them jobs which are equivalent to slave labor.

"Here, kid. Here's 11 cents. Go make me 500 pairs of running shoes right now"

That's capitalism.

And it's amusing to see the whole, "but without capitalism we wouldn't have this or that." Yeah, we wouldn't. And we would be better off. How many of you know how to navigate a boat, hunt for food, fish? How many of you can build a shelter for yourselves that will properly shelter your from the wild? How many of you can bake, maintain a small farm, make your own clothes, travel long distances without any tools, or in general survive without the aid of some product that was manufactured by a 14 year old girl from Thailand?

Fuck capitalism. If capitalism didn't exist, I wouldn't have a single video game. I wouldn't be typing any of this down. And you know what, I would NOT give a shit.

My skills and responsibilities as a human being have been outsourced to someone else.

"Stop complaining," says the capitalist. "Eat another Big Mac. Buy another laptop. Want Want Want. Envy Envy Envy. Cry Cry Cry. Work Work Work. Buy Buy Buy."

And one or two guys who own the company sponge off the rest of the population.

Steve Ballmer's net worth is 13 billion dollars. That's more money than the GDP of Chad for the next 20 years combined. That's more money than 80 million people will earn in one country in the next 20 years.

That's where capitalism gets most people. One guy succeeds and they glorify him and make it seem like anybody and everybody can be like him. Statistically, it is impossible. For us to live the way we live, half the world has to live on less than 2 dollars a day for each person.

[NecrumSlavery]

I think that companies should take a time machine back 5 years. Take a good look at games that were created out of a dream. when developers really had it right. It seems like 85% of anything out today, is only created to fit a demopraphic. The additude of it all is if it doesn't sell then why bother. You see Kinect, a great new gaming tool. They cut out many features to get the cost down, and now the production value is $58 but they still sell it for $150. And the games cater to the Wii crowd. They looked at a statical chart to determine what content should be created to attract a specific demographic. This isn't a cut on MS, just one example of how the gaming insustry is more after your money, than you heart. A lot of people are donig it and it really bothers me. We buys games all the time, why won't you worry about making them unique experinces.

[Chubear]

and I put the blame of the deterioration of the gaming industry - from gaming "journalists, IGN GT etc" to merchant practises in NA to MS supporters - squarely on Microsoft.

They soil every industry they attempt to take over and I'll be glad the day they get out of the gaming industry from a hardware stance.

When a company tells developers to downgrade your games on the 360 and then treaten others that they dare not make the PS3 version much better than the 360 version and people still support MS tooth and nail, I get scared that gaming may just go through the early 80s all over again at some point.

Where mediocrity is praised as top quality and true top quality is portrayed as nothing special or even crap, I just shake my head.

I will be glad indeed the day it happens/

[kneelb4zod]

I feel the same about Microsoft no disrespect to 360 fan but every thing they do seems shady.

[Ducky]

"When a company tells developers to downgrade your games on the 360 and then treaten others that they dare not make the PS3 version much better than the 360 version and people still support MS tooth and nail"

lolwut?
Scapegoats sure are attractive.

Sony fanboys say its MS' fault.
MS fanboys say its PS3's fault for being so damn hard to program for.
PC-elitists say its the console's fault.

No-one wants to blame themselves.

[AtatakaiSamurai]

the first part is already known for years now

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

and to be honest, if they can do that then i believe they can also tell developers not to use the ps3 to the full abilities so a game does not have a better feature or qaulity in general.

you can say im a fanboy but i have said this all the time. ms is not good for the future of gaming or gaming quality.

[JsonHenry]

As opposed to what? Socialism? Communism?

If you didn't buy the crap the crap would not keep selling forcing the industry to change. However YOU have spoken and YOU keep buying into the things that YOU are complaining about.

The ONLY person to blame is the consumer for consuming pure crap and continuing to do so.

[tplarkin7]

Exactly right. Capitalism is freedom. Free people innovate.

[Ducky]

Thank you Json.
You saved me the trouble of having to type out my thoughts.
=)

[Bboy_Izilla]

No one is saying gaming should be strictly Communist/Socialist/Capitalist , but as it stands now...it could do better to learn from history. Otherwise we will have a gaming movement similar to that of fast food chains.

[r2kcipher]

@tplarkin7 "free people innovate" riiiggghhhttt. PEOPLE innovate like we have been doing so for the thousands of years before capitalism. I think they stopped teaching that in American shcools though.

Socialism is about working together and common ownership. Capitalism is private ownership and profit both, have there merits, neither is inherently evil. Its the people in power that can do evil things. Hitler is an example of a socialist gone wrong. And the recant bankers that we hear so much about are capitalists gone wrong. I think we need a healthy balance in order to prosper.

[Darrius Cole]

I co-sign what Godmars said.

The industry tries to aggressively sell us inferior products instead of offering us quality products and allowing that quality to sell itself.

But on the flip side captialism allows us to have so many games in the first place.

[Bboy_Izilla]

This guy gets it and the dilemma that comes with it.

[CameronL99]

WOW, gamers seem to treat games the same way drug addicts treat drugs - they feel as if this is something they absolutely cannot live without, and they never get it that they can always just not buy something if they don't want it.
If you're a sap who gives into every stupid marketing campaign out there then of course you're going to end up with things you don't want or need.
The point is there is a market place and there are things you will or won't want or need. Its up to you as the consumer to do your research. You wouldn't buy a car without doing any research, so if you don't want a crap game then go read about it (and I actually mean READ, don't just look at a number on a review score), rent it, play the demo, play it at a friend's house, then make your decision if $60 bucks is worth it.
People don't get it that some people don't care if a game runs with a few bugs, where other gamers pull their hair out and scream like babies when a game has barely noticeable screen tearing or frame rate drops. Believe it or not most companies run on a budget of both money AND time, which means that if a game absolutely has to come out and there are minor bugs that just can't be figured out by any of the tech people on staff, then guess what, the game's going out the door. If its a major bug it likely won't ship, as seen with EA's NBA game this year. This is just the nature of the industry, so get used to it or move to China.

[thebudgetgamer]

i agree, but please use paragraphs. makes it easier to read.

[bunfighterii]

A very undergraduate analysis.

[Godmars290]

Was actually talking in terms of consumerism in general. How we as a culture have gone from a fair wage for honest work to shipping jobs to communist countries and over paying CEOs for running a company into the ground while emptying pension funds to boot.

Really, it just floors me that people here demonize all aspects of socialism while deifying capitalism. Ignore that in its present state with institutions that are too big fail and monopolies that are actually stifling innovation, that its broken. Sure under full socialism there probably wouldn't - certainly - even be video games - Jeez, it feels utterly idiotic just bring up something like that.

Considering that BS that was RRoD which only really happened because MS had the rush the industry - no, forget it. the stupidity expressed defending capitalism which is now largely depended on communist China which only exploits its people causes me actual mental pain.

I wont be posting again.

[poopface1]

capitalism is the reason that videogames exist at all. If it wasnt for capitalism we would not be getting the quality of games we are getting now.

When have videogames ever existed without capitalism......NEVER. How many countries that are not based on capitalism produce high quality videogames??? Uhh NONE I believe.

is this guy creating a conspiracy theory?? he writes "Capitalism typically thrives off of the quality of a product." HAHAHAhA WRONG. WTF land does this guy come from. capitalism thrives off of balancing price with demand, regardless of quality. Look at mcdonalds, all around the world they rake in money because they provide decent food for hella cheap.

fallout NV is more worth 60$ then most games. Ive experienced a few glitches and have played for close to 90 hours and Im still having fun. Try playing vanquish for 90 hours, I thought so.

The beauty of capitalism??? NOONE IS FORCING YOU TO BUY IT. Who is this turd to say what games are not worth others money? I love NV and I havent had many bugs at all for the amount of time Ive played it.

My reality is that I HAVE NEVER BOUGHT A BAD GAME, since I only buy what I know Ill like. I dont understand people who buy a game and then hate it. maybe I just dont have that type of money so Im careful. I dont get this guy's point at all.

Games have never existed without capitalism, so I dont see how you can say capitalism ruined gaming. In reality, capitalism is the reason why gaming has been able to get to where it is today.

[Ducky]

Tetris was made by a russian. Does that count? x.x

Also, Ukraine has made some good games, though I think they're capitalist too. =/

[jeeves86]

I agree mostly with your post...

but McDonalds sucks. And it's expensive. But you're right - nothing 'good' entertainment wise can exist in any other society, unless it's propaganda in disguise...

[JakemanPS31994]

jeeves86
i love mcdonalds i mean not enough to go ther every day but i go at least once a month

[r2kcipher]

Calm down I don't think this guy is anti capitalist hes just saying its not perfect. I agree with you for the most part but, are you saying you have never been disappointed by anything you bought. I know I have. I never feel the need to write an article about it but, it still sucks.

@jeeves86 If Mcdonalds is expensive for you where the f do you eat!?

[poopface1]

but I have never bought a videogame that I didnt like.

[gamerdude132]

Sorry, Godmars, but you're sadly mistaken.

Name me one other economic system that hasn't collapsed or isn't on the way to collapsing? The only problem with it here is Obama's personal mission to bring it down. But capitalism is normal people starting up buisnesses in order to make a profit on a good and, if all the US-based retailers isn't enough evidence what with all the Steam's and Direct2Drive's and GameStop/EB Games' of the world, I don't quite know what is.

[r2kcipher]

"Obama's personal mission to bring it down"

Please provide evidence for this ignorant claim.... and I wont except "Fox News, Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh told me so"

Oh yeah and what would you do to help the economy, if you were president?

[Eamon]

Guys tend to think you can either choose between Capitalism and Socialism.

Have any of you heard about being in the centre?

[George Sears]

Damn, it's been a while since I've read a worthwhile article.

[ForROME]

Capitalism develops everything in life as far as society is based, because its based off survival and resources

[UP]

I can not believe you received a disagree. There are many capitalism hating people here.

[jeeves86]

It's because people are more interested in making it seem like they're being different rather than actually 'knowing' what it means.

[Arup02]

yep.

[pwneddemocrat]

who gives a crap.

[RogueCheddar]

Capitalism is a plague but there's nothing anyone can do about it. Support indie games

[BYE]

Indie devs are behind money just like the big companies, trust me.

The difference is they don't have the ressources to make the next COD so they try to get you with innovative ideas. The goal is the same.

[lastdual]

Yeah, support indie games developers!

That is, until they make a hit and start to earn some real money. Then we'll call them sellouts! Those greedy jerks...

[Bboy_Izilla]

I think capitalism [as it stands now] has lost all meaning of what industrialist in the late 19th and early 20th century stood for. Capitalism in smaller formats [such as the indie scene] could be something to watch as a good litmus test to how the in-the-know gamer responds to mainstream games. Now the general consumer [the CoD/Halo/Wii buyers] is a whole different ball of wax.

[gametheory]

Show us another economic system that actually works, and then you can say that "capitalism is a plague"

[r2kcipher]

I cant. Because all the other economic systems are bombed by America. Im sure they did work until the bombs fell of course.

[NecrumSlavery]

It's only about money anymore. And that is sad.

[wsoutlaw87]

thats usually the point of a buisness

[-Gespenst-]

There's a lot of detritus in games these days cause' it's become a bigger industry. When anything becomes as commercial as videogames have, there's room for flaw because there's a lot of mindless consumers. As consumers we need to be more assiduous, and usher in an age where games / entertainment don't get made lazily in order to rake in cash.
Research your purchases, and boycott any game that might not fulfill any promises it makes because of some greedy capitalist agenda which causes the game to be made without passion and without care for the consumer. Don't pay for shit that doesn't deserve your money but acts as if it does.

[Xfanboy]

We hardly play games any more!! We play products & investments!!
only a few devs show that real passion as a gamer!!

every game is a beta now.. & will be patched later! Guaranteed!!

[UP]

Hell no. without capitalism Videogames might have never been made.

[wissam]

You better stick with Capitalism people. forget about socialism.

[Killzone3Helghast]

The thing is.. Call of Duty needs to die.. I don't care if it's popular but come on, there is no innovation after Call of Duty 4 the only reason people buy it is because their sheep friend buy it thinking their friends are going to buy it and it's a never ending cycle -_- then they release map packs worth more than the entire game you payed for and people still buy that shit up and feed them millions to support their next call of the cash cow XIV

Developers like Bungie, Naughty Dog and Guirella Games they innovate. Though sometimes they don't always get what the fans want they still listen well and patch what fans need free of charge later on. Though they come out with map packs, THEY'RE NOT ALREADY ON THE GAME TO BEGIN WITH! Sheesh

Just my rant, support innovative developers and companies!

[Vesemir]

Yes it is devolving games. Too bad.
But get GT5 out of this. GT5 evolved in relation to GT4.

[Bboy_Izilla]

What about the 800 or so cars ported over from the GT4 car models?

[starmin76]

Nearly all modern arts and entertainment would not exist were it not for capitalism. Thats a fact.

[starmin76]

In fact, were it not for Capitalism, this article would have never existed because there would be no internet.

[clrlite]

America is not a purely capitalist country and China is not a purely "communist" country. US government is taking over private industry, such as health care, banks, schooling, etc. Whereas in China, there are in fact privately owned businesses, entrepreneurial activities, etc.

I'm going to quote someone else here..
"No. A pure communist society [as in a statless, classless society] has never existed. ..."

... and the gov often likes to poke it's nose into industry and business even in the "capitalist" countries.

IT'S ALL GOOD THOUGH

Capitalism was the means through which games were delivered to us in the first place.(people play games in socialist countries too) Capitalism and free market can drive people to create a quality product that many people want to play. Or stress people out, induce budget limitations, and stifle creativity. Even in socialist countries, you still need money to make games.

I doubt this question can be answered with a simple YES, or NO.

BTW: OMG maybe it can be answered with a NO after all. Did anyone see PS3 lineup for 2011? WTF AMAZING.

[jeeves86]

The gov't butts its nose into industry to some of our benefit. Most of our benefit.

[clrlite]

double post :/

[clrlite]

What is the difference between communism and capitalism?

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/W...

It seems most of us should do more research, because most of us don't know WTF we are talking about. Especially in regards to an ambiguous topic such as this.

<browser glitch made me triple post. So here's a list of some PS3 games to look forward to in 2011, in spite of capitalism... http://www.gamersmint.com/t...

[Tuxedo_Mask]

Caveat emptor. No one is going to hold your hand and guide you as you spend your money. Capitalism has nothing to do with games devolving, but people buying games that aren't up to snuff has a lot to do with it.

As for the government bailing out failing companies, it shouldn't be done. No one is too big to fail, take for instance Atari, which is more of an attempt to keep on topic than to compare to the level of GM's situation, they fell and Nintendo took their place. There is always someone ready to move into the place of a fallen power in any industry, but if the government props them up it removes the very nature of capitalism. The loss of the company will effect people's livelihoods, but the new companies that arrive will provide new jobs and an incentive to make things better. Does anyone remember National Motor or American Motors?

Companies fail if they don't provide a product that people buy. If we want better games, we either need to buy better games or make them ourselves and get rich. If companies continue to make bad games, don't buy them. If they don't want to go out of business they'll either improve or shut down.

[Bebedora]

Lots of rants over what system to live under. (Monarchy ftw. Knights and dragons. woo). I think it's the casual gamers that kills games in categories like charm, depth, artstyle and a kind of identity. These things aren't for casuals. It wont sell as well. So, if money talks, that is why I can see a plethora of franchises falling in to this dumbfolded casual category of gaming.

Ask your self why a game like Ico didn't sell more than wii-fit. Why do we have motions controllers everywhere? ..well, not necessarily bad, but you can bet on it, the casual gamers drifted MS and Sony to fall in to this sooner than they meant it to happend.

Casual/Majority of gamers are driving gaming these days. Just my two cents.