“Don't Cry Because It's Over - Smile Because It Happened”

Practically every purchase we make goes through a checklist that we subconsciously and consciously make up. We know ourselves more than anyone and buy only the things that we feel we’ll like. However, there’s one thing I’d like for all of us to remove from the aforementioned list; length. More specifically (and to avoid any sexual innuendos), length in video games.

It’s extremely narrow thinking, and sort of countermands the whole “games are art” argument. We don’t even treat food like this, or at least I don’t. If I’m going out to eat I’ll take a smaller, better made burger than a Big Mac at McDonald’s. If I’m going to buy a video game, I’ll take the shorter, more focused gaming experience over this forty hour grind-fest.

You associate a lengthy title with money “well spent” because you’re more clearly able to see what your hard earned dollar is going to. Unfortunately, length is a blind measurement of worth. Deciding to purchase a game based on quality requires much more thought, and so we don‘t do it despite ourselves.

I used to bring up the argument of movies and books. We don’t pay attention to length in those mediums, and I’d always get the same response that quintessentially makes my point. I’d tell them that no one puts that type of thought into movies, and they’d say, “it’s because movies aren’t as expensive.” Duh!

So we’re in agreement that putting much more thought into a more expensive means of entertainment is a good thing, but your contemplation is in the wrong area. You should be paying more attention to quality if that’s the case. You forget that length and entertainment do not always mean the same thing. Transformers 2 is a great testament to that statement. Length is impartial, and its importance amongst gamers is a detriment to the medium’s evolution and acceptance.

It isn’t something we should completely ignore, obviously. It’s just something we should move down our list of priorities; even below graphics (though I do think graphics are more important than most people - art style). Let us not make it a prerequisite anymore.

I haven't done a preachy blog. Thought I'd make it short.