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games like Too Human and Alpha Protocol hurt the game industry. horrible buggy games that should have been canceled - make it to sale and disappoint everyone that touches them
The problem is that it is difficulty to get noticed in the mobile apps markets. With tousands of games, it is hard to stand out of the crowd of fart apps and clones. For each Angry Birds, how many good games failed to get attention because the developers have a hard time marketing their games?
Amen.
@J0ryyz:
Alpha Protocol is probably one of the best spy games ever made. It just got rushed out. 3-6 months more of development/testing would have made it one of the best RPGs in recent memory. It's a shame when games aren't allowed more time to iron out bugs.
@J0ryyz:
Alpha Protocol is probably one of the best spy games ever made. It just got rushed out. 3-6 months more of development/testing would have made it one of the best RPGs in recent memory. It's a shame when games aren't allowed more time to iron out bugs.
Too many games, too much intellectual property infringement, and just plain lack of responsibility.
There should be someone (or group) that thoroughly tests, analyzes copyrights/trademarks, and approves/disapproves titles. You can say that there already is such a thing, but clearly they are not doing it very effectively. I'm sick of every decent app out there getting some third rate knock-off...only to be followed by 10 more knock-offs. Its getting ridiculous and out of control.
There should be someone (or group) that thoroughly tests, analyzes copyrights/trademarks, and approves/disapproves titles. You can say that there already is such a thing, but clearly they are not doing it very effectively. I'm sick of every decent app out there getting some third rate knock-off...only to be followed by 10 more knock-offs. Its getting ridiculous and out of control.
I think we, the consumers, do a pretty good job of determining what we think is good, which is better than having larger businesses telling us what we think is good.
This guy never read Adam Smith?
Well, let's resurrect Lenin and have a comunist zombie regime. That should solve.
Well, let's resurrect Lenin and have a comunist zombie regime. That should solve.
I think David Cage and Dennis Dyack are flooding the news with douchebag comments. What are the real douchebags supposed to do when these guys won't stop with their douchebaggery? The douchebags demand to be heard!
Mobile Games are the mexican immigrators of the industry, they just are games no one would make for their simplicity.
That sounded a lot like, "we are terrified of competition"
Hypothetically speaking if I was going to buy a fart app ..... I would buy the best damn fart app on the market for the value. As a consumer that means I have 17,000 fart apps to choose from, which is damn good for the consumer. Sucks if your trying to break into the highly competitive fart app market....
Its the same thing with modern console games .... there are a glut to chose from already .... as a consumer I'm going to choose the best game for me based on enjoyment and value .... so if your looking at it like that, developers have been screwed for about a good decade now.
In short.... Make GOOD, QUALITY games that people will ENJOY at a DECENT price point.... and you will continue to do just fine.
Keep turning out absolute swill and no one is going to shed a tear when your studio closes down.
Hypothetically speaking if I was going to buy a fart app ..... I would buy the best damn fart app on the market for the value. As a consumer that means I have 17,000 fart apps to choose from, which is damn good for the consumer. Sucks if your trying to break into the highly competitive fart app market....
Its the same thing with modern console games .... there are a glut to chose from already .... as a consumer I'm going to choose the best game for me based on enjoyment and value .... so if your looking at it like that, developers have been screwed for about a good decade now.
In short.... Make GOOD, QUALITY games that people will ENJOY at a DECENT price point.... and you will continue to do just fine.
Keep turning out absolute swill and no one is going to shed a tear when your studio closes down.
"Rather than having a small amount of rich men in business suits (some of which don't even like games) determine what titles are successful, everybody has a chance to get noticed, and the consumers ultimately decide what games live and die."
Exactly! This is what gaming needs! However, it also breeds the fart apps and their popularity, so I don't trust a good 50-60% of people to make the right choices anyways.
Exactly! This is what gaming needs! However, it also breeds the fart apps and their popularity, so I don't trust a good 50-60% of people to make the right choices anyways.
I agree with him. Mobile apps and bullshit are spewing out like all hell, and for whatever absurd reason, people are buying them.
Denis Dyack is hurting the game industry by doing nothing good to contribute to the development of console games, instead sits on his high chair and comments all day.
Claiming that mobile apps are ruining the game industry assumes that the people who waste their money on them would be buying LA Noire or Portal 2 instead if they didn't have all these silly fart apps to distract them.
Somehow, I doubt that is the case.
Somehow, I doubt that is the case.
It sounds like someone is getting butt-hurt over fart apps. Rather appropriate, wouldn't you all say?
I see The App Store and Xbox Live's Indie Games Channel as good things for gaming.
At a time when the video game industry was becoming more and more corporatized, the App Store and XBLIG have helped bring gaming back to it's roots.
At a time when the video game industry was becoming more and more corporatized, the App Store and XBLIG have helped bring gaming back to it's roots.
... pretty much agree with Jim on this one (though at least the guy wasn't ripping on how app games are negatively influencing console/PC games...the person that buys the Fart game app isn't going to forgo Portal 2 because they have a new game!)
How easily we forget the gaming crash of 1980's. Where a bunch of shovelware was flooded into the market until it brought down the entire industry. People can only buy so many shit ass games until they say fuck it and don't buy any more. The mobile market is anything but healthy. It'll fall back in on itself in time.
How has he contributed to the gaming industry, lately?
Just learn to adapt or GTFO!! The mobile apps market is a great thing and I hope its business plan pervails so that we, the consumers, have the power of decision, instead of greedy corporate suits.
Just learn to adapt or GTFO!! The mobile apps market is a great thing and I hope its business plan pervails so that we, the consumers, have the power of decision, instead of greedy corporate suits.
Everything Dyack does is 3 years late.
"Oh it's 2011? I guess it's about time to rant about fart apps!"
"Oh it's 2011? I guess it's about time to rant about fart apps!"
@Scuffles
"As a consumer that means I have 17,000 fart apps to choose from, which is damn good for the consumer."
No it's not. It means that it would take someone in the market of a fart app a couple of days to sort through every one of those apps to see which one is the "best", or he would be depending on others to make that sorting for him. Let's say 10 thousand people want a fart app; do you expect each one of them to check 17 thousand of them before making a choice? DO you expect one of them to spend upwards to a thousand dollars just to find the best one?
In the end, what will happen is what always happens: someone will play 1% of them, stick to one and everyone else will follow his choice, and 99% of the apps will be neglected to obscurity, regardless of the quality.
So, no, I don't agree with Dyack, but I don't think this "consumer based" quality control idea is very good ether.
"As a consumer that means I have 17,000 fart apps to choose from, which is damn good for the consumer."
No it's not. It means that it would take someone in the market of a fart app a couple of days to sort through every one of those apps to see which one is the "best", or he would be depending on others to make that sorting for him. Let's say 10 thousand people want a fart app; do you expect each one of them to check 17 thousand of them before making a choice? DO you expect one of them to spend upwards to a thousand dollars just to find the best one?
In the end, what will happen is what always happens: someone will play 1% of them, stick to one and everyone else will follow his choice, and 99% of the apps will be neglected to obscurity, regardless of the quality.
So, no, I don't agree with Dyack, but I don't think this "consumer based" quality control idea is very good ether.
I've been seeing a lot of stories crop up recently about how more traditional game developers are worried about the new wave of mobile and social games. (It's kind of funny to think that 5 years ago, we would have all chuckled at the notion that mobile games could make a real dent in the industry). Whether it's the saturation, low price, or something else, they seem to all be taking a turn giving their doomsday spiel. Really, I think it all boils down to the concept of change. The market is beginning to expand and therefore adapt to a whole new audience of people it never has before.
In fact, I'd say the situation closely parallels (although there are some key differences) when public television began to affect movies. Movie studios began to lose revenue when it became normal for every family to own a television set, and that's when they started their doomsday talks--you know, "television is destroying the film industry" and such. Did that end up happening? No, movies and film houses were forced to reinvent certain aspects of themselves to keep people interested and it worked. I see a similar thing happening here. To be completely honest, the majority of "big" console titles have begun to feel kind of stale to me in the past few years. Sure, they're still fun. Yet, I feel like I've been having the exact same type of fun for years now. The industry is afraid of change, but it needs to embrace it.
Jim, there have been many times where I've disagreed with something you've said or you've just outright pissed me off, but when I read your line about the rich business men, I felt like giving you a standing ovation. What is exciting about this time, is that it's hearkening back to the early roots of the gaming industry, when it only took a few people to make a game. People tried all sorts of ideas and many of them completely tanked. This formula hasn't really been possible until now. I personally know a 4-person indie games studio that develops games for the iPhone. It's amazing to hear them discuss ideas and try so many different zany things out. They're the kind of ideas that would make the suits at Activision and EA wet their pants, if they even momentarily considered greenlighting them for a game. And you know what? I think it's these creative ideas that will ultimately guide the industry back to its fun roots and snatch it back from the suits. We can only take so many Call of Duties. It's time we've started demanding that creative spark back in our games.
In fact, I'd say the situation closely parallels (although there are some key differences) when public television began to affect movies. Movie studios began to lose revenue when it became normal for every family to own a television set, and that's when they started their doomsday talks--you know, "television is destroying the film industry" and such. Did that end up happening? No, movies and film houses were forced to reinvent certain aspects of themselves to keep people interested and it worked. I see a similar thing happening here. To be completely honest, the majority of "big" console titles have begun to feel kind of stale to me in the past few years. Sure, they're still fun. Yet, I feel like I've been having the exact same type of fun for years now. The industry is afraid of change, but it needs to embrace it.
Jim, there have been many times where I've disagreed with something you've said or you've just outright pissed me off, but when I read your line about the rich business men, I felt like giving you a standing ovation. What is exciting about this time, is that it's hearkening back to the early roots of the gaming industry, when it only took a few people to make a game. People tried all sorts of ideas and many of them completely tanked. This formula hasn't really been possible until now. I personally know a 4-person indie games studio that develops games for the iPhone. It's amazing to hear them discuss ideas and try so many different zany things out. They're the kind of ideas that would make the suits at Activision and EA wet their pants, if they even momentarily considered greenlighting them for a game. And you know what? I think it's these creative ideas that will ultimately guide the industry back to its fun roots and snatch it back from the suits. We can only take so many Call of Duties. It's time we've started demanding that creative spark back in our games.
So is it safe to say this whole casual games/apps thing is the equivalent of the california gold rush then?
That image is meant to denote a fart? Looks more like a localised storm cloud over a guy's ass.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to play with the $60 worth of fart apps I just bought with the money which I was going to use to buy L.A. Noire.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to play with the $60 worth of fart apps I just bought with the money which I was going to use to buy L.A. Noire.
Denis Dyack also claimed Too Human was going to be a big blockbuster hit that was going to reinvent the industry, so let's all put this in a bit of perspective here, shall we? The guy isn't exactly known for his prescience.
jim once again shows he knows nothing of the industry thats in a depression from lack of originality and risk. Due to the fact that they cant put money into anything
You see so many publishers/developers/analysts giving predictions recently about how the game industry is going to change and what direction it will take, but I really don't care about those predictions anymore. Why? My own buying habits haven't been affected at all. You keep hearing about how the new people introduced into gaming over the past couple years are paying 1-5$ for mobile apps that are like average flash games, but just because more people are doing that now doesn't mean I ever will. I don't care what that demographic does, because it won't affect what games I choose to play. If the market for games that I like collapses, then I will just stop playing new games.
@mrandydixon
I was totally going to buy L.A Noire and Portal 2 the other day, But then I just went and spent $17,000 on fart apps.
I was totally going to buy L.A Noire and Portal 2 the other day, But then I just went and spent $17,000 on fart apps.
Different demographic. I'm typing this on my iPad 2. I love my iPad I have lots of apps for it some good some less so. It has zero relevance to me when it comes to my true gaming. Having 1000s of cheap iOS games to choose from does not effect my console or pc habits in the slightest.
So far no iOS games have ever replaced a console game for me.
He is talking a bit shite.
If there was suddenly a game which could replace the whole next gen experience for a buck or so then he might have a point.
So far no iOS games have ever replaced a console game for me.
He is talking a bit shite.
If there was suddenly a game which could replace the whole next gen experience for a buck or so then he might have a point.
@El Conrado
Yes you know what I actually do expect people to do some homework when they are deciding what they should spend their money on. Not that 17,000 of a nearly identical, useless app that arguably takes nearly zero effort to code is a valid point or reference.
Sorry all I hear when this guy is talking is "a big modern development studio can't survive on a $700 ROI from a fart app"..... yeah and the moral of the story is don't make fart apps.
What they are afraid of isn't the 17,000 identical useless apps that are blighting phone marketing places .... what they are terrified of are the 1000 or so actual decent games that are cropping up here and there for .99c to ~$5.
Seriously tho if his studio is really as interested as he makes them sound in the high paced world of fart apps .... by all means spend 50million developing the best .99c fart app EVAR. Go out of business and save me the time of having to read this lunacy every other week.
And customer based quality control has always existed, If your product sucked people didn't buy it on mass. It stagnated on the shelves and eventually the bargain bin. You were then forced to suck it up, figure out where you product went wrong and try again, or yell at the public for not being sophisticated enough to see how truly awesome your game was. Because they didn't fail to make THE BEST GAME EVAR, it was our fault for not understanding how truly groundbreaking it was.......
Yes you know what I actually do expect people to do some homework when they are deciding what they should spend their money on. Not that 17,000 of a nearly identical, useless app that arguably takes nearly zero effort to code is a valid point or reference.
Sorry all I hear when this guy is talking is "a big modern development studio can't survive on a $700 ROI from a fart app"..... yeah and the moral of the story is don't make fart apps.
What they are afraid of isn't the 17,000 identical useless apps that are blighting phone marketing places .... what they are terrified of are the 1000 or so actual decent games that are cropping up here and there for .99c to ~$5.
Seriously tho if his studio is really as interested as he makes them sound in the high paced world of fart apps .... by all means spend 50million developing the best .99c fart app EVAR. Go out of business and save me the time of having to read this lunacy every other week.
And customer based quality control has always existed, If your product sucked people didn't buy it on mass. It stagnated on the shelves and eventually the bargain bin. You were then forced to suck it up, figure out where you product went wrong and try again, or yell at the public for not being sophisticated enough to see how truly awesome your game was. Because they didn't fail to make THE BEST GAME EVAR, it was our fault for not understanding how truly groundbreaking it was.......
Why does this guy even have a voice in the gaming industry? Silicon Knights is the most overrated developer around.
@JFF
Well, you are comparing economics in the 1600's to todays mobile gaming climate. I dont really think the invisible hand touches fart apps. Oversaturation, what this guy's talking about, did kill the gaming industry once y'know.
But yes, this guy's a tool and fart apps are not effecting retail games. He's probably mad his own fart app wasn't successful.
Well, you are comparing economics in the 1600's to todays mobile gaming climate. I dont really think the invisible hand touches fart apps. Oversaturation, what this guy's talking about, did kill the gaming industry once y'know.
But yes, this guy's a tool and fart apps are not effecting retail games. He's probably mad his own fart app wasn't successful.
Scuffles
"Yes you know what I actually do expect people to do some homework when they are deciding what they should spend their money on. Not that 17,000 of a nearly identical, useless app that arguably takes nearly zero effort to code is a valid point or reference."
What does the type of app matter? Sorting out 17k of any type of app is more work from a consumer trying to make a choice than any type of entertainment deserves. You most probably don't do it; I know I don't, and don't expect anyone to, because it's insane to do this kind of thing without getting paid for it.
Again, I don't agree with Dyack, mut a market of millions of apps without any sort of real quality control is bad for EVERYONE involved.
"Yes you know what I actually do expect people to do some homework when they are deciding what they should spend their money on. Not that 17,000 of a nearly identical, useless app that arguably takes nearly zero effort to code is a valid point or reference."
What does the type of app matter? Sorting out 17k of any type of app is more work from a consumer trying to make a choice than any type of entertainment deserves. You most probably don't do it; I know I don't, and don't expect anyone to, because it's insane to do this kind of thing without getting paid for it.
Again, I don't agree with Dyack, mut a market of millions of apps without any sort of real quality control is bad for EVERYONE involved.
@Scuffles
"And customer based quality control has always existed, If your product sucked people didn't buy it on mass. It stagnated on the shelves and eventually the bargain bin."
So your thesis is that if a product released and drowning in a market of thousands upon thousands of alternatives does not sell well, it can only be because of it's quality?
Somehow, I don't swallow it.
"And customer based quality control has always existed, If your product sucked people didn't buy it on mass. It stagnated on the shelves and eventually the bargain bin."
So your thesis is that if a product released and drowning in a market of thousands upon thousands of alternatives does not sell well, it can only be because of it's quality?
Somehow, I don't swallow it.
"Rather than having a small amount of rich men in business suits (some of which don't even like games) determine what titles are successful, everybody has a chance to get noticed, and the consumers ultimately decide what games live and die."
Shame either way the rich men in suits get richer. Just that with the mobile market they get richer by doing even less work.
Shame either way the rich men in suits get richer. Just that with the mobile market they get richer by doing even less work.
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