surf dtoid with 
Rising (10+)
People you follow
Personally I think you're wrong. The industry is not dying at all.
Production costs increasing, companies going out of business or restructuring... this is different from the past how?? Shenmue 2 apparently cost 70 million or so to make, over 10 years ago. Does Sega still make hardware? Where is BlackIsle Studios?
The games industry is very much like the movie industry. People are hired for a project. Once the project is complete, many of these people complete their contract and simply have to move on. More and more qualified employees are available - making the field more and more competitive. Studios desolve, new one's evolve.
The industry really isn't much different than it's always been. There are ups and downs just like every other industry but with the growth of gaming in general (and all it's incarnations and options) the future is probably better than it's ever been. There are games everywhere... on the consoles, the PC, on iphones, on handhelds, on facebook. Overall revenues continue to increase, and likely will for many years to come.
Nobody gets a job "for life" anymore... anywhere. Look at job stats and you'll see outsourcing, insourcing, contracting, employee leasing - few people in any industry will work for one company and retire with a gold watch anymore.
Great article... but respectfully I have to disagree that the industry is in any way dying.
Production costs increasing, companies going out of business or restructuring... this is different from the past how?? Shenmue 2 apparently cost 70 million or so to make, over 10 years ago. Does Sega still make hardware? Where is BlackIsle Studios?
The games industry is very much like the movie industry. People are hired for a project. Once the project is complete, many of these people complete their contract and simply have to move on. More and more qualified employees are available - making the field more and more competitive. Studios desolve, new one's evolve.
The industry really isn't much different than it's always been. There are ups and downs just like every other industry but with the growth of gaming in general (and all it's incarnations and options) the future is probably better than it's ever been. There are games everywhere... on the consoles, the PC, on iphones, on handhelds, on facebook. Overall revenues continue to increase, and likely will for many years to come.
Nobody gets a job "for life" anymore... anywhere. Look at job stats and you'll see outsourcing, insourcing, contracting, employee leasing - few people in any industry will work for one company and retire with a gold watch anymore.
Great article... but respectfully I have to disagree that the industry is in any way dying.
Just to be the ray of sunshine in this horrible...saddening...*considers existence for a second*...*snaps back out of depression vortex* and well written article:
I think that so many games have come out in recent years that the industry could die and i wouldn't give a damn because I currently have 28 unfinished games and 30 must-buy games on my list of unfinished business.
The industry could die for ten years and I would still have well enough games to play. Oh, and think how fucking awesome online communities would get if everyone stopped playing WoW after activision's death. Finally some more delicious Republic commando mods... *yum*
I think that so many games have come out in recent years that the industry could die and i wouldn't give a damn because I currently have 28 unfinished games and 30 must-buy games on my list of unfinished business.
The industry could die for ten years and I would still have well enough games to play. Oh, and think how fucking awesome online communities would get if everyone stopped playing WoW after activision's death. Finally some more delicious Republic commando mods... *yum*
Very cool read. I hoard games so I'll have enough to play straight through old age, even if the industry crashes again. The irony! Instead of the crappy E.T. clogging landfills, it'll be the budget of GTA6 sinking and imploding what we've only recently come to appreciate as a maturing medium.
Oh well. Maybe then all these devs can focus on true VR.
Oh well. Maybe then all these devs can focus on true VR.
$100m+ bomb movies are made every year and we're still seeing films with absurd levels of FX being made.
The real problem is that the development costs have grown faster than gaming revenue; and they can't raise prices any further because even less people will buy games. But more people need to buy the games as it is just to be profitable. And the only way to make more people buy these games is to spend more time and money cramming in all kinds of features and multiplayer. When all these features become common place our expectations grow even more, requiring newer, more expensive tech.
UE3 costs close to $500k which nets you the entire source code, dedicated support, etc. But $500k! That is a lot. And most games are built on UE3 because the consumer expects UE3-calibre content.
The real problem is that the development costs have grown faster than gaming revenue; and they can't raise prices any further because even less people will buy games. But more people need to buy the games as it is just to be profitable. And the only way to make more people buy these games is to spend more time and money cramming in all kinds of features and multiplayer. When all these features become common place our expectations grow even more, requiring newer, more expensive tech.
UE3 costs close to $500k which nets you the entire source code, dedicated support, etc. But $500k! That is a lot. And most games are built on UE3 because the consumer expects UE3-calibre content.
I think it's seeing some trials and tribulations (like the movie industry), but not dying. Just like 3D will save the movies, motion control will make gaming more mainstream.
@Elsa, SilverDragon1979, Magnalon
Of course, games will still be around, they just won't be the games you are used to seeing. The big blockbusters are going to slow to a crawl. Saying that the industry is "just fine" is disrespectful to all the people who have lost and have yet to lose their jobs.
Comparing the games industry to the film industry ignores the crucial detail that films have been around decades longer. Film is far more mature and far more socially acceptable than gaming. Game companies think they are on the same level or beyond in terms of capabilities compared to film houses, but they aren't.
Nobody gets a job "for life" anymore.
There is some solid job security over at Nintendo. Thinking hat should be the exception and not the norm demonstrates just how poorly most companies operate.
Besides, the numbers I've found go against everything you guys claim. Is there any proof that the industry as a whole is doing fine?
Of course, games will still be around, they just won't be the games you are used to seeing. The big blockbusters are going to slow to a crawl. Saying that the industry is "just fine" is disrespectful to all the people who have lost and have yet to lose their jobs.
Comparing the games industry to the film industry ignores the crucial detail that films have been around decades longer. Film is far more mature and far more socially acceptable than gaming. Game companies think they are on the same level or beyond in terms of capabilities compared to film houses, but they aren't.
Nobody gets a job "for life" anymore.
There is some solid job security over at Nintendo. Thinking hat should be the exception and not the norm demonstrates just how poorly most companies operate.
Besides, the numbers I've found go against everything you guys claim. Is there any proof that the industry as a whole is doing fine?
I never said it's "just fine" ;D. I noted that it's going through its troubles.
I still think that while a lot of other big blockbusters will die out, the "Modern Warfares" and "Halo" games will still always be around. I also think that the Wii is starting to legitimize gaming in the same vein as films, but as I noted, we aren't there yet.
I still think that while a lot of other big blockbusters will die out, the "Modern Warfares" and "Halo" games will still always be around. I also think that the Wii is starting to legitimize gaming in the same vein as films, but as I noted, we aren't there yet.
Isn't this just a fine momento mori... well written and fairly presented... but wholly depressing! The middle of the industry is kind of rotting out. :(
When I look at a MadWorld and see a short game with a hook, no networked multiplayer and no open world, I kind of feel like that's where games disc games will be in a few years: Small bite, a few hook sand gimmicks, expanding itself in ways other than graphic horsepower, and about $50 new. To exist in a world of ridiculous blockbusters, I think that's the the direction. MadWorld didn't sell millions of units, but it also (I'm guessing) didn't take nearly as much capital or shear resources to create as ModernWarfare 2. The profit is smaller, but its competent profit.
I also look at the iPhone apps, Xbox Indie and Wiiware, and I think that small companies will thrive in the world of digital distribution. No blockbuster, no company jets, but smart, fun gaming that generates enough revenue to perpetuate itself.
When I look at a MadWorld and see a short game with a hook, no networked multiplayer and no open world, I kind of feel like that's where games disc games will be in a few years: Small bite, a few hook sand gimmicks, expanding itself in ways other than graphic horsepower, and about $50 new. To exist in a world of ridiculous blockbusters, I think that's the the direction. MadWorld didn't sell millions of units, but it also (I'm guessing) didn't take nearly as much capital or shear resources to create as ModernWarfare 2. The profit is smaller, but its competent profit.
I also look at the iPhone apps, Xbox Indie and Wiiware, and I think that small companies will thrive in the world of digital distribution. No blockbuster, no company jets, but smart, fun gaming that generates enough revenue to perpetuate itself.
Obviously, video games aren't going to up and disappear! Certainly not! That would be a mistake to say!
As others have already mentioned, there are alternative outlets live digital delivery platforms, handhelds, and iPhone. By the end of this year, all three home platforms will feature motion controllers. There are many up-and-comers who will make great use of all these tools available. Many of today's small houses can become the leaders of tomorrow. The kind of games that are seen as "significant" today (which aren't actually significant, ironically) will thin out, leaving a few major players like GTA, CoD, etc. Stuff like Dark Void, Heavy Rain, and others will be less likely to be made.
The companies that follow the old model will have to man up and take the risks they don't want to make. If they don't, boom.
As others have already mentioned, there are alternative outlets live digital delivery platforms, handhelds, and iPhone. By the end of this year, all three home platforms will feature motion controllers. There are many up-and-comers who will make great use of all these tools available. Many of today's small houses can become the leaders of tomorrow. The kind of games that are seen as "significant" today (which aren't actually significant, ironically) will thin out, leaving a few major players like GTA, CoD, etc. Stuff like Dark Void, Heavy Rain, and others will be less likely to be made.
The companies that follow the old model will have to man up and take the risks they don't want to make. If they don't, boom.
I wanted to make a musing titled "The Future: The Great Video Game Crash of 2016". As always, someone manages to implement it far better than me and comes up with a cooler name.
I await this article's front page exposure.
I await this article's front page exposure.
I agree. megaStryke is wrong. ;)
No, only kidding. Still, one damn interesting and opinionated article, dude. Heavy. Let's hope you're not right.
No, only kidding. Still, one damn interesting and opinionated article, dude. Heavy. Let's hope you're not right.
@The-Excel
Blindfire posted this up a few days ago. Mine is, like, the exact same thing only with more melodrama and lots of external links.
Blindfire posted this up a few days ago. Mine is, like, the exact same thing only with more melodrama and lots of external links.
Dude sounds like your a conspiracy theorist. Its a recession of course its hard to make a good profit that can get you over the hill. Your just a little crazy with this blog.
@CLP
I clearly explained that it has nothing to do with the recession. These past two years have seen the most consumer spending in history. If a company can't make a profit when customers are throwing cash at them, there's a problem. When a game's budget is larger than that of a similar last-gen game a factor of 3+, there's a problem.
I clearly explained that it has nothing to do with the recession. These past two years have seen the most consumer spending in history. If a company can't make a profit when customers are throwing cash at them, there's a problem. When a game's budget is larger than that of a similar last-gen game a factor of 3+, there's a problem.
I don't care about revenues, profits of companies, and the future lay offs of people in the videogame industry.
Games aren't going anywhere nor are gamers going anywhere. The calls of The End is Coming for the industry aren't going anywhere either it seems.
All I care about are games and the playing of them.
Games aren't going anywhere nor are gamers going anywhere. The calls of The End is Coming for the industry aren't going anywhere either it seems.
All I care about are games and the playing of them.
@megaStryke:
But neither that blog nor this one includes a clever titular reference to a well-known catastrophe like I wanted to put in.
But neither that blog nor this one includes a clever titular reference to a well-known catastrophe like I wanted to put in.
I agree with DeBloo.
You do realize that 2009 was a year of bad sales for everything right? Going into a recession isn't exactly good for any industry except
I don't think it is exactly rational to claim so suddenly that the video game world is crumbling because people are cutting down on their entertainment purchases. I guarantee if you looked at other forms of entertainment, whatever they may be, they would be lower this year than last as well... aside from the alcoholic forms of entertainment.
I just hate seeing a potentially good article turn into a vehicle to promote more Nintendo bullshit. When I saw the big Nintendo logo with the fellatio surrounding it, I lost interest. Nintendo isn't innovating anything. They opened up the gate for games to be simplistic themes with motion control tacked on. If anything, if gaming does die, it would be Nintendo's doing. Now Sony and MS feel like they need to enter the motion control game to keep up with Nintendo's pandering to people who can't understand the complex controls of the HD consoles... which you happen to be one of those people, judging from your past article on hard to understand game controls.
I just don't appreciate Nintendo's specific brand of "innovation", it reeks more of gimmickry to me. I know for a fact that a much larger demographic enjoys a good gimmicky game compared to the demographic that appreciates a polished, high definition, realistic experience that may have a steep learning curve. That isn't to say more gamers prefer gimmicks, just more [i]people[/].
I'll put it this way... there are a lot more people out there that would be entertained by something simple like the comedy of Jeff Foxworthy or Larry the Cable Guy. They have really shallow jokes, stale delivery, but man... they have those gimmicky catch phrases that people love. To me, the motion control is like those shitty catch phrases. I prefer a little more complexity to my humor... and my games.
I just think games like Mass Effect 2, Left 4 Dead, the Skate series, Uncharted 2, Fallout 3, GTA IV, Red Dead Redemption, and yes even Modern Warfare 2... are all great examples of innovation in the gaming industry. I would like to see my games offer a more realistic looking and sounding experience, and also continue to push the limits of current hardware capabilities. I think there are a great deal of gamers that feel the same. Innovation doesn't just mean making some supposedly "revolutionary" control device... it means pushing things forward in all aspects of gaming, visual, audio, online, multiplayer, story presentation, wrtiting, EVERYTHING.
I just feel like Nintendo shits on all of that with their unwillingness to create an HD Wii, or even their initial stance to just stick with Gamecube quality graphics when they made the Wii. I can appreciate a couple of games on the Wii for what they are trying to do, but I just feel like people don't understand innovation quite as well as they think they do. Innovation doesn't mean doesn't mean standing still and tacking on a gimmick. It means pushing things forward and trying to be a stand-out title in the sea of mediocre shit out there. It has always been like that, and the sad thing is... Nintendo used to be good at that.
I also don't understand what is wrong with trying to make video games a more credible medium. You think they should just be viewed gimmicky toys forever? I think this article is pretty over the top, dude. You just seem to be nothing more than a well-spoken Nintendo fanboy. It sounds like you should try to catch up with the future before you're just stuck living in the past.
You do realize that 2009 was a year of bad sales for everything right? Going into a recession isn't exactly good for any industry except
I don't think it is exactly rational to claim so suddenly that the video game world is crumbling because people are cutting down on their entertainment purchases. I guarantee if you looked at other forms of entertainment, whatever they may be, they would be lower this year than last as well... aside from the alcoholic forms of entertainment.
I just hate seeing a potentially good article turn into a vehicle to promote more Nintendo bullshit. When I saw the big Nintendo logo with the fellatio surrounding it, I lost interest. Nintendo isn't innovating anything. They opened up the gate for games to be simplistic themes with motion control tacked on. If anything, if gaming does die, it would be Nintendo's doing. Now Sony and MS feel like they need to enter the motion control game to keep up with Nintendo's pandering to people who can't understand the complex controls of the HD consoles... which you happen to be one of those people, judging from your past article on hard to understand game controls.
I just don't appreciate Nintendo's specific brand of "innovation", it reeks more of gimmickry to me. I know for a fact that a much larger demographic enjoys a good gimmicky game compared to the demographic that appreciates a polished, high definition, realistic experience that may have a steep learning curve. That isn't to say more gamers prefer gimmicks, just more [i]people[/].
I'll put it this way... there are a lot more people out there that would be entertained by something simple like the comedy of Jeff Foxworthy or Larry the Cable Guy. They have really shallow jokes, stale delivery, but man... they have those gimmicky catch phrases that people love. To me, the motion control is like those shitty catch phrases. I prefer a little more complexity to my humor... and my games.
I just think games like Mass Effect 2, Left 4 Dead, the Skate series, Uncharted 2, Fallout 3, GTA IV, Red Dead Redemption, and yes even Modern Warfare 2... are all great examples of innovation in the gaming industry. I would like to see my games offer a more realistic looking and sounding experience, and also continue to push the limits of current hardware capabilities. I think there are a great deal of gamers that feel the same. Innovation doesn't just mean making some supposedly "revolutionary" control device... it means pushing things forward in all aspects of gaming, visual, audio, online, multiplayer, story presentation, wrtiting, EVERYTHING.
I just feel like Nintendo shits on all of that with their unwillingness to create an HD Wii, or even their initial stance to just stick with Gamecube quality graphics when they made the Wii. I can appreciate a couple of games on the Wii for what they are trying to do, but I just feel like people don't understand innovation quite as well as they think they do. Innovation doesn't mean doesn't mean standing still and tacking on a gimmick. It means pushing things forward and trying to be a stand-out title in the sea of mediocre shit out there. It has always been like that, and the sad thing is... Nintendo used to be good at that.
I also don't understand what is wrong with trying to make video games a more credible medium. You think they should just be viewed gimmicky toys forever? I think this article is pretty over the top, dude. You just seem to be nothing more than a well-spoken Nintendo fanboy. It sounds like you should try to catch up with the future before you're just stuck living in the past.
@ CLP
I don't think there WILL be a demise. I just hate the fact that people view Nintendo as the only innovators and if you enjoy mainstream, HD consoles, somehow you are perpetuating the failure of gaming. Whatever. I'm going to go play some games. I just always read Megstryke's blogs to see if he can ever write something that doesn't bash the current HD consoles, or brown-nose Nintendo. He successfully accomplished both with this one.
I don't think there WILL be a demise. I just hate the fact that people view Nintendo as the only innovators and if you enjoy mainstream, HD consoles, somehow you are perpetuating the failure of gaming. Whatever. I'm going to go play some games. I just always read Megstryke's blogs to see if he can ever write something that doesn't bash the current HD consoles, or brown-nose Nintendo. He successfully accomplished both with this one.
Hahahaha I can agree you have a problem consoles. Go play some good console games you'll come around
@Steel Squirrel
Everyone seems to miss the part where I mention that these past two years have seen more consumer spending in the games sector than during any other period in history.
Also, you are the prototype of the kind of person who fails to understand why people like the kinds of games the Wii provides. Rather than try to see the real reasons, you yell "gimmick" and call it a day.
Just sit there for a second and consider the possibility that games like Mass Effect 2 are perpetuating a model that causes companies to bleed excessive amounts of cash into development. Even if you don't believe it, try to imagine that it was true. If it was true, how do you think the industry should respond? By doing more of the same.
Think about it.
Everyone seems to miss the part where I mention that these past two years have seen more consumer spending in the games sector than during any other period in history.
Also, you are the prototype of the kind of person who fails to understand why people like the kinds of games the Wii provides. Rather than try to see the real reasons, you yell "gimmick" and call it a day.
Just sit there for a second and consider the possibility that games like Mass Effect 2 are perpetuating a model that causes companies to bleed excessive amounts of cash into development. Even if you don't believe it, try to imagine that it was true. If it was true, how do you think the industry should respond? By doing more of the same.
Think about it.
@Megastryke
I don't fail to understand why people like the Wii at all. The Wii is accessible. I understand that. The games are fun right off the bat, no thinking involved, no frustration in learning. That's great, throw the Wii into the board game section of Toys R Us. It will fit in well.
I just honestly don't see anything wrong with companies wanting to push big budget games and push boundaries in gaming in other ways other than motion controls. There is clearly room for both and I don't think one or the other should be done away with... just don't try to tell me that Nintendo is the secret savior of gaming and all those who didn't partner up with them before are foolish. That's crazy.
Games like Mass Effect 2 and Heavy Rain are pushing interactivity in our games to a completely different level. They provide us with unique ways to interact with the them in no other way that any other medium can provide. Why would I want to see that stopped? So we can be complacent and just sit with our sub-standard plastic toy machines that make us giggle for a half an hour? I think we both just enjoy different aspects of gaming.
Perhaps I am just a casual gamer that enjoys a different kind of experience than you. I am fine with that if that is the case. Just don't try to tell me that I'm wrong for wanting to see games progress as they have been progressing for years. I will continue to buy games like Mass Effect, Call of Duty, Left 4 Dead, Street Fighter IV-XIII, Assassin's Creed, and whatever other high profile, AAA games get released. I enjoy them. I enjoy what video games have become. I can't wait to see what the next cycle of consoles brings us. If the current business model fails, then so be it. At least they were pushing things somewhere and they will discover they were wrong if that is the case. In the meantime, I will have faith that the industry will thrive and I will continue to support the companies I have supported since the beginning of my gaming days back before the NES.
I'm having a good time with my 360 and would pick up a PS3 before I picked up a Wii. If that makes me some kind of mindless-zombie-tool that can't appreciate Nintendo's ingenious strategies, then so be it.
I don't fail to understand why people like the Wii at all. The Wii is accessible. I understand that. The games are fun right off the bat, no thinking involved, no frustration in learning. That's great, throw the Wii into the board game section of Toys R Us. It will fit in well.
I just honestly don't see anything wrong with companies wanting to push big budget games and push boundaries in gaming in other ways other than motion controls. There is clearly room for both and I don't think one or the other should be done away with... just don't try to tell me that Nintendo is the secret savior of gaming and all those who didn't partner up with them before are foolish. That's crazy.
Games like Mass Effect 2 and Heavy Rain are pushing interactivity in our games to a completely different level. They provide us with unique ways to interact with the them in no other way that any other medium can provide. Why would I want to see that stopped? So we can be complacent and just sit with our sub-standard plastic toy machines that make us giggle for a half an hour? I think we both just enjoy different aspects of gaming.
Perhaps I am just a casual gamer that enjoys a different kind of experience than you. I am fine with that if that is the case. Just don't try to tell me that I'm wrong for wanting to see games progress as they have been progressing for years. I will continue to buy games like Mass Effect, Call of Duty, Left 4 Dead, Street Fighter IV-XIII, Assassin's Creed, and whatever other high profile, AAA games get released. I enjoy them. I enjoy what video games have become. I can't wait to see what the next cycle of consoles brings us. If the current business model fails, then so be it. At least they were pushing things somewhere and they will discover they were wrong if that is the case. In the meantime, I will have faith that the industry will thrive and I will continue to support the companies I have supported since the beginning of my gaming days back before the NES.
I'm having a good time with my 360 and would pick up a PS3 before I picked up a Wii. If that makes me some kind of mindless-zombie-tool that can't appreciate Nintendo's ingenious strategies, then so be it.
It's just weird. It's like as if someone were to be saying back in the day that Disney cartoons would get replaced by Pixar movies. I like Pixar movies a lot more than the old Disney cartoons. Sure the old Disney cartoons have their place... and the nostalgia is nice. I would just rather watch an awesome Pixar movie in HD with digital surround sound instead of watching Snow White on old an old crusty reel while the theater chair tickled my butthole, you know? I enjoy a different kind of progress in my entertainment I guess.
Like the post, and while I don't personally believe the bottom is going to fall out of this incarnation of El Gamo Industry-o, it's certainly possible (see: Atari, the early 1980s).
I'm particularly enthusiastic about the infrastructure that's set up now to support independent development. And, especially, the rise of powerful middleware. A few guys in a garage can do way more now than nerds from a decade ago would ever have dreamed possible. So even if the big players end up falling on their swords, I'm not worried about running out of games to play.
I'm particularly enthusiastic about the infrastructure that's set up now to support independent development. And, especially, the rise of powerful middleware. A few guys in a garage can do way more now than nerds from a decade ago would ever have dreamed possible. So even if the big players end up falling on their swords, I'm not worried about running out of games to play.
I don't believe I've said at any point during my spiel that 360 and PS3 games were all bad and Wii games were all good. Despite my admitted preference for the Wii, the quality of the games plays no part in how well the developer and publisher succeeds financially.
I didn't only include motion controls in my list of directions companies should pursue. I also mentioned handheld gaming and smarter uses of the digital distribution platforms. A few companies have thrown stuff onto the Wii that failed, so that should show that the Wii is not the be-all end-all. However, all companies could learn to restrain themselves a little when it comes pushing bigger and better. Yes, innovation is important, but innovation doesn't have to be a giant expenditure.
No one is telling you to stop liking the games you do. Just don't be surprised if they start appearing in fewer and fewer numbers.
And I'm glad you mentioned Pixar. Pixar movies are great, aren't they? Know what could use work? Every other company. Dreamworks and whatever other animation studios that churn out substandard CGI crap that no one cares much about. To be fair, Dreamworks is pretty hit or miss with their stuff. Shrek was fine until they started pumping out carbon-copy sequels. Kung-Fu Panda was also awesome. Know what wasn't awesome? Antz and Bee Movie and Madagascar.
You hardly see traditional animation anymore, which is a shame. In the case of animation, CGI actually expediates the development process. CGI movies are less of a hassle to make than hand-drawn films, can be made faster, and can be made for around the same amount of dough. In this case, there really isn't a parallel to the gaming industry.
Although, I still love watching a Miyazaki film and seeing honest-to-God pencil-to-paper creations. I love The Princess and the Frog (although Disney animated features go heavy on the CGI as well for scenery and such). Those are good movies despite using older methods. Like I said, though, they aren't analogous to gaming.
I didn't only include motion controls in my list of directions companies should pursue. I also mentioned handheld gaming and smarter uses of the digital distribution platforms. A few companies have thrown stuff onto the Wii that failed, so that should show that the Wii is not the be-all end-all. However, all companies could learn to restrain themselves a little when it comes pushing bigger and better. Yes, innovation is important, but innovation doesn't have to be a giant expenditure.
No one is telling you to stop liking the games you do. Just don't be surprised if they start appearing in fewer and fewer numbers.
And I'm glad you mentioned Pixar. Pixar movies are great, aren't they? Know what could use work? Every other company. Dreamworks and whatever other animation studios that churn out substandard CGI crap that no one cares much about. To be fair, Dreamworks is pretty hit or miss with their stuff. Shrek was fine until they started pumping out carbon-copy sequels. Kung-Fu Panda was also awesome. Know what wasn't awesome? Antz and Bee Movie and Madagascar.
You hardly see traditional animation anymore, which is a shame. In the case of animation, CGI actually expediates the development process. CGI movies are less of a hassle to make than hand-drawn films, can be made faster, and can be made for around the same amount of dough. In this case, there really isn't a parallel to the gaming industry.
Although, I still love watching a Miyazaki film and seeing honest-to-God pencil-to-paper creations. I love The Princess and the Frog (although Disney animated features go heavy on the CGI as well for scenery and such). Those are good movies despite using older methods. Like I said, though, they aren't analogous to gaming.
I don't agree that the industry is dying so severely, but the style in which much of the market is killing itself you're dead on about.
This mindless arms race kind of march combined with the expectation of high production values is killing the industry as a whole.
People cry and gnash their teeth about some of their favorite games going to handhelds or the impact of the Wii, but those are very smart moves.
I said this elsewhere earlier today, but a company like Atlus knows how to recycle its assets so well and keep production costs so low that even if a game sells only 50k in Japan, they're well past the break even point and can keep on doing what they do. If they sell 100k-150k, even better. But they never have to worry about production costs so sky-high that they have to sell 500k or more for it not to be a failure.
Square-Enix was smart with DQIX. That game did not have a high production cost, but it went on to sell four million copies in less that half a year.The US version is paid for and our market just seconds mow - it doesn't have to be a sales success here. they've already made their bank on that.
Nintendo's been doing that for decades. Its why even when they are third place in a generation they are still one of the top developers and publishers in terms of sales. They are not being cheap or lazy, they're playing it smart.
Valve is another great example - they make games that just last forever. They put out Half-life, they put out mod tools. Some guy dreams up Counterstrike from doing mods, they hire him. Counterstrike is still a strong, long after people get fucking bored with Modern Warfare 2, people will go back to CS. And Then there's Half-Life 2 and Left 4 Dead. These guys push L4D faster because they have the time, they take thier time with Half-Life stuff because they have the money to. They played it smart and didn't take a tremendous part in this stupid arms race.
Then we have guys like Capy, Nippon Ichi, XSEED and more on the rise because like the others I've mentioned, its not about the race, its about knowing your audience or finding them and spending smart. They have adapted to the conditions of this market and do not march down the same old high-end path.
This mindless arms race kind of march combined with the expectation of high production values is killing the industry as a whole.
People cry and gnash their teeth about some of their favorite games going to handhelds or the impact of the Wii, but those are very smart moves.
I said this elsewhere earlier today, but a company like Atlus knows how to recycle its assets so well and keep production costs so low that even if a game sells only 50k in Japan, they're well past the break even point and can keep on doing what they do. If they sell 100k-150k, even better. But they never have to worry about production costs so sky-high that they have to sell 500k or more for it not to be a failure.
Square-Enix was smart with DQIX. That game did not have a high production cost, but it went on to sell four million copies in less that half a year.The US version is paid for and our market just seconds mow - it doesn't have to be a sales success here. they've already made their bank on that.
Nintendo's been doing that for decades. Its why even when they are third place in a generation they are still one of the top developers and publishers in terms of sales. They are not being cheap or lazy, they're playing it smart.
Valve is another great example - they make games that just last forever. They put out Half-life, they put out mod tools. Some guy dreams up Counterstrike from doing mods, they hire him. Counterstrike is still a strong, long after people get fucking bored with Modern Warfare 2, people will go back to CS. And Then there's Half-Life 2 and Left 4 Dead. These guys push L4D faster because they have the time, they take thier time with Half-Life stuff because they have the money to. They played it smart and didn't take a tremendous part in this stupid arms race.
Then we have guys like Capy, Nippon Ichi, XSEED and more on the rise because like the others I've mentioned, its not about the race, its about knowing your audience or finding them and spending smart. They have adapted to the conditions of this market and do not march down the same old high-end path.
Eh... I think we are just on completely different ends of the spectrum and I don't see the big budget games going anywhere anytime soon. If you're right though, good for you. I guess I'd rather just spend time enjoying what's being put out now than stressing out over it and thinking of doomsday scenarios for video games.
I do enjoy my games, which is why I worry about what can happen down the road. I don't want my favorite companies to go belly up. Just look what happened to Sega after the Dreamcast. It's very obvious that they haven't been able to maintain the same consistent level of quality that they once did.
It's sad but true. As much as us gamers may hate it, Kotick is right, they need to raise the price for games. After all, I was paying the same amount of money for my Sega Genesis games 20 years ago as I am for PS360 games now.
Well -I- read the whole thing and paid attention.
And I think that you're right, but I find myself on the other side of the issue. I think the system could use a good implosion, then we can see where the pieces land, and rebuild something even better. You don't have to spend tons of money to make a good game; you just have to put thought into it.
On a side-note, someone said GTA4 and MW2 were innovative--that's just nonsense. They didn't do a damn thing new, they just took what they already had and tried to do it awesome!
And I think that you're right, but I find myself on the other side of the issue. I think the system could use a good implosion, then we can see where the pieces land, and rebuild something even better. You don't have to spend tons of money to make a good game; you just have to put thought into it.
On a side-note, someone said GTA4 and MW2 were innovative--that's just nonsense. They didn't do a damn thing new, they just took what they already had and tried to do it awesome!
I enjoyed reading this, megaStryke :)
Like any other human, I refuse the possibility of death. I refuse to consider a world without my favorite consoles, developpers and games. *sniffling, hugs a Jack Frost plushie* So I'll just go Memento and bury that article in the far corner of my memories.
Like any other human, I refuse the possibility of death. I refuse to consider a world without my favorite consoles, developpers and games. *sniffling, hugs a Jack Frost plushie* So I'll just go Memento and bury that article in the far corner of my memories.
Very nice piece! There does seem to be an inevitable 2nd great video gaming depression, if considering mid-80's to be first and only. Just part of balancing out the reality.
We have seen similar things in movie industry - once the more purist of consumers witnessed the large budget, heavily fore-casted works of the evolving hollywood, there opened up more cottage industry market for the alternative film.
I would never want the game industry to fail and i don't think it will. But i would like things to shake up and market share shift some from epic, big business game productions to high quality, creative, smaller productions.
We have seen similar things in movie industry - once the more purist of consumers witnessed the large budget, heavily fore-casted works of the evolving hollywood, there opened up more cottage industry market for the alternative film.
I would never want the game industry to fail and i don't think it will. But i would like things to shake up and market share shift some from epic, big business game productions to high quality, creative, smaller productions.
Are video games as a whole going anywhere? No. They'll be around forever in some fashion or another.
Are HUGE AAA titles going to be around forever? Probably not. Only a handful of studios have the capital and backing to keep up with the cost of development for ever faster and more powerful hardware/software. The closures you see are from small studios reaching beyond their means of sustaining that type of business model.
If we apply your logic to the movie industry, it would have been "dying" in 2004, and then again in 2005. But sales from last year are the highest in 5 years, and the revenue is the highest for at least 14 years.
In short; Fear mongering, Statistics-fail, etc etc.
Are HUGE AAA titles going to be around forever? Probably not. Only a handful of studios have the capital and backing to keep up with the cost of development for ever faster and more powerful hardware/software. The closures you see are from small studios reaching beyond their means of sustaining that type of business model.
If we apply your logic to the movie industry, it would have been "dying" in 2004, and then again in 2005. But sales from last year are the highest in 5 years, and the revenue is the highest for at least 14 years.
In short; Fear mongering, Statistics-fail, etc etc.
I take issue with your assumption that the blockbuster driven portion of the industry is inherently doomed. Especially when your evidence involves poorly managed companies like Pandemic Studios and Midway. These companies weren't doomed because they were chasing the next big hit, they were doomed because the collective managment made a string of bad decisions. Decisions even when they were made could have been rectified but weren't. I mean come on, Midway?Seriously? Midway has been doomed since before this generation even began. Don't even get me started on Factor 5, they were doomed as soon as they sunk all of their resources into Lair. A smarter company wouldn't have put all their eggs in one basket to begin with and would have seen the inherent problems with Lair a mile away and would have made contingency plans that would have ultimately saved the company.
And as far as layoffs and studio closure gloom and doom goes you completely miss the studios that opened or expanded even in spite of an economic recession. i.e. Insomniac, Atlus, Lightbox (Former Incognito devs)and hell THQ is building a studio in Montreal that will employ 400 people when its done.
Oh and using Capcom as an example of the faliure of the hit-driven industry? Besides Bionic Commando this is probably the most profitable period in Capcom's history. From Street Fighter 4 to Dead Rising almost every HD game they've made in the past 5 years has been commercial success. The fact that all those games have been a success completely validates them in the eyes of their share holders.
Finally: "Companies need to stop forcing industry standards and allow the market to set standards for itself." If you (the market) buy a blockbuster game the industry interprets that as saying the blockbuster game is a legit business model and I think the platform holders are smarter than you given them credit. Hasn't Sony been beating that "10 year" mantra to death since the beginning of the generation and Microsoft a little while ago stated that their is plenty more life in the 360. When corporate execs are saying stuff like that 4-5 years into a generation I'm inclined to believe it, also I don't seen anyone pining for the PS4 and Xbox 720.
And as far as layoffs and studio closure gloom and doom goes you completely miss the studios that opened or expanded even in spite of an economic recession. i.e. Insomniac, Atlus, Lightbox (Former Incognito devs)and hell THQ is building a studio in Montreal that will employ 400 people when its done.
Oh and using Capcom as an example of the faliure of the hit-driven industry? Besides Bionic Commando this is probably the most profitable period in Capcom's history. From Street Fighter 4 to Dead Rising almost every HD game they've made in the past 5 years has been commercial success. The fact that all those games have been a success completely validates them in the eyes of their share holders.
Finally: "Companies need to stop forcing industry standards and allow the market to set standards for itself." If you (the market) buy a blockbuster game the industry interprets that as saying the blockbuster game is a legit business model and I think the platform holders are smarter than you given them credit. Hasn't Sony been beating that "10 year" mantra to death since the beginning of the generation and Microsoft a little while ago stated that their is plenty more life in the 360. When corporate execs are saying stuff like that 4-5 years into a generation I'm inclined to believe it, also I don't seen anyone pining for the PS4 and Xbox 720.
@Mitsugeta: I would just like to point out a key difference between what megaSTRYKE said and everything you just said.
He gave numbers to support his statements. The only numbers I'm seeing in your post are years, SF4, Factor 5, 360, xbox720, PS4, and 400 jobs. Other than that you're just saying that you disagree, which is fine, but you can't imply that he's wrong and then give no evidence, even shaky evidence.
And studios like Atlus appeal to very niche crowds, they have to do things intelligently just to stay above water. They don't wander too far outside the things they know already and do well, which just goes to show that they know they can't afford to take huge risks.
400 jobs are nothing in the grand scheme of things. It's barely a drop in the bucket compared to what was lost over the last year, over 11k jobs I believe he said.
He gave numbers to support his statements. The only numbers I'm seeing in your post are years, SF4, Factor 5, 360, xbox720, PS4, and 400 jobs. Other than that you're just saying that you disagree, which is fine, but you can't imply that he's wrong and then give no evidence, even shaky evidence.
And studios like Atlus appeal to very niche crowds, they have to do things intelligently just to stay above water. They don't wander too far outside the things they know already and do well, which just goes to show that they know they can't afford to take huge risks.
400 jobs are nothing in the grand scheme of things. It's barely a drop in the bucket compared to what was lost over the last year, over 11k jobs I believe he said.
What a badass article. Based on all this, I'd say we're going to see a huge rise of indie games soon (although asking people to pay $10-$15 for them will be like pulling teeth).
follow
