Problems of video game industry
Games became significantly worse.
- Micro transactions (Deus Ex: Mankind Divided)
- Three years old early access (Dayz standalone)
- Day one dlc (The Division)
- Indie games that cost as triple A projects (No Man's Sky)
- Games without gameplay that exist only because you can get cards from them and then sell those cards for profit at Steam community market
Instead of entertainment games became a way to make money.
Some games (CS:GO, Dota 2, TF2) are being played only because of skins which may cost a lot. Since you can sell those skins or trade them. Because of that there are various scam activities such as gambling casinos and betting.
Market is flooded with games yet it is so hard to find a good one.
Do you like 60 dollars games? After the purchase you can't get your money back which creates situation where quality of game doesn't matter as long as you can sell it.
Gameplay trailer looks much better than the actual game.
Why there are so many preorders with bonuses? They exist to sell the game before client would know what this game is exactly and what problems it has.
An upgraded version of preorders is Kickstarter where developer doesn't even have the game but he already wants money. Not always the game would be finished or would have all promised features (Torment: Tides of Numenera).
Production value rises but quality drops.
Games also have some other problems, grind is added to almost any genre and is usually labeled as rpg elements often paired with crafting. In some games there is no balance, in other there is terrible interface. Aside from that games may be unoptimized (Watch dogs) or untested (Mafia III).
Often it seems that those who make games don't actually play them.
And here is the question what about videogame journalists? Nothing, money can get you any review. How would games evolve without critics? And why user reviews are usually lower than critics reviews on Metacritic?
Whose fault is it, and what we need to do about it?
We should blame not only those who do such things but also those who support it with money or in any other way. For example this scam "repost, recruit friend and you will get in game currency".
In the end don't you ever do preorders
Play the game before you buy it, usually there are legal ways to do this for example:
- Free weekends
- Beta tests
- Trials
- Demo versions
- Ask a friend
source: http://zeronumbers.com/node/17
I am owner of website and articles, I do not own images but those are public domain.
Tripple A gaming is becoming more and more broken....
But I see light in this darkness, some games still do micro-transactions right (Let It Die)... some AAA games still worth the $60 Tag (Fallout 4, arguably)... and many indie games care more about art than money.
The problem is that game developers are used to calculate risks.. see what sell well and add it in their game even if it doesn't suit that game... because some people will still like it.
There's something I call (Have-To-)Reach-The-Ending Trap, it's a strategy Anime and Manga creators do, and the AAA games companies do.... they make a sequel with lower effort than the original. because they know it will sell well.... The Audience spent so much money on the series, they have to "Reach the Ending" by the time the sequel is announced, they already fell in the trap.
But there's no alternative... if they didn't buy it. the company will simply say "Oh!! the series isn't selling well anymore... let's stop producing it". the game won't have any more sequels (which for a huge fan is a disaster... bad sequels are a good thing in comparison) see? that's why it is a very complex TRAP....
There need to be a good developers with a "vision", they refuse to change that vision in favor of a guaranteed sell. something like what Life Is Strange Creators do.
Wow... this is sooo looong. maybe I should change it to a Post instead of Comment?
Well some indie games are definately more progressive and have some really cool ideas that you can't find in triple A, but it's just so hard to find one because there are so many indie games.
I guess we need a different category for such games like "Author's".
I am totally agree with you on sequels.
As for post well it is your decision, I think the more we talk about problem the closer we get to solution so if you will do it then I ll check it out.
Awesome stuff and great examples! I've written a few articles on precisely this and It's become a 'plague' of the gaming industry, the abundance of preordering, early access, and microtransaction crap just cannot continue to destroy the integrity of the gaming world. It's to the point where many of us older gamers have simply stopped buying recently made games simply because they could either be 'flashes in the pan' or eventually turn to microtransactional crap.
By the way, welcome to Steemit! This is your second post and a damn good one at that! Keep it up, and keep going at it and I'm sure you'll be hitting the roof in no time :D
Thank you, good to know I am not the only one who has such problem. I will check your blog.