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Far too many games are going multi format now, its not just that they're multi format but the fact that they have various special editions etc. Its getting as bad as it has become to buy a DVD, you go out and buy the title you have been waiting months for, and then once you've bought it they go and announce that they are going to release the ultra special best ever edition collectors box set, at the same price as you paid not long before.
In the summer there was a big uproar over New Lines decision to release two versions of Lord Of The Rings, the regular theatrical edition, and a special extended directors cut. Even though it was announced months before either versions release date that there would be two versions, people still complained and said that they felt cheated out of their hard earned money. So why should gamers feel any different, when they are in some cases treated worse.
A lot of people buy consoles because they feel that their favourite games series are going to be exclusve to that system. Someone who goes out and buys a PS2 for the final fantasy and metal gear series must be really happy, not only are the games no longer exclusive to the console that you've paid a lot of money for, but that in the case of the metal gear series, X Box owners will get a special edition, as will those PS2 owners who have either not bought the first one, or are willing to shell out another £50 for the extra features, of couse if they knew a special edition was upcoming you have to wonder if they would have all rushed out to buy it on release day. And in the case of the final fantasy series Gamecube owners will get their own totally exclusive series of games, while Playstation 2 owners may only have the online games. Strange how a year ago you thought that the series was Playstation exclusive and that you would be able to experience the epic storylines the games are famed for.
Parting with your hard earned cash is now far more of a gamble than it ever used to be, multi format games used to be released at the same time on all formats, with the same features on all versions - that way owners of all consoles got the game and to as great an extent as possible, they were all as equally good, and you knew that by parting with your money you would get the game you wanted.
And when it came to choosing consoles, if you liked nintendo games you got a nintendo console, and if you liked sega games, you got a sega console. But in this time where third party publishers are for the most part no longer third party and unbiased, deciding on what console to buy has become a lot more complicated and risky.
Whats the point?
In the summer there was a big uproar over New Lines decision to release two versions of Lord Of The Rings, the regular theatrical edition, and a special extended directors cut. Even though it was announced months before either versions release date that there would be two versions, people still complained and said that they felt cheated out of their hard earned money. So why should gamers feel any different, when they are in some cases treated worse.
A lot of people buy consoles because they feel that their favourite games series are going to be exclusve to that system. Someone who goes out and buys a PS2 for the final fantasy and metal gear series must be really happy, not only are the games no longer exclusive to the console that you've paid a lot of money for, but that in the case of the metal gear series, X Box owners will get a special edition, as will those PS2 owners who have either not bought the first one, or are willing to shell out another £50 for the extra features, of couse if they knew a special edition was upcoming you have to wonder if they would have all rushed out to buy it on release day. And in the case of the final fantasy series Gamecube owners will get their own totally exclusive series of games, while Playstation 2 owners may only have the online games. Strange how a year ago you thought that the series was Playstation exclusive and that you would be able to experience the epic storylines the games are famed for.
Parting with your hard earned cash is now far more of a gamble than it ever used to be, multi format games used to be released at the same time on all formats, with the same features on all versions - that way owners of all consoles got the game and to as great an extent as possible, they were all as equally good, and you knew that by parting with your money you would get the game you wanted.
And when it came to choosing consoles, if you liked nintendo games you got a nintendo console, and if you liked sega games, you got a sega console. But in this time where third party publishers are for the most part no longer third party and unbiased, deciding on what console to buy has become a lot more complicated and risky.
Whats the point?
I kind of long for the simplicity that was around in the time of the megadrive and snes. You simply chose whether you prefered nintendo games or sega games and everything else was released on all formats identically, so everyone won, and nobody lost out.
It's really not that hard.
PS2 - RPGs/driving games/sports games
XBOX - FPSs/serious online gaming/best multiformat titles
GCN - Platformers/Nintendo characters
Still, I think all this special edition nonsense is going to come back and bite developers in the face. MGS2 Substance will probably sell horribly, with console owners either already having MGS2, and not being willing to buy it again for a few new bits or not being interested at all.
PS2 - RPGs/driving games/sports games
XBOX - FPSs/serious online gaming/best multiformat titles
GCN - Platformers/Nintendo characters
Still, I think all this special edition nonsense is going to come back and bite developers in the face. MGS2 Substance will probably sell horribly, with console owners either already having MGS2, and not being willing to buy it again for a few new bits or not being interested at all.
I had the imagination topic on my computer which I wrote up in the summer, the other two I just made up as I typed. I dont think my posts are really GAD quality, but more of whingy monotonous tyrades in which I spill my venom. Not that I have much, after all I am a person who went to see Lilo + Stitch, and not with a young relative or anything, just with a friend. So if you want to hear the mad ramblings of a freak you know where to look.
Far too many games are going multi format now, its not just that they're multi format but the fact that they have various special editions etc. Its getting as bad as it has become to buy a DVD, you go out and buy the title you have been waiting months for, and then once you've bought it they go and announce that they are going to release the ultra special best ever edition collectors box set, at the same price as you paid not long before.
In the summer there was a big uproar over New Lines decision to release two versions of Lord Of The Rings, the regular theatrical edition, and a special extended directors cut. Even though it was announced months before either versions release date that there would be two versions, people still complained and said that they felt cheated out of their hard earned money. So why should gamers feel any different, when they are in some cases treated worse.
A lot of people buy consoles because they feel that their favourite games series are going to be exclusve to that system. Someone who goes out and buys a PS2 for the final fantasy and metal gear series must be really happy, not only are the games no longer exclusive to the console that you've paid a lot of money for, but that in the case of the metal gear series, X Box owners will get a special edition, as will those PS2 owners who have either not bought the first one, or are willing to shell out another £50 for the extra features, of couse if they knew a special edition was upcoming you have to wonder if they would have all rushed out to buy it on release day. And in the case of the final fantasy series Gamecube owners will get their own totally exclusive series of games, while Playstation 2 owners may only have the online games. Strange how a year ago you thought that the series was Playstation exclusive and that you would be able to experience the epic storylines the games are famed for.
Parting with your hard earned cash is now far more of a gamble than it ever used to be, multi format games used to be released at the same time on all formats, with the same features on all versions - that way owners of all consoles got the game and to as great an extent as possible, they were all as equally good, and you knew that by parting with your money you would get the game you wanted.
And when it came to choosing consoles, if you liked nintendo games you got a nintendo console, and if you liked sega games, you got a sega console. But in this time where third party publishers are for the most part no longer third party and unbiased, deciding on what console to buy has become a lot more complicated and risky.
Whats the point?
In the summer there was a big uproar over New Lines decision to release two versions of Lord Of The Rings, the regular theatrical edition, and a special extended directors cut. Even though it was announced months before either versions release date that there would be two versions, people still complained and said that they felt cheated out of their hard earned money. So why should gamers feel any different, when they are in some cases treated worse.
A lot of people buy consoles because they feel that their favourite games series are going to be exclusve to that system. Someone who goes out and buys a PS2 for the final fantasy and metal gear series must be really happy, not only are the games no longer exclusive to the console that you've paid a lot of money for, but that in the case of the metal gear series, X Box owners will get a special edition, as will those PS2 owners who have either not bought the first one, or are willing to shell out another £50 for the extra features, of couse if they knew a special edition was upcoming you have to wonder if they would have all rushed out to buy it on release day. And in the case of the final fantasy series Gamecube owners will get their own totally exclusive series of games, while Playstation 2 owners may only have the online games. Strange how a year ago you thought that the series was Playstation exclusive and that you would be able to experience the epic storylines the games are famed for.
Parting with your hard earned cash is now far more of a gamble than it ever used to be, multi format games used to be released at the same time on all formats, with the same features on all versions - that way owners of all consoles got the game and to as great an extent as possible, they were all as equally good, and you knew that by parting with your money you would get the game you wanted.
And when it came to choosing consoles, if you liked nintendo games you got a nintendo console, and if you liked sega games, you got a sega console. But in this time where third party publishers are for the most part no longer third party and unbiased, deciding on what console to buy has become a lot more complicated and risky.
Whats the point?