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What am I going on about is quite simple, my question to you is "is this industry all about games or becomming more and more to do with business?" Developers using clever ways to advertise, market and maximise profits, no more making sure games are the best they can be.
Well the way I see things is that the industry has always been a little bit of business, developers make games, probably because they enjoy it and are good at it but also to try and make as much money as possible. After all that is what every company is trying to do isn't it?
I myself have been playing game for a long long time and I have experienced the changes, going from being small developers with a few programmers creating games to a multi-million pound industry with huge developers with teams of near to a hundred+ developers, sound experts, actors, directors, story writers etc.
The industry is a lot bigger these days and it is due to grow and grow, the changes that have happened since I started gaming to present day have been huge and if they continue along these ways then the industry will be worth billions soon, but will it still be all about games?
I have been asking myself a few questions about all this:
1. Do developers make certain games as they know they will sell?
2. Are the games we see released as good as the developers can make them?
3. Does advertising and marketing play a big part in the industry?
1.
To be honest I think they do, we see dodgy, poorly created sequels that are there just for the developers to make an extra shinny penny. Little changes over the previous version, ripping us off to be honest. We wouldn't stand for it in other industries so why do we allow it to happen in this industry? There are certain games that will always sell, EA sports games are big sellers, Konami's MGS games and pro evo soccer games will sell as will many others. Some developer must be given the credit as they do try and offer a new gaming experience with most if not all the games they release but as most of you who are interested in the gaming industry will know, there are others who seem to take advantage of their status as being good developers to cash in and make a little extra. This will continue as long as we as gamers allow it, as long as we buy them or allow them to release shoddy sequels then some developers will release them.
2.
Most of the time I would say that they are, competition these days is too high, developers battle it out with each other to try make the best games, usually because the best games make the most money. These days millions is spent on the development of some games, the development has become more like the development of a film with literaly hundreds of people working on the games development. But there is some times when I feel that a developer has rushed a game, either to fill a gap in the market and get money from it or because the developer has something else they feel will be better to develop. I think what we have to remember is that the industry would be nothing if us gamers didn't buy the games. So to make them realise that we only want high quality games we must first of all stop buying all the really pants ones.
3.
These days without a doubt the answer is yes. In the past games sold themselves, you sometimes took a risk with what was written on the box as sometimes the game was never as good as it sounded. Part of the reason I think games in the past became such classics is that people didn't really know what to expect, these days games get hyped and we get told by magazines etc exactly what to expect months before a game is released. A good and a bad thing.
Advertising
I feel advertising these days is a big part of selling games, I see posters on walls as I go to uni everyday, adverts on television, in magazines and on the internet. Some would say advertising is the only way to sell it. If a game is good then it will sell its self but only people who know a bit about gaming will know when it is out etc. Advertising gets to those who buy games from time to time and to remind others that "this is a game you need to get". Advertising plays a big role in selling games these days, Sony showed us that the strange adverts get peoples attention, one thing is though, would they be as succesful if the adverts didn't exist?
Marketing
Also another big part of gaming, XBox was released with the phrase "most powerful console ever" ok so it is but does that matter as we all know it comes down to the games. Also it is worth pointing out that the xbox architecture is very different from most consoles so it is good in some areas but a litte worse in others.
Recently the xbox price dropped by £100, now everyone is going on about it is due to it not selling well, maybe it isn't but I myself think it is because of something totally different. Microsoft claim that they want to reward their customers, they are even giving those who paid full price two free games and a control pad to make up for the early price drop. This means that with every console they sell microsoft stand to lose around $150.
I think the price drop happened for one reason. They released the console at £300, because it is "the most powerful", people will fall for this advertising gimick and buy it on that one reason alone. Some will say it is too expensive and opt to wait for a GameCube or get a PS2. It is a few weeks before the GameCube release and Microsoft drop the price, co-incidence? I think not. Now people will see something hailed as "most powerful console" at an even more affordable price. Sure Nintys will buy a gamecube and Sony fans will get a PS2 but a lot of people will now get an Xbox even nintys and PS2 fans will get them. It will happen. Why? Because microsoft understand how to do business, you need to lose money before you make it. Being one of the biggest companies today I think they know how to handle the business side of things.
It is these ideas that makes me think that maybe it is no longer all about the games, these clever marketing ideas can sell consoles, games, peripherals etc. Sure the quality of the product matters but these days I think some developers could sell really pants games by their clever business ideas and the way they know some people think.
Well the way I see things is that the industry has always been a little bit of business, developers make games, probably because they enjoy it and are good at it but also to try and make as much money as possible. After all that is what every company is trying to do isn't it?
I myself have been playing game for a long long time and I have experienced the changes, going from being small developers with a few programmers creating games to a multi-million pound industry with huge developers with teams of near to a hundred+ developers, sound experts, actors, directors, story writers etc.
The industry is a lot bigger these days and it is due to grow and grow, the changes that have happened since I started gaming to present day have been huge and if they continue along these ways then the industry will be worth billions soon, but will it still be all about games?
I have been asking myself a few questions about all this:
1. Do developers make certain games as they know they will sell?
2. Are the games we see released as good as the developers can make them?
3. Does advertising and marketing play a big part in the industry?
1.
To be honest I think they do, we see dodgy, poorly created sequels that are there just for the developers to make an extra shinny penny. Little changes over the previous version, ripping us off to be honest. We wouldn't stand for it in other industries so why do we allow it to happen in this industry? There are certain games that will always sell, EA sports games are big sellers, Konami's MGS games and pro evo soccer games will sell as will many others. Some developer must be given the credit as they do try and offer a new gaming experience with most if not all the games they release but as most of you who are interested in the gaming industry will know, there are others who seem to take advantage of their status as being good developers to cash in and make a little extra. This will continue as long as we as gamers allow it, as long as we buy them or allow them to release shoddy sequels then some developers will release them.
2.
Most of the time I would say that they are, competition these days is too high, developers battle it out with each other to try make the best games, usually because the best games make the most money. These days millions is spent on the development of some games, the development has become more like the development of a film with literaly hundreds of people working on the games development. But there is some times when I feel that a developer has rushed a game, either to fill a gap in the market and get money from it or because the developer has something else they feel will be better to develop. I think what we have to remember is that the industry would be nothing if us gamers didn't buy the games. So to make them realise that we only want high quality games we must first of all stop buying all the really pants ones.
3.
These days without a doubt the answer is yes. In the past games sold themselves, you sometimes took a risk with what was written on the box as sometimes the game was never as good as it sounded. Part of the reason I think games in the past became such classics is that people didn't really know what to expect, these days games get hyped and we get told by magazines etc exactly what to expect months before a game is released. A good and a bad thing.
Advertising
I feel advertising these days is a big part of selling games, I see posters on walls as I go to uni everyday, adverts on television, in magazines and on the internet. Some would say advertising is the only way to sell it. If a game is good then it will sell its self but only people who know a bit about gaming will know when it is out etc. Advertising gets to those who buy games from time to time and to remind others that "this is a game you need to get". Advertising plays a big role in selling games these days, Sony showed us that the strange adverts get peoples attention, one thing is though, would they be as succesful if the adverts didn't exist?
Marketing
Also another big part of gaming, XBox was released with the phrase "most powerful console ever" ok so it is but does that matter as we all know it comes down to the games. Also it is worth pointing out that the xbox architecture is very different from most consoles so it is good in some areas but a litte worse in others.
Recently the xbox price dropped by £100, now everyone is going on about it is due to it not selling well, maybe it isn't but I myself think it is because of something totally different. Microsoft claim that they want to reward their customers, they are even giving those who paid full price two free games and a control pad to make up for the early price drop. This means that with every console they sell microsoft stand to lose around $150.
I think the price drop happened for one reason. They released the console at £300, because it is "the most powerful", people will fall for this advertising gimick and buy it on that one reason alone. Some will say it is too expensive and opt to wait for a GameCube or get a PS2. It is a few weeks before the GameCube release and Microsoft drop the price, co-incidence? I think not. Now people will see something hailed as "most powerful console" at an even more affordable price. Sure Nintys will buy a gamecube and Sony fans will get a PS2 but a lot of people will now get an Xbox even nintys and PS2 fans will get them. It will happen. Why? Because microsoft understand how to do business, you need to lose money before you make it. Being one of the biggest companies today I think they know how to handle the business side of things.
It is these ideas that makes me think that maybe it is no longer all about the games, these clever marketing ideas can sell consoles, games, peripherals etc. Sure the quality of the product matters but these days I think some developers could sell really pants games by their clever business ideas and the way they know some people think.
Yeah the publishers control what the developers do, I guess it is just a common term I use to describe the whole games desing and creation process. Ultimately it is the publisher and retailers who make the most out of games, developers (being the programmers etc) don't really make as much as they deserve for the work they do.
Ali, good topic, except for one thing.
Like in Liquid's post on (an almost identical) topic, you have sorely mixed up developers and publishers. Fact is that most Western developers don't get much freedom on the types of games they can make- had they approached a developer with something like Jet Set, they'd have got no where.
Check out my reply in Liquid's topic...
Like in Liquid's post on (an almost identical) topic, you have sorely mixed up developers and publishers. Fact is that most Western developers don't get much freedom on the types of games they can make- had they approached a developer with something like Jet Set, they'd have got no where.
Check out my reply in Liquid's topic...
What am I going on about is quite simple, my question to you is "is this industry all about games or becomming more and more to do with business?" Developers using clever ways to advertise, market and maximise profits, no more making sure games are the best they can be.
Well the way I see things is that the industry has always been a little bit of business, developers make games, probably because they enjoy it and are good at it but also to try and make as much money as possible. After all that is what every company is trying to do isn't it?
I myself have been playing game for a long long time and I have experienced the changes, going from being small developers with a few programmers creating games to a multi-million pound industry with huge developers with teams of near to a hundred+ developers, sound experts, actors, directors, story writers etc.
The industry is a lot bigger these days and it is due to grow and grow, the changes that have happened since I started gaming to present day have been huge and if they continue along these ways then the industry will be worth billions soon, but will it still be all about games?
I have been asking myself a few questions about all this:
1. Do developers make certain games as they know they will sell?
2. Are the games we see released as good as the developers can make them?
3. Does advertising and marketing play a big part in the industry?
1.
To be honest I think they do, we see dodgy, poorly created sequels that are there just for the developers to make an extra shinny penny. Little changes over the previous version, ripping us off to be honest. We wouldn't stand for it in other industries so why do we allow it to happen in this industry? There are certain games that will always sell, EA sports games are big sellers, Konami's MGS games and pro evo soccer games will sell as will many others. Some developer must be given the credit as they do try and offer a new gaming experience with most if not all the games they release but as most of you who are interested in the gaming industry will know, there are others who seem to take advantage of their status as being good developers to cash in and make a little extra. This will continue as long as we as gamers allow it, as long as we buy them or allow them to release shoddy sequels then some developers will release them.
2.
Most of the time I would say that they are, competition these days is too high, developers battle it out with each other to try make the best games, usually because the best games make the most money. These days millions is spent on the development of some games, the development has become more like the development of a film with literaly hundreds of people working on the games development. But there is some times when I feel that a developer has rushed a game, either to fill a gap in the market and get money from it or because the developer has something else they feel will be better to develop. I think what we have to remember is that the industry would be nothing if us gamers didn't buy the games. So to make them realise that we only want high quality games we must first of all stop buying all the really pants ones.
3.
These days without a doubt the answer is yes. In the past games sold themselves, you sometimes took a risk with what was written on the box as sometimes the game was never as good as it sounded. Part of the reason I think games in the past became such classics is that people didn't really know what to expect, these days games get hyped and we get told by magazines etc exactly what to expect months before a game is released. A good and a bad thing.
Advertising
I feel advertising these days is a big part of selling games, I see posters on walls as I go to uni everyday, adverts on television, in magazines and on the internet. Some would say advertising is the only way to sell it. If a game is good then it will sell its self but only people who know a bit about gaming will know when it is out etc. Advertising gets to those who buy games from time to time and to remind others that "this is a game you need to get". Advertising plays a big role in selling games these days, Sony showed us that the strange adverts get peoples attention, one thing is though, would they be as succesful if the adverts didn't exist?
Marketing
Also another big part of gaming, XBox was released with the phrase "most powerful console ever" ok so it is but does that matter as we all know it comes down to the games. Also it is worth pointing out that the xbox architecture is very different from most consoles so it is good in some areas but a litte worse in others.
Recently the xbox price dropped by £100, now everyone is going on about it is due to it not selling well, maybe it isn't but I myself think it is because of something totally different. Microsoft claim that they want to reward their customers, they are even giving those who paid full price two free games and a control pad to make up for the early price drop. This means that with every console they sell microsoft stand to lose around $150.
I think the price drop happened for one reason. They released the console at £300, because it is "the most powerful", people will fall for this advertising gimick and buy it on that one reason alone. Some will say it is too expensive and opt to wait for a GameCube or get a PS2. It is a few weeks before the GameCube release and Microsoft drop the price, co-incidence? I think not. Now people will see something hailed as "most powerful console" at an even more affordable price. Sure Nintys will buy a gamecube and Sony fans will get a PS2 but a lot of people will now get an Xbox even nintys and PS2 fans will get them. It will happen. Why? Because microsoft understand how to do business, you need to lose money before you make it. Being one of the biggest companies today I think they know how to handle the business side of things.
It is these ideas that makes me think that maybe it is no longer all about the games, these clever marketing ideas can sell consoles, games, peripherals etc. Sure the quality of the product matters but these days I think some developers could sell really pants games by their clever business ideas and the way they know some people think.
Well the way I see things is that the industry has always been a little bit of business, developers make games, probably because they enjoy it and are good at it but also to try and make as much money as possible. After all that is what every company is trying to do isn't it?
I myself have been playing game for a long long time and I have experienced the changes, going from being small developers with a few programmers creating games to a multi-million pound industry with huge developers with teams of near to a hundred+ developers, sound experts, actors, directors, story writers etc.
The industry is a lot bigger these days and it is due to grow and grow, the changes that have happened since I started gaming to present day have been huge and if they continue along these ways then the industry will be worth billions soon, but will it still be all about games?
I have been asking myself a few questions about all this:
1. Do developers make certain games as they know they will sell?
2. Are the games we see released as good as the developers can make them?
3. Does advertising and marketing play a big part in the industry?
1.
To be honest I think they do, we see dodgy, poorly created sequels that are there just for the developers to make an extra shinny penny. Little changes over the previous version, ripping us off to be honest. We wouldn't stand for it in other industries so why do we allow it to happen in this industry? There are certain games that will always sell, EA sports games are big sellers, Konami's MGS games and pro evo soccer games will sell as will many others. Some developer must be given the credit as they do try and offer a new gaming experience with most if not all the games they release but as most of you who are interested in the gaming industry will know, there are others who seem to take advantage of their status as being good developers to cash in and make a little extra. This will continue as long as we as gamers allow it, as long as we buy them or allow them to release shoddy sequels then some developers will release them.
2.
Most of the time I would say that they are, competition these days is too high, developers battle it out with each other to try make the best games, usually because the best games make the most money. These days millions is spent on the development of some games, the development has become more like the development of a film with literaly hundreds of people working on the games development. But there is some times when I feel that a developer has rushed a game, either to fill a gap in the market and get money from it or because the developer has something else they feel will be better to develop. I think what we have to remember is that the industry would be nothing if us gamers didn't buy the games. So to make them realise that we only want high quality games we must first of all stop buying all the really pants ones.
3.
These days without a doubt the answer is yes. In the past games sold themselves, you sometimes took a risk with what was written on the box as sometimes the game was never as good as it sounded. Part of the reason I think games in the past became such classics is that people didn't really know what to expect, these days games get hyped and we get told by magazines etc exactly what to expect months before a game is released. A good and a bad thing.
Advertising
I feel advertising these days is a big part of selling games, I see posters on walls as I go to uni everyday, adverts on television, in magazines and on the internet. Some would say advertising is the only way to sell it. If a game is good then it will sell its self but only people who know a bit about gaming will know when it is out etc. Advertising gets to those who buy games from time to time and to remind others that "this is a game you need to get". Advertising plays a big role in selling games these days, Sony showed us that the strange adverts get peoples attention, one thing is though, would they be as succesful if the adverts didn't exist?
Marketing
Also another big part of gaming, XBox was released with the phrase "most powerful console ever" ok so it is but does that matter as we all know it comes down to the games. Also it is worth pointing out that the xbox architecture is very different from most consoles so it is good in some areas but a litte worse in others.
Recently the xbox price dropped by £100, now everyone is going on about it is due to it not selling well, maybe it isn't but I myself think it is because of something totally different. Microsoft claim that they want to reward their customers, they are even giving those who paid full price two free games and a control pad to make up for the early price drop. This means that with every console they sell microsoft stand to lose around $150.
I think the price drop happened for one reason. They released the console at £300, because it is "the most powerful", people will fall for this advertising gimick and buy it on that one reason alone. Some will say it is too expensive and opt to wait for a GameCube or get a PS2. It is a few weeks before the GameCube release and Microsoft drop the price, co-incidence? I think not. Now people will see something hailed as "most powerful console" at an even more affordable price. Sure Nintys will buy a gamecube and Sony fans will get a PS2 but a lot of people will now get an Xbox even nintys and PS2 fans will get them. It will happen. Why? Because microsoft understand how to do business, you need to lose money before you make it. Being one of the biggest companies today I think they know how to handle the business side of things.
It is these ideas that makes me think that maybe it is no longer all about the games, these clever marketing ideas can sell consoles, games, peripherals etc. Sure the quality of the product matters but these days I think some developers could sell really pants games by their clever business ideas and the way they know some people think.