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I went into my local EB the opther day, and what did I see? Hundreds of rubbish, poor quality games, with one or two great ones stuck in.
Last year marked a real downfall for industry profits. Sega were the worst performing company in all of Japan, and several others lost millions. Their answer to this is simply to produce more games. The games they already have are being rushed to make some money and the general trend of games' quality is decreasing.
Like the car industry, the only way to stop this downwards trend is for a majority of companies to slow games production. But this will never happen. There will always be games like Superman 64. Unless the industry gets its act together, then the proportion of poor games will only increase. We could see a crash in companies like never before!
SonicRav
Last year marked a real downfall for industry profits. Sega were the worst performing company in all of Japan, and several others lost millions. Their answer to this is simply to produce more games. The games they already have are being rushed to make some money and the general trend of games' quality is decreasing.
Like the car industry, the only way to stop this downwards trend is for a majority of companies to slow games production. But this will never happen. There will always be games like Superman 64. Unless the industry gets its act together, then the proportion of poor games will only increase. We could see a crash in companies like never before!
SonicRav
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FantasyMeiste® wrote :
"'Star Wars: Episode One'? 'Enemy of the State'? Madonna? Oasis? Eminem? Limp Bizkit? Feeder? Robbie Williams? 'Vertical Limit'? "
Thanks for listing mass produced made 'made for the cash' movies & musitians :) ... Look, I'm not saying that all movies and music is rubbish... just the vast vast majority.
The Game wrote :
"when was the last time you were offered a survey...ARE THEY ASKING THE "
I think Sony and Nintendo are using sales as their survey... power to the consumer borhter :)
FantasyMeiste® wrote :
"Don't you ever send back those little postcard surveys that they include with every game they sell? They are asking all right, it's just a matter of the rest of us bothering to reply to their questions, that's all."
Unfortunatly those cards are not all that much to do with collecting info for future games development (except for fnding accurate sales) they are there due to the fairly dodgy legal ground computer software exists in... often by sending back the card you are accepting the contract you've made with the distributer... dont send the card back, and there may not be a contract! :) ...
-- Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not some kind of medical technician!
"'Star Wars: Episode One'? 'Enemy of the State'? Madonna? Oasis? Eminem? Limp Bizkit? Feeder? Robbie Williams? 'Vertical Limit'? "
Thanks for listing mass produced made 'made for the cash' movies & musitians :) ... Look, I'm not saying that all movies and music is rubbish... just the vast vast majority.
The Game wrote :
"when was the last time you were offered a survey...ARE THEY ASKING THE "
I think Sony and Nintendo are using sales as their survey... power to the consumer borhter :)
FantasyMeiste® wrote :
"Don't you ever send back those little postcard surveys that they include with every game they sell? They are asking all right, it's just a matter of the rest of us bothering to reply to their questions, that's all."
Unfortunatly those cards are not all that much to do with collecting info for future games development (except for fnding accurate sales) they are there due to the fairly dodgy legal ground computer software exists in... often by sending back the card you are accepting the contract you've made with the distributer... dont send the card back, and there may not be a contract! :) ...
-- Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not some kind of medical technician!
The Game wrote:
> GOT to STOP selling names and start selling games
They world keeps turnin'
But they ain't learnin'
mega_dragon PQMS8/00
> GOT to STOP selling names and start selling games
They world keeps turnin'
But they ain't learnin'
mega_dragon PQMS8/00
Don't you ever send back those little postcard surveys that they include with every game they sell? They are asking all right, it's just a matter of the rest of us bothering to reply to their questions, that's all.
> Games are already bigger than films... just music to go! :) ...
Doh! I knew that - honest - I read the figures a few months ago. Movies were recently overtaken - I think the difference in turnover was several hundred million dollars? Sorry, I'm tired and confused.
> Will games in time become purly
> monotous, mass produced rubbish, like the film & music
> industrys?
That's a very good point. We're already at a point where it's very tough for 'bedroom talent' (no, not that kind, you pervs) can't easily get their games out, and we've been there for some time.
We'll soon be at a point where you can't get a game on the market without signing it over to one of the big software houses - if we're not there already.
Doh! I knew that - honest - I read the figures a few months ago. Movies were recently overtaken - I think the difference in turnover was several hundred million dollars? Sorry, I'm tired and confused.
> Will games in time become purly
> monotous, mass produced rubbish, like the film & music
> industrys?
That's a very good point. We're already at a point where it's very tough for 'bedroom talent' (no, not that kind, you pervs) can't easily get their games out, and we've been there for some time.
We'll soon be at a point where you can't get a game on the market without signing it over to one of the big software houses - if we're not there already.
SonicRav wrote:
> I went into my local EB the opther day, and what did I see...
I agree, when I first got my N64, I thought that all the 'dodgy' games, like the ones NO-ONE liked would disappear. Okay so we all have preferances...for example, I HATE Bust A Move, I don't know why I haven't even played it much but I really don't like that game.
Should a game like this be released?...YES...do you know why...Because there are people...more so children...who love the game. Poeple have bought the game and are happy with it so there the gaming industry has made a good decision to release the game.
Nintndo and SONY don't just make games for the individual! They are for everyone...so there is bound to be a game that you or I dislike.
But what I don't understand is, is that games companies release a game because of the name! Mortal Kombat....probably the 2 / 3 ranking fighter in the industry...after Street Fighter and Tekken, but just because the first one or two were a success doesn't mean that we can go and produce MK Mythologies!
Superman was another, I think Nintendo and Sony have GOT to STOP selling names and start selling games...what people want is important...when was the last time you were offered a survey...ARE THEY ASKING THE PEOPLE?
The Game
> I went into my local EB the opther day, and what did I see...
I agree, when I first got my N64, I thought that all the 'dodgy' games, like the ones NO-ONE liked would disappear. Okay so we all have preferances...for example, I HATE Bust A Move, I don't know why I haven't even played it much but I really don't like that game.
Should a game like this be released?...YES...do you know why...Because there are people...more so children...who love the game. Poeple have bought the game and are happy with it so there the gaming industry has made a good decision to release the game.
Nintndo and SONY don't just make games for the individual! They are for everyone...so there is bound to be a game that you or I dislike.
But what I don't understand is, is that games companies release a game because of the name! Mortal Kombat....probably the 2 / 3 ranking fighter in the industry...after Street Fighter and Tekken, but just because the first one or two were a success doesn't mean that we can go and produce MK Mythologies!
Superman was another, I think Nintendo and Sony have GOT to STOP selling names and start selling games...what people want is important...when was the last time you were offered a survey...ARE THEY ASKING THE PEOPLE?
The Game
I guess that the point was that there will be a large amount of rubbish, and the gems will be fewer, in comparison to the trash.
But honestly, games are selling well, so companies will keep on developing games, and some of them must be good!
If the major companies aren't releasing anything good, then it might be time to look back at the shareware market, there always innovative ideas there, because they aren't out to make a profit.
Of course the graphics might be a bit naff, but the games are often pretty good.
meka_dragon: You know the rest.
But honestly, games are selling well, so companies will keep on developing games, and some of them must be good!
If the major companies aren't releasing anything good, then it might be time to look back at the shareware market, there always innovative ideas there, because they aren't out to make a profit.
Of course the graphics might be a bit naff, but the games are often pretty good.
meka_dragon: You know the rest.
"Will games in time become purly monotous, mass produced rubbish, like the film & music industrys?"
I hope so!
'The Matrix'? 'Vertical Limit'? 'Star Wars: Episode One'? 'Enemy of the State'? 'Pulp Fiction'? Madonna? Oasis? Eminem? Limp Bizkit? Feeder? Robbie Williams? Texas? ............?
(8 out of 10 owners who expressed a preference and said that their cats preferred it, weren't talking about cat-food.)
I hope so!
'The Matrix'? 'Vertical Limit'? 'Star Wars: Episode One'? 'Enemy of the State'? 'Pulp Fiction'? Madonna? Oasis? Eminem? Limp Bizkit? Feeder? Robbie Williams? Texas? ............?
(8 out of 10 owners who expressed a preference and said that their cats preferred it, weren't talking about cat-food.)
Games are already bigger than films... just music to go! :) ... Although since its been growning for years now... what makes you think this years is the bursting point? ... There doesnt seem to be anymore crap games around now than there used to be... in fact people are starting to come of with more innovative titles than I've seen for a while...
Christmas time ALWAYS gives us a load of rushed titles, trying to cash in on the christmas rush.. and January is ALWAYS quiet... no change really...
However, distributers are becoming larger and larger... and the number of distributers becoming less and less, with the distributers having more and more say into what games will become (EA dictation over the disaterous Ultima9). Will the games industry come to be goverened by a few monopolistic distributors? ... Will games in time become purly monotous, mass produced rubbish, like the film & music industrys?
Christmas time ALWAYS gives us a load of rushed titles, trying to cash in on the christmas rush.. and January is ALWAYS quiet... no change really...
However, distributers are becoming larger and larger... and the number of distributers becoming less and less, with the distributers having more and more say into what games will become (EA dictation over the disaterous Ultima9). Will the games industry come to be goverened by a few monopolistic distributors? ... Will games in time become purly monotous, mass produced rubbish, like the film & music industrys?
I don't disagree with the 'crap games' thing... that is very true. The bigger any market gets, the more crap there will be available.
But I don't think the games industry is anywhere close to collapse - not yet, anyway.
The only entertainment market currently making more money than the game industry is the film industry, and the game industry is closing pretty fast.
Who knows - if both industries can get the hang of movie/game crossovers, they may help each other to snowball.
Even so, I think the games industry will get quite a bit bigger before it runs into any real danger of a collapse.
But I don't think the games industry is anywhere close to collapse - not yet, anyway.
The only entertainment market currently making more money than the game industry is the film industry, and the game industry is closing pretty fast.
Who knows - if both industries can get the hang of movie/game crossovers, they may help each other to snowball.
Even so, I think the games industry will get quite a bit bigger before it runs into any real danger of a collapse.
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