Something really is that in the game industry on this 2009 half year. Triple A games are all sequels –I still have hard times to believe we’re at the fucking number 14 of the Final Fantasy serie- sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s bad the sure thing is, it’s a bit boring. Maybe totally for old fart gamers since the 80s.
Like Eskil was saying:
“Games have never felt so consumable, like they are meant to be played once with minimum of effort, devoid of any need for creative thinking, individualism or personality. They are scripted, shrink wrapped, and ultimately forgettable.”
On the other side the indie game is slowing down because it’s freaking hard to do a good, original profitable game. Innovation is becoming a stereotype (let’s do crazy things even if it’s not really fun/balanced!). And people are hard to convince, always the same pattern: familiarity feeds automatically, instantly happiness and fun. Even if it’s not really a good thing.
Digital distribution was the number one channel for them but now big classic publishers are ruining this situation, getting their games on front page like they did IRL in game shops.
It’s no exciting times I guess. I feel it around me and in the game news. Id Software bought by ZeniMax? Quite astonishing for an independent studio for so long –since 1991!-.
It makes sense in this world of casual things with broad appeal, exactly the market Id is not targetting with its IPs. Plus Id is a tech company, there will be I guess, a consolidation from a 3D engine point of view with the Bethesda and Gamebryo folks. I’d rather have all in Id Tech 5 though (tools seem well done).
It’s interesting to see the construction of middleware, getting more and more efficient and maybe capable of being the Panavision of games. Warren Spector, I hear you.
Blizzard is not shipping Starcraft II with multiplayer LAN, less freedom for users boo! I blame F2P games and shareholders for that. And Drew’s cancer of course.
You have to recognize it, the dude seems bored.