Are we out of game ideas?

[shadowsandwich]

Time after time the same ideas appear in every form of "game" imaginable...
This can partly be blamed on companies playing it safe so they break even, but then i thought about it.
Then i realised that most game scenarios and ideas have appeared in some form, in some game somewhere.
Even indie games are resorting to re-using ideas in a different scenario.
Has the time finally come? Are we doomed to re-releases for the rest of gaming history?

 

[piinyouri]

Rest of history? No.

For the foreseeable future? Most likely.
As long as the economy stays like it's been, safe and sure bets will be the meat and potatoes of our gaming diet.

 

[Spambot 3000]

To make a game that's completely original in almost every aspect nowadays would seem like a monumental task, however I still believe that the driving concept behind a game can still be original - if developers tried hard enough to think one up rather than release another 'Army of War: Bulletfighter'.

 

[afroebob]

Well, people say where out of movie ideas but that kinda proves were not. The problem in the entertainment business, especially in video games, is that it is nearly impossible to get someone to take a risk on your idea.

 

[Tom Waits' hat]

Why would they want to invest money in risky new concept, when they can just recycle old content knowing gamers will buy it.

 

[The Madman]

Ya'll need to quit paying attention to just the AAA market and get into some indie titles if you think creativity is dead. This shit is thoroughly awesome!

 

[ResonanceSD]

Play Bioshock Infinite, you'll be slightly better inclined to AAA companies then.

 

[Mirthen]

It is true in some way... Completely new ideas are hard to find. But first I don't think that is so bad, we build uppon good things and make them better (even though some parts in games haven't evolved to much in the last years). Second I think we will get past this. It's hard as a developer to get the ideas, other games gave you, out of your head and build something up from scratch. And even then you would possibly be running into similiar concepts, simply because they are good.

Just watch the market (not only AAA) and at some time something that can be considered "fresh" will come up. Possibly it will copy some things from other games, but reinventing something that is not broken isn't always a good idea.

 

[Sack of Cheese]

I'd like to think there're infinite games ideas that no one has explored. Like playing as a surviving mother in time of war. Would make some interesting story and gameplay, scavenging for food, stealth, put up traps to protect the children. Perhaps a bit like I am alive, but well-executed.
Playing as an Geisha assassin.
We need more games set in Egypt too. Action games, fighting pharaoh, slavers and the Gods...

Although they do say "Good artists copy but great artists steal". You can take an idea and improve it, make it fresh again.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Play Bioshock Infinite, you'll be slightly better inclined to AAA companies then.

And then after the honeymoon period you will realize that the game is only above average at best and people are so personally invested in the marketing they don't realize that the core function of the game is very much bland and boring.

Yeah, interesting story can go fuck itself really, it doesn't matter that we can re purpose old mechanics to give a great experience, THROW THE PEASANTS SOMETHING SHINY TO TALK ABOUT.

 

[mbarker]

If a commonly used idea is writen really well no one is going to notice the repetition of the games style or story. unfortunatly because stuff is getting rushed out the writting suffers and the writers start using the same crap to pump out a game on time.

 

[Zhukov]

Play Bioshock Infinite, you'll be slightly better inclined to AAA companies then.

And then after the honeymoon period you will realize that the game is only above average at best and people are so personally invested in the marketing they don't realize that the core function of the game is very much bland and boring.

And then you'll realize that you're being very arrogant in assuming that the only way someone could like something that you do not is through self delusion.

 

[aelreth]

The video game industry is in a creative destruction phase and money is scared so they (those with money to burn) will look for a sure return.

 

[Risingblade]

Doubt it, there are probably still some really good ideas out there. Some of us just aren't creative enough to see them.

 

[Nowhere Man]

It's not just the gaming industry, it's Hollywood and the music industry as well. Basically entertainment in general. Because of the economy big companies won't take risks and keep putting out the same safe bet products they figure people would spend money on anyway. But I'm certain there's still lots of creative ideas and talent out there. They just need to be given a chance.

 

[mParadox]

The economy demands that safe ideas be propagated until the consumer population truly gets tired of the product. And that's not happening anytime soon.

On the other hand, the re visitation of ideas is a good idea. Games like the Far Cry, Bioshock and Assassins Creed series, which have a basic concept which is explored from different angles/locations/head shots in each game.

Far Cry: Survival.
Assassins Creed: History.
Bioshock: Steampunk + Extreme ideologies