Can you imagine 25 years from now...

[Arnoxthe1]

what the gaming space will be like for the old games? No matter what may happen, I have just lately TRULY realized the fate of the games I treasure the most. These old games that a whole lot of us play, Team Fortress 2, Guild Wars, Halo 3, Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, and etc., the servers will one day be shut down. And even if they don't, the playerbase may dwindle until there will be no one left playing. And although there will always be new young gamers, they will never know what these games were like back when they were released or perhaps not even know they exist anymore.

Think about all those great times you had with these games, all the people you met, played with, laughed with, raged against, perhaps even grew up with, they will be gone. They left long ago and went on to other things. Those servers that may have once been filled with a great amount players will be empty now. Sure, you'll have a couple friends left over that you keep in touch with but the days of the games you loved the most, they will fade into nothing more than memory. You'll grow up if you haven't already, and if you have, you'll grow up even more. And for me, at that moment, I can just imagine myself saying to my friend, "Remember when we used to play matchmaking late at night on Halo 3? That was truly something. I miss those days..."



"All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in the rain... "
- Batty (Blade Runner)

 

[Zhukov]

They will presumably be replaced with newer, better games.

I doubt I will miss Smite in 25 years any more than I miss Flashback now. Which is to say, not really at all.

 

[Tom_green_day]

Do you think Fallout 4 will be out then?

 

[Subbies]

Look at it this way, at least you'll be able to play Half life 3...

EDIT: more on the topic, I guess you're right but nothing lasts for ever. And who knows what the future has in store for us, you'll probably find another game you love, or keep playing the same games on private servers (most multiplayers allow this don't they). I prefer to keep an upbeat attitude, a bit of optimism doesn't hurt.

 

[babinro]

They will presumably be replaced with newer, better games.

I doubt I will miss Smite in 25 years any more than I miss Flashback now. Which is to say, not really at all.

This.

I look back at some Commodore 64, NES and SNES games fondly but I also fully admit that current age gaming is far superior as a whole. I expect things to continue in this manor as time goes on. I might look back and miss some of the unique experiences like Rock Band with friends but I doubt I'll miss the majority of what's out there now.

 

[Fijiman]

Well, with any luck we'll have something like the virtual reality helmets in Sword Art Online, but the one's we'll get will probably be really basic at best by comparison to what they have in the anime.

Look at it this way, at least you'll be able to play Half life 3...

Do you really think Valve will give in and give it to us by then?

 

[Chester Rabbit]

Do you think Fallout 4 will be out then?

Sure, but Half-Life 3 will still be nowhere to be seen.

 

[Seydaman]

That's the way of things. We all move on to the new things in the worlds and leave everything else to memories.

It's growing up,

 

[AdrianCeltigar]

Except for the ones that require servers, anyone who's interested should still be able to dig up whatever they want. I've played games that were made before I was even born; I expect new gamers will do the same.

 

[stroopwafel]

I find that very few games stand the test of time, as most games improve and expand on established fundaments. Espescially multiplayer titles you probably won't miss them by the time something better comes along. However there are games I would consider timeless classics such as Super Metroid, A Link to the Past or Resident Evil 4. Games that were defining moments for the medium and remain as fun as they ever were. I think there is a definite heritage of games that deserve to be preserved for generations to come. Similarly as classic movies. Thankfully the digital age provides the means for this like no other.

 

[Schadrach]

Well, with any luck we'll have something like the virtual reality helmets in Sword Art Online, but the one's we'll get will probably be really basic at best by comparison to what they have in the anime.

Look at it this way, at least you'll be able to play Half life 3...

Do you really think Valve will give in and give it to us by then?

So long as they have some basic and prudent security protocols, unlike every VRMMO in every anime ever, or the Holodeck for that matter.

 

[Jaximus Decimus]

I like to think that in 25 years gaming will have advanced to a level that I would never even consider going back and playing the games I have the most fun with today.

I mean, 25 years ago the best games around were what? Super Mario 2? Altered Beast? Metroid? Legend of Zelda? Just to name a few, but you get the idea. Look how far we've come in that time. Sure, a lot of us like to occasionally play one of those games for nostalgia, but we all have to admit that the games we have now are light years more advanced.

If we go that far in the next 25 years who is really going to be upset that the Halo 3 servers were shut down, or Saints Row won't run on their current operating system?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Well, setting aside internet servers you can always go back to single player. It's not thaaaaaat big a deal.

 

[Aramis Night]

I'm surprised so many people here are optimistic enough to believe that most of us will still be in a position to be playing video games 25 yrs from now. I'll be impressed if I still have a working light bulb and electricity in 25 yrs.

 

[MiskWisk]

I'm still holding out for VR tech. Say what you want about Sword Art Online, but I'd kill for the gaming tech in that world.

 

[LaSelaMelvins]

What will it be like 15 years from now?

http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2039.htm
http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2040-2049.htm

 

[TehCookie]

They will still exist, just like how old games exist today. Sure they won't be popular and you have to gather people to play, but they don't disappear. Newer games don't stop me from playing Altered Beast on my Sega, I don't see how that will change in 25 years. If it does I blame DD.

However I have a hard time imagining future games since it seems like cost is a greater factor holding tech than the creation of technology.

 

[Someone Depressing]

I'm pretty sure in 25 years, I'll not be ineterested in gaming.

I might even have moved onto dating.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

They will presumably be replaced with newer, better games.

Probably, but think about this. You will never have with the new games the same exact experiences you've had with past ones. While we may get better and better games, it will never exactly replicate all the great experiences you had with the old games. And that is what's truly sad. The passing of something you really enjoyed that will never be seen again.