Do gamers have the balls to force a crash???

[gamer_parent]

a couple of things:

1. you don't force a crash. Unless you have the ability to somehow sway every gamer to stop buying en mass, there is no such thing as forcing a crash. A crash only happens when you have people flooding the market, making massive investments, and NOT have the demand to fulfill that.

As far as I can tell, gaming investments have not gone up much, thanks to investors frankly being much smarter about it than before.

2. the average price of games is NOT $60+, unless you exclusively look at new console games or gaming markets outside of US. The fact that you see it this way shows how little you actually know about the industry in general. People have already mentioned Steam several times, so no need to belabor the point.

3. If you don't like the product, DON'T BUY IT. Nobody is forcing you to buy it. Nobody is asking you to buy it. The company is doing what it's designed to do, make money. If you don't like what they are selling, just don't buy it. If enough people agree with you, the company will suffer for it, and then must make adjustments. It is THAT simple.

 

[DementedSheep]

I have no issue with optional DLC out of things that aren't' core (baring a few exceptions like unbalancing multiple player weapons). I care whether what I'm buying is worth what I paid.

If they step over the line or the base game isn't worth the cost then I just won't buy it. If enough people don't buy because of something then companies will stop doing it. I'm not going to preemptively throw fits and try force a crash on the industry (which wouldn't work anyway) over possible future issues or try to get developers to stop doing something I'm fine with because it might lead to something else.

 

[Atmos Duality]

The way I see it, between increasing overt distrust and the slow erosion of mainstream gaming profits, a crash will neither happen nor is it needed, as the market is currently too self-correcting and full of untapped demand to even warrant the notion.

The largest firms may fall out of favor, especially if they keep pissing off their market, but the whole market itself won't crash, nor can it at this time.

Meh it won't crash, you'll just see more small developers get bought out or go bankrupt While if times get tough the bigger companies will just cut back or make cheaper yearly titles.

What?

I've seen more successful small developers spring up in recent years than ever before.
There is a TREMENDOUS amount of untapped potential in what AAA regards as the "niche market".
It's why so many seemingly "insane gamers" are willing to suddenly throw money at a myriad of different crowdsourcing projects.

Even outside of the crowdsourcing boom, I'm starting to see some small publishers fill in the void left by the old AAA publishers.
A void made by AAA's infatuation with pandering blockbusters to the lowest common denominator.
Blockbusters with insanely overbloated production and marketing costs.

An infatuation that best I can tell, stems from the fear of losing the attention they currently command of the greater market.

It's why EA has been homogenizing every franchise they own into bland, easily-marketable mush.
They've been in a scramble to try and right their listing ship, most recently culminating in their CEO departing the company (by his own admission, http://www.ea.com/news/from-john ).

Why Acti-Blizzard has eliminated all but a few very specific (and expensive) big money makers.
I don't even have to cite sources here; you can just look at their positively tiny list of active franchises and projects to see that. I mean, how is it that the same company can churn out Call of Duty and World of Warcraft expansions like clockwork (1 and 2 year cycles respectively), but absolutely struggles to release ANYTHING ELSE with consistency?

And why Ubisoft has flat out stated that they will only produce big milkable franchises going forward.
( http://www.thealistdaily.com/news/tony-key-interview-part-1-now-were-in-blockbuster-world/ )

None of which suggest "cheaper titles"; though perhaps annual titles, and if so, they will certainly become even more self-derivative for the sake of production. But definitely NOT cheaper. Not unless there's a sudden boom in demand for Middleware from AAA. (read: highly unlikely)

It's why we've see insane things like Dead Space 3's required 5 million sales just to break even
( http://www.computerandvideogames.com/353788/ea-we-dont-want-to-pss-off-our-fans-with-dead-space-3/ )

Or that now-infamous series of "failures" from Squeenix; where three games EACH GOING AT LEAST PLATINUM IN SALES is still considered "disappointing" and "inadequate".
( http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-26-tomb-raider-has-sold-3-4-million-copies-failed-to-hit-expectations )

As for "buying out the little guys", I wouldn't count on that becoming a regular thing this time around.

The only major publishers that have the stability and capital to safely acquire more small developers is Acti-Blizzard and maybe Nintendo (the day Nintendo starts buying up small developers willy-nilly is the day I'll start farting winged fillies from me arse).

Either have been COMPLETELY AVERSE to doing so. Especially Acti-Blizzard, who has spent the last 5 years killing off most of their smaller developer brands and consolidating or selling what they had acquired from Sierra.

Which is to say nothing about the "classic" Japanese game publishers who apart from Nintendo, aren't doing well.
Especially Capcom...personally I wouldn't be at all surprised if we lose Capcom in the next year or two.

( http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/capcom-issues-profits-warning-cuts-ties-to-western-developers-scraps-projects/0114309 )

From what I see, everyone is either sitting pretty or is running scared.
Definitely NOT the environment in which you see mass buyouts of successful studios.

 

[Amir Kondori]

A crash is not something gamers should be actively working towards. The last crash nearly killed video games. As in, no one wanted to make video games and no stores wanted to stock video games. Nintendo had to kind of pretend the NES was a toy, and bundle in that stupid robot, to even get large stores to stock it.

I think this trend of putting micro-transactions will die out once people get sick of having to pay $60 for a game than another $30-$100+ unlock all content and will stop purchasing these types of games. Until then instead of agitating for a crash, just educate other people about the rip off of these micro-transactions and try to steer them away from these types of games. That is what I do.

 

[MrBaskerville]

We don't need a crash, people just needs to stop using microtransactions and they need to stop buying DLC (unless it's something of substance). If people keep buying expensive cars in Forza 5, and other atupid things then the path is chosen. And if you want cheaper games? Stop buying them at full price, don't boycut, just stop buying stuff at release. In other words: Grow a spine . I haven't spent a cent on extra guff and i rarely pay anything above 30$ and i got a fairly cool library of games if i should say so myself.

I think there's a lot of complaining on the internet, but when the time comes to act most people seem to open their wallets while they complain how the industry is ripping them off. Just check sales on Mass Effect 3, Diablo 3 and Sim City, so much rage and yet so many sales.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

I just buy the games I wanna play really. That's were my involvement in this industry ends.

But I guess that just isn't enough anymore, right?

I'm of this opinion. I don't really give a fuck who made what game, if I wanna play it then I'll buy it.

 

[KazeAizen]

... Why should I want to force a crash? No really, why the hell should I actively try and destroy my hobby? Because that was what the console crash back then was. It was rather lucky that Nintendo managed to save the console market. I would rather not give a fuck about the games that do this. Oh wait, people had to preorder them in masses instead of fucking waiting.

But hey, since I'm mostly gaming on Nintendo consoles and my PC I don't deal with this problem.

Seriously. Nintendo has stuck to its guns harder than any of the large companies out there. They rarely if they ever put out DLC for games. They understand unlocking characters in game is more fun for players and rewarding see Super Smash Bros. They also always put out a finished product when it comes to games themselves. Have they had hardware issues since the Wii? Yeah but when was the last time anyone ever complained about Nintendo patching games or releasing DLC that was already on the disc? Its funny that they get flack for not having "hardcore" games when they appear to have some of the best business practices of any gaming company and their games are near flawless.

 

[BishopofAges]

I'ma be honest with you all here today. Whether it is at a local shop for used games or on various online mediums (steam, GOG, etc.) I havn't actually paid more than 15 dollars for a game in a long time (last time I remember was my collectors special chocolate-coated super special awesome copy of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)

So if the idea of not buying the latest console or latest games from the source is your plan, well.... I guess I am your sleeper agent.

 

[blazearmoru]

O-O

I'm just gona go back to my steam now. \0/
PC MASTERRACE!

 

[Voodoomancer]

Last time I spent more than 30$ on a game was Skyrim. The issue isn't everything being expensive, it's people being idiots and going along with it. Between independent publishing, crowd funding and digital distributor sales, gaming has never been cheaper, stronger, or higher in quality.

And case in point: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/130150-Pixel-Piracy-Creators-Pirate-Their-Own-Game

 

[2xDouble]

Do gamers have the balls to force a crash?
Balls? yes. Willpower? no. Social influence? HELL no.

Therein lies the problem.

 

[Yopaz]

Am I going to just have to make a generic "Stop calling humans sheep" template for use in situations like this?

Oh please do that, it will save us the trouble of repeating ourselves.

OT: I've said this several times before. If the game industry were to crash we wouldn't be encouraging them to move away from the safe bets, we would scare them from taking risky bets. A crash won't do us any good, it will make lots of people lose their jobs, it will make a lot of people who are currently studying to get into the industry trouble and it will hurt our hobby.

 

[Funyahns]

No need to cause a complete collapse. Although, any company who hides major parts of game behind additional pay walls....I hope that their companies do fail. It's not that I hold ill will to people working there, but that is the only way to be rid of the non-sense in the market. Sure I feel bad for workers who lose jobs, but its not my problem to keep crap companies financed.

From what I have seen the newest consoles are pretty bad with some of this stuff.

I don't think there can really be another true crash now. Not with the way the market is spread out. If it did fall though I may catch up on my backlog of steam games. It would also trim the AAA fat who cannot make enough of a profit off of selling 5 Million copies of a game.

 

[Aesir23]

In all honesty, I'd much rather not have a crash. Sure, I'd like something to help spur creativity but in a way that doesn't result in the closure of a number of studios.

Here's the thing with Microtransactions. They're optional. You don't have to buy them and if you don't like the microtransactions in the game then don't buy the game at all.

All that would be accomplished from a crash (aside from aforementioned studio closure) is turn companies off of taking risks even more so than they already are. Also add in the fact that it would shake the confidence of investors in the industry (which are vital, whether you like it or not) and it just does not improve things for anyone.

 

[V8 Ninja]

You know, I keep encountering these people who say that the video game industry needs another crash. Let me tell those people two things;

1. NO, IT DOESN'T NEED ANOTHER CRASH. STOP IT.

2. The industry won't crash. This is not the days of when Atari had a majority stranglehold on the market; there are too many players in too many spaces for the entire industry to completely evaporate, even for a very short time. Now, I'm sure that overarching ideas about games and game design will change, but the complete elimination of video game publishers and developers is just a nonsensical thought to have.

 

[gargantual]

Next gen games will cost upwards of $100, why? Microtransactions, in a word, and if you think they can be 'ignored' your playing into their hands more and more of the core part of the game will be behind paywalls as well as the $60 starting price, of course it always starts off small and easily ignored little 'extras' but if you keep bending over for the publishers you deserve it.

So my question is this, when is enough, enough? Do gamers have the guts to force what is so greatly needed, another video game crash?...discuss.

Wait till there are decently priced 3D graphical games are flourishing on other platforms like PC and Steam, then incite rebellion. Only arseholes like EA and activision feel the hurt.

 

[Jadak]

Force a crash? Balls? What sort of nonsense talk is that? If people want games, they'll buy them. They'll stop buying them when they don't feel it's worth it. End of discussion. Maybe it'll happen, probably it won't. Either way, it has nothing to do with balls, don't buy things you don't think are worth it. That's it.

Regardless, I don't see how the entire industry could crash, the only thing we're likely to see is certain genres/franchises going belly up if they mis-step. Or worst case, triple A games in general go out the door and reasonably budgeteds ones take their place and do just fine. The horror!

Edit: Just got a ton of non-english, question & answer based captchas, wtf?

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Maybe, but we sure as hell don't have the focus. The market is huge now. Even if most of the population of informed, principled, discerning buyers reject a product, there are ten times that amount ready to buy without research or regardless of microtransactions and other things I would find despicable.