Have developers lost their passion?

[Mr.PlanetEater]

The other day I was listening to some music from Banjo-Tooie, I like nostalgia okay?, and I started thinking about how gaming has changed in the twelve years since that game was release. One of the things I thought about was how it seems like today companies and developers only care about the bottom line, and not the process of creating a truly wonderful experience. Which leads me to ask, has the passion for making games disappeared?

Now I am not saying games were better in the year 2000 or even in the 90s, because that's ridiculous graphics, memory, musical, and game play capabilities have only gotten better as the technology has improved. What I am saying is that in the 90s and early 2000s Game Developers seemed to really enjoy themselves, I.E. they were doing the job because they loved it not to make a pretty profit. When now it seems like more and more people just want to see their project make x amount of money while taking very little risks. I mean Nintendo and many other companies haven't taken a true risk with their games in years.

So what do you think? Has the passion for making games really left or am I just being clouded by nostalgia? Do you think the Global Recession has anything to do with it?

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Oh gawd, not this again.

Devs aren't a hivemind, sure some of them may very well only care about the bottom line, but I'm sure most of them pour every ounce of passion into their craft.

 

[tippy2k2]

I think that developers still do their job because they love them (if half the rumors are to be believed, being a game developer kind of really sucks). Long hours, loads of unpaid overtime, bad creative environment, chance of losing your job every time you complete a project, etc.

Game Publishers, on the other hand, are being taken over by businessman, not gamers. I don't know if it's because gaming is so expensive now that passion CAN'T play a role or if it's always been this way but Publisher's couldn't risk pissing off gamers because it wasn't mainstream but I would point to Publishers as the culprit here.

Gamers (and developers) care about getting the best quality out; businessmen care about getting a good enough product out that they make money. The ideal company will care about both because to get the big AAA products that gamers clearly want, you NEED a publisher.

 

[piinyouri]

I don't know how to put it without sounding like a hipster douchebag.

But somehow new tech has constrained creativity rather than let it explode, is it the focus on graphics or the need to play it safe to make money to survive?

It could just be market forces, people want X and thus they get X, we simply have to wait for X to change to hopefully cater to our tastes. I think we are due in for a game like COD4 again which shakes up the industry.

Sad (most likely) truth is having more choices and freedom does unfortunately not always help breed creativity.

 

[ReadyAmyFire]

I think it's just a symptom of a maturing industry, same thing happens with all of them.

As companies get bigger and more profit-driven, the bright-eyed individual who got into it for the love has their efforts diluted by the fact it's a 1000-people enterprise.

 

[Emiscary]

It's the publishers that're the problem, not the devs. The publishers are all money changers, fast food salesmen, bankers & similarly clueless people who have no place in artistic enterprises.

Guys with lots of money & no balls rarely have anything useful to add to the conversation but:

"I don't think that's such a good idea..."

&

"Oh! Can we charge for that?"

-.-

They're like Chucky from "Rugrats" minus the heart of gold, and plus one raging hard on for pocket change.

 

[Esotera]

Yeah, the indie scene has really sucked recently [/sarcasm]

Mainstream game development has vastly improved over the last ten years, and part of that has meant that some game companies have become a bit more rigid in structure. But you don't generally go into the industry unless you have a passion for it (as the pay and hours suck), so I'd say no.

 

[Smooth Operator]

No they haven't, but their creativity gets washed down by endless hordes of money grubbing bastards, that is just how industry works.

 

[Muspelheim]

Some have, probably. Other still got it, but is buried too deep under the demands of some publisher kingpin who doesn't even care about the final product, as long as it rakes in the dough. Others still have passion and great ideas, and do manage to push them through in indie format, or perhaps through fundraising.

It depends on the situation, really.

 

[piinyouri]

Sad (most likely) truth is having more choices and freedom does unfortunately not always help breed creativity.

Perhaps the need to MacGyver up new things with limited tech is what led to fresh new ideas and games.

I would agree.
As the old saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[Vault101]

is the wrold a great big cadbury cream egg with the ant overlords controlling the trade of the cramy centre while the lower class worker ants fight for scraps of chocolate?

none of us really know

 

[Arcane_squirrel]

there is very little left imo, and a lot of devs that had it before have lost it now. very few games get me excited anymore because its all flash no substance, no real love for the games anymore just our wallets

 

[Nazulu]

I'm saying gaming was heaps better in the late 90's and early 2000's, they were far more creative and interesting. New games these days just seem like copy's of themselves, and I especially disagree with the game play and music.

The recession does play a big role in the blandness of games today with all this excessive pandering to make sure it can make a million profit. However, it's also that a lot of artists have lost their passion or just lost the plot completely.

I'm not saying everyone in the gaming biz is all money hungry, but it's become a main focus to stay a float.

 

[DigitalAtlas]

SNIP

Nope, publishers have.

/thread

 

[Terminate421]

Sad (most likely) truth is having more choices and freedom does unfortunately not always help breed creativity.

Perhaps the need to MacGyver up new things with limited tech is what led to fresh new ideas and games.

Though there is a noticable rise in independent studios....

Its up to people like Bungie, Valve, and possibly Epic to make making games more fun. A fine example is with Epic's slide that you must take in order to exit the building. Valve's bucket of snickers. Even Bungie's method of interacting with the community.

Games that are good are the ones made with people having the most fun with it rather than tossed out like a machine.

 

[SomeBrianDude]

I'm going to sound like a hipster here, but you should have a look at the indie scene. Pick up the next Humble Bundle, maybe. Most of the problems you have with devs are widespread complaints about the AAA side of the industry, which is very much the big publisher's domain (save for a few very successful studios that remain independent), and they're ruled by the bottom line, nothing else. If you're looking for someone to blame for all the copy-pasta jobs we see, EA, Activision, Ubisoft, and all their like are where you should start.

The creativity and sense of joy you're looking for is still there, I suspect you're just looking in the wrong place for it.