Is it me or it getting harder to not look at games/gaming in a negative light?

[electric method]

Generally I am a very positive person; try to find the good in everyone and everything. I really try to live by the adage; "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." That said, games and gaming have really pushed me past the point of being positive and seeing positives to the point where I notice all the flaws and negatives of a game or gaming and will be more willing to talk about those rather than the positives.

Personally, after all the shenanigans of EA, Ubisoft and Activision, DRM, overhyped games, day one DLC and clone after clone of popular games I can honestly say I've become very cynical about games. This is amplified by watching mediocre games, like CoD, set sales records year after year. There have been some stand out games that have restored some hope in the industry such as BioShock; Infinite and Forza 5 and AC4BF (somewhat) but, for every outstanding game there are literally 20-30 overhyped, not worth the disc they are printed on, games. My question to you fellow Escapists is how many of you have started to experience this?

It's very hard to have a lot of hope in an industry that keeps pushing out broken games at launch, such as BF4 and SimCity. Or the always online insanity of Diablo 3 to the way games journalism has gone ga-ga for Titanfall, completely ignoring any faults the game might have. Seriously if you've followed that game at all it's been billed as pretty much the second coming of Christ. Things like this make it even harder to look at modern gaming in a positive light. Next question is what can we, as gamers and fans of games, do to stay positive about our hobby, in the face of an industry that views us, increasingly, as just wallets?

 

[BakedSardine]

I look at the PS4's upcoming lineup and could not disagree more. Sure, there will always be the EAs of the world and neckbeards that will buy COD/Madden year after year, but there is a revival of the indie movement in full swing. I'm looking forward to the $15-30 indie games coming (Strider, Transistor, Helldivers - I'm guessing on pricing) far more than the blockbuster $60 games in development. It's like a return to the days of the PS2 and earlier when we got tons of games covering all genres.

 

[tippy2k2]

Everything that you've just mentioned can be seen in every other entertainment industry ever. For every Firefly, how many cheap and shitty reality shows do we get? For every Schindler's List, how many soulless EXPLOSIONS! and BOOBS! movies do we get? For every truly good musical artist, how much poppy "I sound like everyone else but I'm hot so I get a record deal" groups do we see?

It's easy to look at all the shit in any form of media and lose track of the diamonds in there. Frankly, I'm too busy playing greatness to care about all these problems in the industry. I've been hearing "Well it's a slippery slope! One day all games will have micro-transactions and day one DLC and small pox with every game! You'll care then!!!" but I've been hearing that an awfully long time and I still see greatness coming out. If people want to give themselves ulcers worrying about things they can't do anything about, go for it but I for one will stop worrying and learn to love the bomb play what I want to play without worries.

 

[CannibalCorpses]

You are not alone i'm sad to say. I stopped having good things to say about games a number of years ago. The problem for me is that games are getting much easier and less unique. About 4 years ago i stopped purchasing games and started renting them. Since then i have noticed a trend that i can fully complete a game in 2 days without breaking a sweat. That isn't a product worth parting with cash for, no matter how pretty the graphics are. On top of that we have consoles charging for things that have always been free and should always have stayed that way. We have games that you pay to purchase and pay to play...then they have micro-transactions to skip part of the gameplay or to give you an advantage over other people that isn't skill based. We have games coming out that aren't finished and require another 6 months of development but have a deadline that cannot be changed for any reason. On top of that we have games that are better when modded than they are when released by the professionals. We have levelling systems that give good players an advantage they don't need and punish newbies who have no real understanding of what they are doing.

To answer your question of what we can do i will say that the only thing we can do is not purchase games that are crap...but that isn't going to happen because there are far more morons playing games nowadays and they aren't immune to hype like some of us. Even when they acknowledge that advertising is lying to them they still rush out and buy it so they can chat shit about it with other people. You mention stand out games but the games you listed are just sequels to games that have stagnated over the years. Even whilst you slag the industry off you show yourself to be a victim of the stupidity that got us to this point *sigh*

 

[Foolery]

There's a lot of companies with shitty practices out there, sure. But that isn't all that's out there. I pay very little attention to it, as I'm enjoying the games available that don't do that.
But I can see where you're coming from. DLC and micro transactions are creeping into quite a few titles where they wouldn't have before.

 

[electric method]

Well I agree with most of what both Tippy and BakedSardine have said. However, Tippy... the other entertainment industries aren't charging 60 bucks an experience. It is one thing to go into a movie knowing it's going to be Michael Bay's next "explosions, moar splosions and boobs" movie as the out of pocket expense is 10-15 bucks. It's something else entirely going into a game that has a $60 buck entry fee and is probably going to have an additional $50 in DLC coming with it. So, if you end up getting a stinker of a game you are out $60 bucks, more if you got a season pass.

There is also the fact that in TV and movies franchises and bad shows tend to get cancelled fairly quickly or don't get sequels. In gaming we see the exact opposite. Mediocrity has become the order of the day and games that should never be published or get sequels end up becoming huge things. Just look at the FPS genre...

BakedSardine, I am quite happy that the indy movement is getting much bigger and offering some very good, quality experiences. But, even in that circle there are problems. Look at Steams "early access" offerings. Devs are putting alpha and beta build games up and charging for them. Nowhere else in the entertainment industry can incomplete offerings be sold with the promise that "We will finish this game."

In all honesty I am not so much worrying over things, or the state of modern gaming, as it is I am bored and tired of seeing this type of behavior and sub-par experiences.

 

[electric method]

You are not alone i'm sad to say. I stopped having good things to say about games a number of years ago. The problem for me is that games are getting much easier and less unique. About 4 years ago i stopped purchasing games and started renting them. Since then i have noticed a trend that i can fully complete a game in 2 days without breaking a sweat. That isn't a product worth parting with cash for, no matter how pretty the graphics are. On top of that we have consoles charging for things that have always been free and should always have stayed that way. We have games that you pay to purchase and pay to play...then they have micro-transactions to skip part of the gameplay or to give you an advantage over other people that isn't skill based. We have games coming out that aren't finished and require another 6 months of development but have a deadline that cannot be changed for any reason. On top of that we have games that are better when modded than they are when released by the professionals. We have levelling systems that give good players an advantage they don't need and punish newbies who have no real understanding of what they are doing.

To answer your question of what we can do i will say that the only thing we can do is not purchase games that are crap...but that isn't going to happen because there are far more morons playing games nowadays and they aren't immune to hype like some of us. Even when they acknowledge that advertising is lying to them they still rush out and buy it so they can chat shit about it with other people. You mention stand out games but the games you listed are just sequels to games that have stagnated over the years. Even whilst you slag the industry off you show yourself to be a victim of the stupidity that got us to this point *sigh*

Actually, Forza 5 was the first Forza game I ever played or bought and found it to be an absolute joy. AC4 was the first AC game I bought after the trainwrecks of AC Revelations and AC 3. BioShock; Infinite is a sequel yes, but it's a game that deserves praise as it's a well crafted game with a great narrative. In reality the offerings for gaming over the last year or so have been pretty thin. Like you, I tend to rent games way more than I buy games and have done so for years. I refuse to give money to developers and publishers that are perpetuating the insanity that has infected the gaming industry for the last 8+ years.

 

[tippy2k2]

Well I agree with most of what both Tippy and BakedSardine have said. However, Tippy... the other entertainment industries aren't charging 60 bucks an experience. It is one thing to go into a movie knowing it's going to be Michael Bay's next "explosions, moar splosions and boobs" movie as the out of pocket expense is 10-15 bucks. It's something else entirely going into a game that has a $60 buck entry fee and is probably going to have an additional $50 in DLC coming with it. So, if you end up getting a stinker of a game you are out $60 bucks, more if you got a season pass.

This is going to sound overtly cruel and I guess it kind of is but I'm going with it...

If you paid $60 for a bad game, it is 99.99% on you. We have access to SO MUCH information and games drop in price so quickly that I find it baffling that people still pay $60 for a game at all. The last game I paid full price for was Madden 25 because it came with Direct TV's Sunday Ticket (a service I wanted that would normally cost $200). Before that...uh....Mass Effect 3? I don't know what else I would have paid $60 for after that.

Besides, have you been to a Best Buy lately? It's getting more and more common to see these Blu-Ray packs for $30+ on a simple movie. (I just jumped into "New Releases" for Blu-Ray, first results: Enders game $25; Jungle Book $30; The Best Man Holiday $25)

As to sequelitis, I just continue to ignore them and play the diamonds. The fact that there are twenty sequels to games I don't like means nothing to me when the games I do like are right here in front of me. Games that explode are loved by many; I'm not going to tell people to not like what they like and stop buying things they like just because I don't like them.

Even in this thread we are seeing the word "Morons" thrown around just because they like a different game than the poster does...THAT to me is a much worse aspect of gaming than the companies (granted, I believe people in here are talking more about "bad practices" than people buying Call of Duty/Madden but you see that attitude of "Only idiots buy those games" around here all the freaking time).

 

[Smooth Operator]

Just so we are clear the problems have always been there the only thing that has changed for most of us is that we more informed and now we can see the bullshit and due to internet we are also informed of even more bullshit.

It's the same as always, either you go with ignorance is bliss or look for the diamonds in the rough.
What you absolutely not do is wallow in grief while still playing shit, there is plenty of choice out there even when you avoid all the major cesspools.

 

[electric method]

Well I agree with most of what both Tippy and BakedSardine have said. However, Tippy... the other entertainment industries aren't charging 60 bucks an experience. It is one thing to go into a movie knowing it's going to be Michael Bay's next "explosions, moar splosions and boobs" movie as the out of pocket expense is 10-15 bucks. It's something else entirely going into a game that has a $60 buck entry fee and is probably going to have an additional $50 in DLC coming with it. So, if you end up getting a stinker of a game you are out $60 bucks, more if you got a season pass.

This is going to sound overtly cruel and I guess it kind of is but I'm going with it...

If you paid $60 for a bad game, it is 99.99% on you. We have access to SO MUCH information and games drop in price so quickly that I find it baffling that people still pay $60 for a game at all. The last game I paid full price for was Madden 25 because it came with Direct TV's Sunday Ticket (a service I wanted that would normally cost $200). Before that...uh....Mass Effect 3? I don't know what else I would have paid $60 for after that.

Besides, have you been to a Best Buy lately? It's getting more and more common to see these Blu-Ray packs for $30+ on a simple movie. (I just jumped into "New Releases" for Blu-Ray, first results: Enders game $25; Jungle Book $30; The Best Man Holiday $25)

As to sequelitis, I just continue to ignore them and play the diamonds. The fact that there are twenty sequels to games I don't like means nothing to me when the games I do like are right here in front of me. Games that explode are loved by many; I'm not going to tell people to not like what they like and stop buying things they like just because I don't like them.

Even in this thread we are seeing the word "Morons" thrown around just because they like a different game than the poster does...THAT to me is a much worse aspect of gaming than the companies (granted, I believe people in here are talking more about "bad practices" than people buying Call of Duty/Madden but you see that attitude of "Only idiots buy those games" around here all the freaking time).

Trust me, I get that if I, personally, shell out 60 bucks for a game and it's a stinker it's on me. This is why, as you mentioned, I do a lot of research on a game before purchasing. I can't recall the last time I bought a game at launch or within the first month of it's life. Rented, perhaps if I was unsure but buy? Nope.

I have been to Best Buy lately and the prices on DVD's etc are why I have a Netflix account. 30 dollars for a simple movie I find to be outrageous pricing. Personally the cost of my Netflix subscription has paid for itself as well as the one to Gamefly.

I agree with you that name calling etc over what games people like is a terrible thing. Honestly, I think in the current gaming climate, that is a symptom of the business practices of the gaming industry. In many cases after paying the amounts of money games cost people feel the need to defend their purchases, not that it makes it right at all. Nor does lambasting someone for liking Call of Duty come across as helpful either.

 

[Raikas]

Things like this make it even harder to look at modern gaming in a positive light. Next question is what can we, as gamers and fans of games, do to stay positive about our hobby, in the face of an industry that views us, increasingly, as just wallets?

Honestly, I'm enjoying gaming more than ever. Twenty years ago (even ten years ago) I might play 2-3 new games a year. These days I easily find two to three times that number that interest me.

Are there problems with some companies business models? Sure. But that doesn't need to colour your perspective on gaming as whole - that's just one tiny slice of the market.

 

[Avaholic03]

In my experience, it comes with getting older. People tend to remember disappointments more than successes. So the older you get, the more those disappointments fill your memory, and the more cynical most people get. At least, that's the way it seems to me.

 

[Vigormortis]

No, it's not.

What is getting harder, though, is being able to have a conversation about video gaming without having some misanthrope jump in unannounced, ranting and lamenting the "death of the industry" or the "dumbing down of games" or some other such idiotic thing.

It's easy to view gaming in a positive light. It's hard to avoid misanthropes shoving their negativity down your throat.

 

[Someone Depressing]

I've pretty much given up mainstream western gaming. It's honestly not going anyone, if not backwards. I only really play indie games.

If I could have 40 COD clones or just have Skullgirls back on Xbox Live/PSN (I outright refuse to play a fighting game on a keyboard. Not for me) guess which I'd pick, or anyone who wasn't obsessed with 1st person shooters.

Besides, pretty much any medium is full of dirty practises, gaming is no different. And the indie movement is coming back - for better or worse - so at least we'll have something to look forward to. Maybe.

 

[Yopaz]

No, it's not.

What is getting harder, though, is being able to have a conversation about video gaming without having some misanthrope jump in unannounced, ranting and lamenting the "death of the industry" or the "dumbing down of games" or some other such idiotic thing.

It's easy to view gaming in a positive light. It's hard to avoid misanthropes shoving their negativity down your throat.

You're not using the word misanthrope correctly here... I think pessimist would be more accurate.

OT: I don't see gaming in as positive light as I once did, but that's mainly because I've grown up, don't have the time and things like that. I still enjoy it though.

 

[major_chaos]

It's not "just" you. There are other doom and gloom types out there, and we certainly don't have a shortage on this website. That said I'm not one of them. This year already has a promising lineup (Transistor, Witch and the hundred night, Reaper of Souls, Dark Souls 2, Watchdogs, Destiny, ect.) and I'm willing to bet more promising titles will be announced as the year goes on so put me in the positive outlook camp. Also something bothered me about your post

for every outstanding game there are literally 20-30 overhyped, not worth the disc they are printed on, games.

The doomsayers like to drag this one out, but from where I'm standing this has always been true. You may not remember the mountains of crap on the SNES or PS2 but it doesn't mean those consoles had only good games. To me it seems people are influenced by two things when they say games suck now (unless they are just retro elitist assholes, which you aren't OP) one is fond nostalgia making them chose to remember only the good old games and forget all the worthless nonsense, and two is that with the internet more popular than ever when a bad game comes out it becomes a sensation. I remember playing PS2 games that were very nearly as bad as Ride to Hell, but the internet critic culture wasn't as well devolved so no one remembers those shitty games, while Ride to Hell has been immortalized by infamy.

 

[Rastrelly]

Guys, it's plain simple. Childhood is gone. Industry exists since early 80'es, and it was not formed of angels even then. There were much more enthusiasts though. Amateurs who were dragged into pro league simply due to absence of actual pros. But now gamemaking becomes a full blown profession. We - I mean, humanity - now more or less know what rules there are in making a game, we have common technological basis, we have in-industry cooperation (engine trade, technology trade, u-hu), we have an actual industry. And that's it. When enthusiasts leave, businessmen come. What's the difference if you sell soap or videogames? Well, there are some nuances in marketing and getting right people into right places, but there are rules now, and those rules do work. Abide those rules, use extensive advertisement - and you'll almost definitely cover your costs. That's it. And it is so for a decade at least. Quite strange - people start opening their eyes just now for something that was obvious for years. On the other thing - we should not give up. It's harder nowadays to find a really good game among modern titles. I mean a game to last, like, say, Doom, who still beats the crap out of any Call of Duty with its great dynamics, awesome levels and memorable enemies. But they will not disappear. And we should shame every publisher, every developer who makes dumb clones for pure profit. We must not run like insane to buy crap even before it's released just to be disappointed. We have to analyze, we have to pick what we do like, and we have to make those companies who spoil the industry to decay forgotten. Any way, I think no one tries to buy each new type of soap when it's released to the market?

 

[jamail77]

There have been some stand out games that have restored some hope in the industry such as BioShock; Infinite and Forza 5 and AC4BF (somewhat) but, for every outstanding game there are literally 20-30 overhyped, not worth the disc they are printed on, games.

I find your topic funny (it's more your sub-point about clones and over hyped games) considering where those games stand among a sizable group of gamers, even if they're not in the majority they're highly concentrated where they are.

BioShock Infinite has been counter-attacked because of all the praise both critics (kind of like them, for the MOST part, not seeing a flaw in TitanFall honestly, so that doesn't help your case either) and players alike gave. People called it pretentious, said its depictions of both racism and the time period were caricature-esque at best, its understanding of time travel and the multiverse basic and simplified if even the slightest bit correct at all, and the gameplay nothing groundbreaking let alone much of an improvement from the last games in the series, some even called it a downgrade. People thought Elizabeth's AI while intended to help ease the usual escort problems actually created something worse.

I haven't played the game myself, but I have looked at all sorts of critiques from both sides, YouTubers and "professionals" alike. The weakest rebuttals to these counter-attacks are "You just didn't understand it" especially when the counter-attackers respond and show they perfectly did. I didn't care about spoilers because it's the little moments that mean more to me in these types of games. I am 100% positive I would like the game, but just like a lot of other games I too thought it was overpraised. I have never given a game a 10/10 though, so maybe my standards are too high to judge fairly. You see, to me, a 10/10 is perfection at what the game was trying to do and perfection in the context of games in general AS WELL and I'm not sure I've ever seen a game do that.

Anyway, just check out this critique on BS: I and you'll see what I'm talking about all in one place. Sorry, it's a lot longer than say a Zero Punctuation episode. I understand if that is a turn off:
Plenty of people see games like the Forza series as the COD of racing games if even that. I never really liked the genre outside of Crash Team Racing. I never played Mario Kart extensively...I know, terrible. Outside of those two games the genre is just so...monotonous.

You might have a point on AC, but people do see the newest one as the peak of the series' problem: It's going downhill in quality, relying on gimmicky things not associated with the feel and time period of the originals before AC III. I've never owned an AC game though. I only played a little bit of one of them. I do know a friend who doesn't want AC4BF though because of the reasons I've stated. As a standalone game, it may be the best on technicality, but as part of a larger series it's not seen as good. I guess that's why you said "somewhat" though.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I think if you only look at the big news stories and the AAA industry, it's definitely easy to be cynical. If, however, you expand your horizons beyond that you'll likely see that gaming has possibly never been as good as it is right now.