Which game developer is pushing the industry foward?

[some random guy]

Media Molocule.
LittleBigPlanet will probably lead to more great and innovative games and they could come up with more brilliant and original games in the future.

Team Ico.
Their games really help the industry progress as an art form.

Insomniac.
They show that it's possible to come up with a AAA game every year. Very impressive considering the fact that some games can take up to a decade to develop.

 

[H.R.Shovenstuff]

Will I get shot down in a hail of interweb flame arrows for saying Turbine?

 

[maxusy3k]

While Electronic Arts does develop some titles, they're mainly a publishing entity, so I consider them exempt from classification here.

For me I think my pick of the list would be Blizzard. It's easy to say they're sitting on their asses getting fat from the steady stream of profits generated by WoW, but usually every release they've come out with has done something to seriously shatter a medium and remold it in their own image. With WoW as an example, it opened MMOs up to a whole audience who would have never gone near Everquest... regardless of the stereotype, the amount of 'non-nerds' I've met through WoW, or have later found out have played / do play WoW is staggering.

Hell, even the girl I'm currently after knows about - and appreciates - WoW and she knows next to nothing about gaming.

Followed closely by Valve. While I've only ever played the 'big' releases - HL, HL:2 and the episodes, Portal - their ability to innovate shines through without doubt. Coupled with Steam, arguably the model for online distribution, and you're looking at some seriously tuned in guys and gals.

 

[curlycrouton]

DICE and Valve.
And most developers in Eastern Europe and Russia.

 

[shatnershaman]

Bungie for sticking it to Spider-Man 2 and 3.

 

[Novajam]

Will I get shot down in a hail of interweb flame arrows for saying Turbine?

Care to elaborate?

I think that things like XBLA and Marketplace, Virtual console, Playstation store, or any other sort of digital distribution is a big step forward. Good if you want something old, but can't find a hard copy. I still like my game boxes though.

 

[onethought99]

Valve, of course for HL and its cousins.
Bethesda Softworks, developer of great RPG's.
And I would give a last mention to Eidos Interactice for the Deus Ex series, as they are games that started to branch into trying to communicate a message against captilism and corporate oppression.

 

[H.R.Shovenstuff]

Will I get shot down in a hail of interweb flame arrows for saying Turbine?

Care to elaborate?

I think that things like XBLA and Marketplace, Virtual console, Playstation store, or any other sort of digital distribution is a big step forward. Good if you want something old, but can't find a hard copy. I still like my game boxes though.

Certainly. Turbine are behind LotRO, and in the world of mumorpegers turbine are helping to keep current MMO's fresh by bringing out constant amazing free updates. Even studios like Blizzard have said that they're having a hard time keeping up.

 

[curlycrouton]

2K Games, Bethesda and Bioware

 

[Strafe Mcgee]

What have they actually done? Other than stick to making mediocre overrated fps's and then making a gimmick which got old in two hours (which was lucky because the game was over by then anyway)

I think you're being a little harsh. Half-Life was a watershed moment in gaming and a big slap in the face to all those developers who where spending millions of dollars on CGI at the time. In terms of scripting, AI and immersion there are few games that come close. HL2 has perhaps aged a bit, but I still think it remains a very good game. Valve then pioneered the idea of episodic content - an idea which has become absurdly popular in recent years. Their digital distribution model has also become the industry norm. Having not played Portal I can't comment on whether or not it is little more than a gimmick, but the majority of player testimonies suggest otherwise.

EDIT: and I'd also love to know which FPSs have impressed you if you consider Half-Life to be mediocre!

Ah, yes jump on the we hate Valve bandwagon. They're far too popular, I needs to be different! Harhol's right, Half-Life 1&2 have both been revolutionary games upon their release. The original for it's introduction of story and scripting to first-person shooters: put it this way, no Half-Life= No CoD4, No Brothers In Arms, No Halo... Each of these games followed Half-Life's example of using scripting within the game to Need I go on? Valve have had a huge impact on the games industry, just through the introduction of these elements.

Half-Life 2 was one of the first games to truly implement physics into gaming, something which has now become standard within the first person genre.

Portal is one of the best examples of storytelling within gaming, along with Bioshock, System Shock1/2 and the original two Half-Life games. Revolutionary? Not particularly, though it did introduce one of the most original and interesting game elements in years- Portals. Sure, Prey did it first, but Portal was much more effective in making use of them. In Prey they were window dressing, in Portal they were pivotal.

Nearly everything Valve has done (with the exception of Team Fortress 2,) has either radically changed the mechanics of how games within that genre are made or have introduced a new feature that results in exemplary gameplay.

Whilst Dead Space does look like a lot of fun, it's not really doing anything revolutionary. A completely in-game Hud is nice, and the strategic dismemberment looks like it's going to be a fun gameplay gimmick, but it's not going to be revolutionary. It's just going to be a gimmick that will likely be forgotten fairly quickly. Doesn't mean it's going to be bad, (I'm really, really looking forward to Dead Space. I've had an itch for a horror game recently that it looks like it'll scratch quite nicely,) but I really doubt that any of Dead Space's features are going to revolutionise gaming in any way.

Edit: Wow, long post. Ah well, I'm a Valve fanboy and I'm not scared to admit it

 

[PersianLlama]

blizzard, valve and even EA have all done their part to push it forward, but in recent years, they have produced only decent, mediocre and piss poor games respectively. Bethesda is putting its heart into it, and whilst they are stumbling a bit, i still hold none but the highest respect for them.

maxis gets an honorable mention. its never really innovated, only mixed and matched the bes of what others offered.

i hold a special place in my heart for bioware, as they brought us both baldurs gate and mass effect, both of which i love, and truly believe pushed their respective genres forward.

however, i believe now is the day of the indy developer. people who make small, low budget games, that never the less become awesome. portal, for instance. a true innovation in both game play and in game technology.

I thought Oblivion was piss-poor, but maybe that was just me. I also thought that all the Sims games sucked. (Haven't played Spore so no comment on that.)

I do agree with the indy developer thing though.

Edit: I like Bioware. >.>
Edit2: But I like Valve more.

 

[Archaeology Hat]

Valve.

Yup. What they've done for content distribution is nothing short of incredible. Would there even be an XBLA or a PS Network today if it wasn't for Steam?

And then there are the games they've made as well.

Let's hear it for Valve!

What have they actually done? Other than stick to making mediocre overrated fps's and then making a gimmick which got old in two hours (which was lucky because the game was over by then anyway)

Now IMO the ONLY game coming out soon that is pretty unique is Dead Space. Strategic dismemberment, no hud or out of game menus, zero gravity fighting and puzzles...All this looks brilliant and refreshing! Only weird thing is the developer is EA!

Nod goes to whoever is making Mirrors Edge but i personally believe a FPS game based on Parkour just isnt going to work but i would like o be surprised.

You made me laugh when I read that. I completely agree that EA is moving things forward. They just finished collaborating on Spore, which, for all it's failings, is an incredibly unique game in the way that you can customize ANYTHING and that it takes other people's creations randomly from the net and adds them to your universe. That's not been done before.

You were talking about Dead Space and the strategic dismemberment. Also incredibly innovative, if something I'll never play (not a fan of horror games. They scare me, and I'm not kidding)

And, Mirror's Edge, even though I find it hard to believe somebody could forget the logo if they've seen the trailer, that seems to be made in a footprint of blood, the developer for that is EA as well.

In short, THREE of the most innovative games to be released around this time are coming from one developer, things that will very likely pave the way for more ideas from other people along the same lines, and may even change the way first person shooters are done forevermore. I think EA is moving the industry forward. I really do.

EA aren't the developers. They're the publishers. Giving EA credit for those games is like saying Penguin Books are a good author.

 

[Novajam]

Certainly. Turbine are behind LotRO, and in the world of mumorpegers turbine are helping to keep current MMO's fresh by bringing out constant amazing free updates. Even studios like Blizzard have said that they're having a hard time keeping up.

That's true. It's nice when publishers support and update the title often.

 

[Joeshie]

Why the hell are people serious saying Bethesda? They aren't that great of a developer. Elder Scrolls 4 was extremely mediocre and in many areas, poorly done.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

2K Games and Bioware. Two companies who consistantly earn my respect and my cash.

 

[Syphonz]

For people voting Bioware heed this: Bioshock is system shock 2, and all the other games (Mass Effect, KOTOR, etc.) follow exact same format as Baldurs gate. remaking choice RPG adventure in just a new setting isn't pushing the industry forward.

 

[aniki21]

I don't think it's fair to say that any single company or developer is pushing the industry forward; for one thing, who's to say which direction is "forward"? Nintendo's Wii has caused developers, for better or for worse, to re-examine input systems and user interface; Valve have pioneered online content distribution; Microsoft have pushed online console gaming to the forefront. They've all evolved gaming in one way or another, but in different directions.

I'd also like to point out to some of you that just because you didn't like a game, doesn't mean it didn't do anything innovative.