Xbox turning into a childish plaything?

[JUMBO PALACE]

Gears of War 3, Bulletstorm, Rage, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dead Space 2, Dragon Age 2, Homefront etc. says otherwise.

I doubt the industry will turn its back on 'core gamers'. We are, after all, the ones who spend most of our money monthly on new games. That's my theory, anyway.

Don't forget LA Noire, Forza 4, and Mass Effect 3

No one is abandoning core gamers, Microsoft is just trying to appeal to everyone else as well.

 

[Mr Pantomime]

Its simple. The new format will attract kids, everyone else will get over it.

 

[northeast rower]

Complain more?

I'm a teenage male and I like playing it. It may be many things, but having the Avatar system certainly doens't make it a childish plaything.

 

[IamSofaKingRaw]

Gears of War 3, Bulletstorm, Rage, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dead Space 2, Dragon Age 2, Homefront etc. says otherwise.

I doubt the industry will turn its back on 'core gamers'. We are, after all, the ones who spend most of our money monthly on new games. That's my theory, anyway.

Yeah, all but 1 of those are made only for Xbox. The only games MS is focusing on is Kinect games.

 

[Double A]

He might have been talking about the look and feel of the xbox as a console, not the range of games. I have to admit, Microsoft seems to be putting an effort into trying to sell kinects to families. It's just a lack of concern for the demographic which made xbox what it is today.

Sure, but I'm only saying that a console is based off the games it's making or supporting, and it seems to me that we don't have to worry. At least not yet.

Don't worry, it's just a fad. Wait till the newest shiny thing distracts all the casual gamers and turns them away again.

Gears of War 3, Bulletstorm, Rage, Elder Scrolls IV: Skyrim, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dead Space 2, Dragon Age 2, Homefront etc. says otherwise.

I doubt the industry will turn its back on 'core gamers'. We are, after all, the ones who spend most of our money monthly on new games. That's my theory, anyway.

Skyrim is Elder Scrolls Scrolls V. It's also not a 360 exclusive. Neither is DA2.

See, there's this thing called a "computer." You can play games on them.

Who's talking about exclusives? There are 360 versions being released, thus making them a part of the Xbox 360 software. I don't see why that is an argument. And that IV thing was a slip, that's my bad.

My apologies, then. I thought you meant exclusives since you started with Gears.

 

[RatRace123]

I don't mind the avatars, and I'm not sure Xbox turned into a "childish play thing" until the Kinect came out, and even then it doesn't strike me as childish as much as it does a desperate grab for some of the Wii's massive widespread audience.
Sure it seems like the Xbox is undergoing something of an identity crisis, what with Microsoft now stating that the 360 is more of a family entertainment center and not just a game console, but it's still not striking me as childish, just a company doing a piss poor job of playing follow the leader.

And there's only like 7 games out for the kinect and there's plenty of "adult hardcore" games coming out later this year. I'm sure the Xbox is in no danger of changing into the "Bieber box"

 

[Hollock]

There's room for everyone! I don't mind, I had a sega genesis when I was a kid. I would have been sad if some guy said I couldn't play mortal kombat or dynamite headdy because I wasn't "hardcore" enough. A pox on your house! I'm all for the Bieber box. Video games may be art, but they are also play things, let everyone play.

 

[Taxman1]

"Video games are toys, and a toys main audience is children."
-Moviebob's TGO (Totally messed up the quote)
That sums up my feelings.

That's BS though. You can argue that ATV's and Jet Ski's are toys too. Video games are closer to movies and that sort of entertainment and just like movies each game is targeted at different audiences. I don't know how many kids were the target audience for Pulp Fiction just like i'm not sure how many kids were the target audience for DOOM 3.

As for the OP's main point, it doesn't really bother me. I use the consoles to play the games and no matter what the dashboard looks like it can't decide what games i choose to purchase and play. Some games I really enjoy are kid games though.

Well it doesn't mean that all games should be targeted towards kids, it's just that's where most of the games will and probably should go to. I enjoy GTA and CoD as much as the next guy but it can only last the medium so long. Moviebob explains it way better than me though.

 

[Jaded Scribe]

Um... get over it?

Family gaming is very popular. And it's why the Wii has a HUGE marketshare compared to XBox and PS3. It's not like they are forcing games that are published on their console to be filled with rainbows and unicorns instead of blood and guns.

And avatars? You're being driven away from a game system because of avatars? Seriously? Do you game for the games, or for the avatars?

As for the "entertainment system for families", it's only good business. My husband (who isn't even a gamer) wants to purchase a second PS3. Why? Because for $400 (we'd be paying the extra $50 for the move bundle) we'd get a Blu-Ray player for the living room (our current PS3 is in my and my husband's room), with harddrive space for more movies, internet connectivity for Netflix, and where the kids can play their games without having to be in our room.

Grow up. XBox isn't going to turn into the "Bieber Box". You'll still be able to play great games. So why are your panties in a wad?

You completely and utterly missed the point of everything I said. I'm talking about xbox trying to copy the Wii and make a games console into a novelty childs toy. Instead of developers making games that will appeal to traditional video game fans, they will start to make novelty throaway games like the majority of the Wii games.

Who cares?
Avatars are there for a second or two when you sign in, with the right settings you can get straight into a game without even seeing them.
It's not like their happy little mugs are the face of your Black Ops dude.

At least I'm assuming you play gritty, "real" games like Black Ops because you consider yourself too good for games actually aimed at children.
Because you're so darn manly and we should all bow down to you.

You just proved my point, thanks. The fact that you think Black Ops is a gritty real game shows just how the games industry is changing. You want to know an adult gritty game? Try Doom, Duke Nukem, GTA or soldier of fortune. No games like these will be made while developers try to catre for 8 year olds. Even the last GTA was tame compared to all previous versions.

I'm an adult and want to have a video game experience similar to an adult film ie Total Recall or Saving Private Ryan. I wont get those traditional type of games if the trend continues, I will get Wii/Move/Kinnect sports and dance dance hannah montanah simply because developers know that they will have a bigger market.

Then you don't understand the game industry. These adult games sell quite well. The reasons why "adult" games don't sell well on the Wii are:

(a) The Graphics. The Wii is by far the worst of the consoles in terms in graphics.

Example: Call of Duty 4

Spoiler: On the Wii

Spoiler: On the XBox

Which would you rather play?

(b) Most people prefer to play "adult" games on a standard controller, for which the Wii has none (not counting the Classic Controller because it's not set up for these kinds of games).

(c) The Wii also has the worst performance specs. I'm sure more than one game has never been ported over, not because of lack of audience, but because the system simply couldn't handle the game.

(d) Wii multi-player support is way behind the other consoles. Many people buy the more serious games that offer online multiplayer on the other consoles which can better support it.


The Wii may have a broader base, but that has little impact on the industry's desire to create well-crafted adult games. Yes, PS3 and XBox 360 are starting to break into the "family gaming" arena, but that doesn't mean they aren't going to continue to make "adult" games.


You brought up films as an analogy. 26/50 of the highest grossing films (source [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films]) are family films (i.e. G or PG, not counting Star Wars and Harry Potter where I also counted the PG-13 installments). Another 21 are the big Hollywood action movies.

That leaves only 3 movies I'd really call "adult". And yet, there are still a LOT of adult-oriented, intellectually mature movies being made.

 

[migo]

I think you've got a point, and I'm having to convince my girlfriend not to spend money on avatar accessories, and am instead looking out for good quality games that have unlockable avatar content (like ilomilo)

 

[lacktheknack]

If you're going to be so petty, just switch to PS3 or PC.

You vote with your dollar, after all.

 

[KEM10]

Does it make me 'fucking elitist' to be concerned that in a few years time I won't be able to kick back with friends online drinking beer, swearing at each other and telling foul jokes while blowing each other into chunks of meat and painting the levels with their brains?

Because right now the only options are the dull and uninspired COD games which are teen at best, or gears of war which sacrifices gameplay for graphics.

Ummm, you can do that with any game. We had 4 guys and a bottle of whiskey playing a round robin of Boarderlands in my apartment last year. We were getting lit up and yelling obscenities at the game and thought it was a blast. But about halfway through the bottle we decided to put in LittleBigPlanet and all 4 of us played and we had even more fun and ended up yelling even more obscenities at the game. That is where we came up with the proof of the younger the game's rating, the louder and more violent your turrets becomes.

Your "adult" games are safe, they sell very well and new IPs are on their way next year so you can have even more over the top gore and/or "gritty" "realism" or what ever else floats your boat.

 

[Shikua]

I just have this to say: If the industry DOESN'T Appeal to children, it will go the way of comics. Comics are a dying breed because not enough children read them. If we keep gaming to "adults", then gaming will rapidly shrink, because not enough people will buy them.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Just wondering why we have moved into a very young childish style for the brand, especially avatars?

I understand the avatar system but why make it seemingly targetted at 5-8 year olds? I remember when the update first was launched, my 6 year old niece ran into the room thinking that I had turned the Wii on when she heard the music.

I remember the days when the xbox was a beast of a gaming console built for gamers. It seems that the trend now will be that the console will be an entertainment system for families.

Of course the line that will be given is that gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry so needs to reflect its audience. But GAMERS made the gaming industry into the powerhouse that it is now. This worrying trend of trying to give the 360 a Wii-makeover is only going to push the real and hardcore gamers (the ones who made the xbox product so successful) away from the brand and to whatever console shows itself to be a true gaming console.

The xbox (or PS3) will never be able to beat the Wii at it's own game. Nintendo went in that direction because they decided they couldn't compete in the traditional gaming market anymore.

The 'smaller' traditional gaming demographic made playstation and xbox what they are and into the multi billion business it is. It seems foolish to risk alienating that group in an attempt to take the Wii's crown as 'alternative family friendly system'

Please, please don't let this product turn into a Bieber box, keep it as an X-box.

you dont have to embrace these childish inclusions if u dont want.

also i think MS's plan is to bridge the gap between PS3 and the Wii, by doing both, therefore maximising sales in the long run. they are the only gaming company capable of financing both 'hardcore' and 'casual' gaming aspects on one console.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

Every time I see my xbox dashboard these days, I die a little bit inside. It's honestly quite sad how much Microsoft is trying to imitate the Wii's success.

 

[Taunta]

Ugh. Go take your elitism and go shove it somewhere else, please. People have the choice to play whatever console they want. You're not in a special "big boys club" just because you play games about gray, brown, and testosterone. People like you (i.e. people so polarized about the console competition that you discriminate against people based on the genres of games that they enjoy) are the reason why people look down on gamers and think we're all screaming, cursing, immature dicks over Xbox live. If you honestly can't stand the thought of "OMG families are playing my console! Not families!!" then I have nothing more to say to you.

 

[Kyogissun]

OP, I'm sorry but if you're REALLY that concerned about things like, the avatar system, kids being on online games, the Kinect, the 'Family' dashboard and more, then you seriously need to check your priorities in life.

I'd like to mention, this shit has all been ADDED ON after what the GAMERS wanted was delivered. Do you see numerous projects, games and features on Live being scrapped for the sake of getting family related content on the console? No?

THEN STOP WORRYING.

Seriously dude, your post just reeks of needless scaremongering. All they're trying to do is make their console's audience as wide as it can be. If you have a problem with the casual/family crowds wanting to check out a few games here and there, then you really ought to just give up and stop playing video games if you're so worried about your 'precious' community being tainted, which let's be honest, is already full of scum and vile filth that ruin it in other ways.

Especially considering that (in case you haven't realized it) mixed within these casual and family friendly audience members is budding gamers who merely need to be pushed in the right direction of good content. Your CONCERN of the console becoming family friendly ONLY HOLDS THINGS BACK.

tl;dr Quit being 'scared', accept that Microsoft's allowed to make their console to appeal to ANY potential audiences and most importantly, CONSIDER THAT THERE ARE 'GAMERS TO BE' AMIDST THE CASUAL/FAMILY CROWDS.

Every time I see my xbox dashboard these days, I die a little bit inside. It's honestly quite sad how much Microsoft is trying to imitate the Wii's success.

Imitate? I'm sorry but if you provide a more fun and interesting product as WELL as a better interface, this isn't called imitation...

IT'S CALLED BEATING THE COMPETITION AT ITS OWN GAME.

The NXE is so much fucking better than what the Wii's interface provides, which is now archaic and generic in design.

But again, VERY sorry that Microsoft's borrowing from another company, mixing it up and providing us with something useful and improved that Nintendon't.

 

[Hippobatman]

Gears of War 3, Bulletstorm, Rage, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dead Space 2, Dragon Age 2, Homefront etc. says otherwise.

I doubt the industry will turn its back on 'core gamers'. We are, after all, the ones who spend most of our money monthly on new games. That's my theory, anyway.

Yeah, all but 1 of those are made only for Xbox. The only games MS is focusing on is Kinect games.

So? The 360 still has an exceptional third party support. Microsoft can do whatever and we still get good games.

Snip

Not a problem, mate. I'll admit my first post was a bit hastily written.