Xcom Publisher: Strategy Games Are Not Contemporary

[Hawk eye1466]

One of my friends asked me to describe what was happening to Xcom and the best description I could think of was a Plane that was flying along and everyone on it was happy and enjoying the flight then the plane lands to refuel, ground control tells the passengers that they are refitting the plane to fly better and more comfortably, but they accidently set the plane on fire and while it is on fire they try to get the passengers and all new customers on it and everyone decides to go to the food court while the plane explodes while being pushed off a cliff to show that it can still fly.

 

[Jonny49]

I am relatively new to the series, so my opinion probably doesn't have much backbone behind it. But, from hearing that its been a successful strategy series being turned into a shooter, because that's whats cool and popular right now, seems like a total bandwagon move.

This pretty much sums up my opinion.

I've never played the original X-Com, but if everyone wants a strategy game, then why not give it to them?

I wonder if they've realised they've fucked up, but now since they're so far down the line have no other choice but to carry on.

 

[Steampunk Viking]

The team behind it is asking themselves every day: 'Is it true to the values of the franchise?' It's not a case of cashing in on the name.

I very much beg to differ of this comment.

Whilst it is true some franchises can get away with drastic genre changes, this can usually be attributed to one of two things... either the series is based on a specific setting that has outgrown it's genre into something all of it's own (for example, Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard compared to, say, Baldur's Gate) or the genre change is related to a spin off rather than a part of the main series (Such as Halo Wars, Dead Space: Extraction etc.).

Unfortunately, X-Com furfils neither of these. It's setting is not big enough to outgrow it's genre, and they've stated this is a part of the series (which, I might add, is a turn on what they said previously, marring their credibility even more).

2K games have also chosen a god-awful setting to do this with... they could've just as easily called it something different and it'd likely sell more.

Just because interests in gaming have evolved, that's no reason to scrap the original feel of a game. Lots of games have pulled this off successfully, Mass Effect 2, Heroes of Might & Magic and the Elder Scrolls all come to mind here. Even Fallout 3 plucks many ideas from it's predecessors, like perks, attributes and VATS (and even then, that game for the most part had new fans).

My prediction is this... put a game out there with a naustalgic name and make it into a genre that's the "latest thing" and all you'll get is new fans. Old school X-Com players, like myself, will likely avoid it like the plague. So there you go.

 

[Jacksaw Jack]

Well...at least Duke will have some company now.
Not buying this. I'll play it through and give it a chance, but I won't shell out any cash unless this game is fantastic (which is as likely as no-legged, headless horse winning an air derby.)

Yarr, hoist the main sail.

 

[SemiHumanTarget]

What bothers me is the way he says they want to tailor it to what "this generation of gamers want" as if the last generation of gamers just disappeared or stopped playing games. What was the average age of gamers in the last poll? Like, 35? This generation of gamers and the last generation of gamers are one in the same.

 

[Denamic]

If strategy games are not... 'contemporary', and strategy games are not what people wants...
Why the FUCK would you pick a STRATEGY game IP that gamers who love strategic turn based games love, and turn it into a fucking shooter?
Why not go make Diablo 3 a shmup too.

 

[tehroc]

Sweet so what he's saying is Civilization 6 will be a FPS.

2K Games, remember when Microsoft tried to bring back Shadowrun (a cyberpunk RPG) as a FPS? Yeah, you remember how that went.

 

[Stall]

I love the people who think this isn't going to sell just because the president is kind of a douche. Even if it is totally mediocre and bland, 2K knows how to advertise and build hype. It's going to do incredibly well.

EDIT: All and all, the whole X-Com fiasco has really gone to show the "maturity" of the gaming community as a whole, and how much we've "grown" over the years [/sarcasm]. Rather sad if you ask me.

 

[velcrokidneyz]

idk why so many people are getting pissed about the ray charles comment. all he means is that if ray charles made music today he would have to update his image, not necessarilt that kanye and ray are equals or comparable in any way.

OT: ive never played the old one, but this is a major slap in the face. saying that strategy games wont sell is ignorant. ever hear of esports, stracraft 2, civ 4 or 5. these examples should show enough. tuen based or real time people still love strategy (like me) and always will.

 

[velcrokidneyz]

What bothers me is the way he says they want to tailor it to what "this generation of gamers want" as if the last generation of gamers just disappeared or stopped playing games. What was the average age of gamers in the last poll? Like, 35? This generation of gamers and the last generation of gamers are one in the same.

quoted for truth, granted im only 21 but ive been playing games since i could read which is 4 or 5, not saying i was necessarily good at them but ive been a gamer for as long as i can remember, these douche nozzles at 2k are major idiots. sadly there hype machine is too powerful and they will prolly get quite a few sales. (not from me of course)

 

[dashiz94]

What an insulting disservice to Ray Charles.

Black Eyed Peas cashed in on the auto-tune craze on their recent albums and what happened? They fucking SUCKED compared to their better work.

Same goes with this game. I've never played X-Com, but it looked like an interesting title that with today's technology could really have been something new and cool in the Strategy Game market.

But no, go ahead and MASSIVELY fuck up this franchise and then, when your sales plummet, make some other insanely stupid claim to justify your horrible marketing skills.

Funny, I'm not even a nostalgic fan of the original game and this still pisses me off.

 

[dashiz94]

idk why so many people are getting pissed about the ray charles comment. all he means is that if ray charles made music today he would have to update his image, not necessarilt that kanye and ray are equals or comparable in any way.

OT: ive never played the old one, but this is a major slap in the face. saying that strategy games wont sell is ignorant. ever hear of esports, stracraft 2, civ 4 or 5. these examples should show enough. tuen based or real time people still love strategy (like me) and always will.

Because music is one of those art forms that, if you're really good at it, you don't have to change your sound at all. What he's implying is that people can't appreciate and respect older classics because they were from an earlier time.

That, and mentioning a mediocre rapper next to one of the greatest musicians of the last century in the same sentence is just insulting.

 

[velcrokidneyz]

idk why so many people are getting pissed about the ray charles comment. all he means is that if ray charles made music today he would have to update his image, not necessarilt that kanye and ray are equals or comparable in any way.

OT: ive never played the old one, but this is a major slap in the face. saying that strategy games wont sell is ignorant. ever hear of esports, stracraft 2, civ 4 or 5. these examples should show enough. tuen based or real time people still love strategy (like me) and always will.

Because music is one of those art forms that, if you're really good at it, you don't have to change your sound at all. What he's implying is that people can't appreciate and respect older classics because they were from an earlier time.

That, and mentioning a mediocre rapper next to one of the greatest musicians of the last century in the same sentence is just insulting.

I realize that if you are good you are good, but i think what he was trying to say is taht if he was trying to appeal to a newer younger audience (such as XCom is trying but failing IMO to do) he may have to change. But i do realize your point, and agree with you. Either way i think we can all agree that 2K does not know what the hell they are doing with this IP.

Also yes it is insulting, but its just an analogy.

 

[Treblaine]

I love the people who think this isn't going to sell just because the president is kind of a douche. Even if it is totally mediocre and bland, 2K knows how to advertise and build hype. It's going to do incredibly well.

EDIT: All and all, the whole X-Com fiasco has really gone to show the "maturity" of the gaming community as a whole, and how much we've "grown" over the years [/sarcasm]. Rather sad if you ask me.

Could you please explain how that is supposed to be sarcasm?

Any self-respecting proponent of a serious artistic medium would object to this blatant brand exploitation.

 

[DracoSuave]

Sweet so what he's saying is Civilization 6 will be a FPS.

Totally looking forward to that. I'm totally taking the Cathedral and Explosives Expert perks so I can cheap out with Culture Bombs. I'm torn between taking the 'Bullet Resistant' perk, or grinding out so I can fashion the 'East India Teabag Company' ability.

2K Games, remember when Microsoft tried to bring back Shadowrun (a cyberpunk RPG) as a FPS? Yeah, you remember how that went.

As an aside... the best Shadowrun game was for Genesis. Classic fucking rpg.

Could you please explain how that is supposed to be sarcasm?

Um... his contempt was pretty obvious. That's more or less what defines what sarcasm is, is the contempt.

 

[Treblaine]

Could you please explain how that is supposed to be sarcasm?

Um... his contempt was pretty obvious. That's more or less what defines what sarcasm is, is the contempt.

I mean logically.

How is it sarcastic rather than accurate, that this is the community being mature, rather than:

"huh, strategy game now shooter game. Good. The significance of a games lore is irrelevant, after all, they''re just vidya gaems. I just like shooters."

I especially like the maturity in how many posters here object to this even though not being Xcom fans, they from an objective perspective see that they have done wrong and come up with reasonable arguments.

 

[DracoSuave]

Could you please explain how that is supposed to be sarcasm?

Um... his contempt was pretty obvious. That's more or less what defines what sarcasm is, is the contempt.

I mean logically.

Logically, the definition of sarcasm is 'To verbally show contempt.' Some people confuse that with verbal irony, which is to say the opposite of intended meaning. Sarcasm often uses verbal irony as a tactic, but sarcasm is not restricted to verbal irony, nor is verbal irony restricted to sarcasm.

 

[draythefingerless]

In simpathy for Spoony, all i have to say is,


BETRAYYYYAALLL

seriously, you couldnt have chosen a worser IP to promote your new shooter 2K. XCOM is where people go to to play turn based strategy. you dont make a Civ shooter, or a Sims shooter. people only look at those games for one reason. this game looks promising if they added a lil here n there, but it is undeserving of the name it carries.