Do you think the video game market has peaked?????

[swlovinist]

It seems that there have been a ton of releases in the past year, and seems that the market has more games then it knows what to do with. The question of the day is.....Has the market peaked? Is it over saturated? Let me know how you feel on this, I like to hear what "real" gamers think

[Sylentwulf]

I've heard this topic and the "Is the market headed for another crash?" Topic so many times in the past 5 years it's mind boggling. The "market" has evened out, and will stay like it is for the rest of eternity as far as I can tell. It's like asking if the movie industry has peaked. It just doesn't make sense.

[kainemaxwell]

With gaming systems I do think we peaked in terms of graphics and sound- I mean how much more realistic can we get with games and companies have started making quality cd music for games and/or hired bands and other talent for such ventures.

[AB Positive]

graphically, I think there's still some room for improvement but not a whole lot unless another style of rendering 3D comes along. Sound-wise I don't think you can get much better than what we have now. I would agree that now we're more at a plateau that will remain for a long time, much like the movie/DVD industry.

-AG

[swlovinist]

I apologize if I did not make myself clear......I was not pertaining to the graphics and technology, I was asking a question in reguards to VOLUME. Frankly, I feel that there are TOO MANY GAMES. Everyone and their grandma are making games now, and It seems that the creative juices are drying up. We have a race between 3 systems that we havent seen since the 16 bit era. On an interesting note, the mid 90's saw a small recession in sales......I think I just wanted to generate thinking on this note....I feel that alot of games are being made to just be made and fill shallow libraries(cough cough Xbox) Working in management at a Software ETC. for over a year and still talking to my friends who still work there............the news on the streets is that people aren't happy with what is out there right now.....many returns overall dissatification........I just wanted to know if anyone else saw it like me or completely disagree. This topic is important to me, and I dont want to beat a dead horse. :)

[Captain Wrong]

I too think there's too many games. Well, let me rephrase that...there's too many ME TOO games out there. That's the problem. I think the market can support diversity, but it just seems like too much of what's out there is the same crap with a new coat of paint.

I also think everyone trying to turn every game in to a yearly updated franchise is going to have to slow down. Sports games can get away with it, but is the market really going to support a yearly Tony Hawk of GTA update forever? Personally, I don't think so. I think people are going to get tired of the franchises eventually and want something new instead.

I have to agree with those who see a leveling off in the market. I don't think there is going to be a crash, but I think with in the next 3-5 years, you're going to see more big publishers gobbling up smaller ones, or more smaller ones just leaving the market period. There just isn't the room for so many games that are similar, and the big guys are going to win out there.

One thing though that I would be interested in seeing how it affects the market is if all these rumblings about next gen systems being around the corner are true. I don't think the world is ready for the PS3 yet, and I think to bring it out in the next couple of years would be a mistake. We may be seeing the end of the "new hardware every 5 years" cycle, because the technology is reaching the point of diminishing returns. Just a thought there.

[Sylentwulf]

In regards to the "can't get better than the sound we have now" comment.... I think I've only seen 5-10 games in the past YEAR that support surround sound, and I think all of them have been on the gamecube, which doesn't even have an optical out. We can go a lot further on sound, I assure you.

[wberdan]

In regards to the "can't get better than the sound we have now" comment.... I think I've only seen 5-10 games in the past YEAR that support surround sound, and I think all of them have been on the gamecube, which doesn't even have an optical out. We can go a lot further on sound, I assure you.


every xbox game ive ever seen was output in dolby digital 5.1 surround.
trust me, there is much room for improvment in sound and in graphics and in video quality.. ]

willie

[ianoid]

Much as there are technical improvements, the improvements I think that will really matter will be in the development realm. Giving game designers free reign to pursue novel ideas will result in the next revolution in gaming, or at least the next staple of styles- as arose from pong games, maze games, platform games, puzzlers, fighting games, first person shooters, 3rd person adventures, MMOGs... What will be next?

And do you actually think it will require more techincal sophistication? I doubt it. Having a larger scope can be interesting, but not necessary.

Although some elements of online could be interesting, I don't think it online has been utilzed well for the casual (read: occasional) gamer. Broadband required makes it far more feasable to consistently do online. Yeah Xbox live. Whatever.

To stick to the topic, I don't think we're peaking. I think the cycles of gaming's popularity have ended and it will integrate itself into popular culture and the media like music, TV, and movies have. Gaming's here to stay.