GAMERS UNITE ARTICLE #1: I CALL FOR THE END

[J2games]

Check out the first of the Gamers Unite! articles, we promised something different and Rob's first article is definitely that!

http://www.j2games.com/new/forum.php....msg194#msg194

[s1lence]

Wow!!! I agree, something has to change badly in the industry. Inovation is needed badly and EA is one of the larger offenders of the problem. Playstation Magazine has an article about EA this month questioning them about what they are going to the marketplace. Every answer was basically a denial position most likely because of the large revenue that they report every quarter. Gaming isn't what it used to be.

[lendelin]

How should I describe this article diplomatically? It is elistist, dumb, short-sighted babble, nothing else.

[J2games]

while working through our new J2 database and loading in box scans for GC, PS2 and Xbox, I couldn't help but notice the number of Movie tie-in games released for the newer systems. And looking through ANY of the gaming magazines the neutral or poor scores they have received. (let's face it, we know movie tie-in games are, generally speaking, some of the poorer titles out there.)

i have to wonder if Rob's opinion didn't have some truth to it. Has big business entered the videogame world the same way it entered the movie industry? Are they shooting for neutrality so to guarantee a title will sell 'XX' amount of units and make 'XX' amount of money, regardless of whether it's a really good title or not? Has it become more about the stock price then about what gamers truely want?

Will we start seeing "indie" game titles, much like "indie" movies, making the bigger splash? Or will the industry settle for mediocrity?

[gepeto]

Very interesting. I agree with alot of what he says. The industry is just crazy the ea article says it all. The company was buying out and running the companies into the ground forcing them to put out sequel after sequel killing the brand.
Ea got so scared at the comp they bought out the nfl license for an outrageous price now they serious bills to pay. they have to break up the football game so you pay more for the product. I think things are so tight at ea its all or nothing now. It time to cut cut cut. The instruction manuals are the industrys worse. They had the nerve to complain about e3 and lead the charge to have it cancelled basically forgetting where you come from. Stating we will save millions.

When all they had to do was put in the proper management and policys to ensure a positive working environment. Ea killed its catalog of games now really has nothing in the kitty thats is original. Ubisoft was copying ea at first but then had to slow down the rereleases.

The funny thing at first ea looked like a juggarnaut ,the industry format to follow. They are making a killing. Follow their stucture. Now it is all collapsing.
It is the industrys way of checks and balances. I am not sure Ea can recover. With each rerelease the numbers drop until you are for to come up with something new.

Look at a few lost franchises.
burnout
tony hawk
Nba live due to poor development
splinter cell
need for speed
def jam
prince of persia

Take away sequels what do you have?


The real shame is simple games can sell if the innovation is there. It think it use to be at least 18 months between
sequels. That is what happens when profit is the bottom line.

[Sothy]

I stopped paying attention after the bitching and moaning about Gamestop selling used games is ripping of Game companies.

Ya I know blah blah People who play Madden are assholes and they arent hardcore like me with my newest import game about a spiky haired kid on a quest for love in the Drazulon empire...

IF thats the way he feels he can quit bitching he wants the game industry to crash to an end and just pretend it did. Dont ever buy another new game and you dont have to worry about it. No more Can Madden and Tony Hawk cause you to claw your eyes out in rage when some of those worthless dumbass casual players talk about the games they like in public as you hold back the urge to scream at them what idiots they are for not purchasing MUKI TOKO HARISHABII which is like totally unique and awesome.

Plus I wont have to read garbage like this again.

[badinsults]

Whoever wrote that is fucking retarded. Do people really care if the New Super Mario Bros is not very innovative? It is selling millions, because people want high quality 2D platform games. If they release more of them, I say, keep them coming. THere are tons of people who *gasp* really enjoy Madden and Tony Hawk games. What kind of asshole are you to say that they should stop selling it. With the advent of the DS for instance, we have been spoiled by many high quality games that have both unique gameplay and established gameplay. If you don't like a particular game, don't freaking buy it, and don't complain when tons of other people do.

[RCM]

I don't think he's saying folks who play Madden are morons or that all new games suck or anything. This passionate rant is howling without any restriction that we need change, something echoed by the development community time and time again.

Of course there's some good stuff coming out and he acknowledges it. I’m sure this will rub some folks the wrong way but if you concentrate on the underlying message he’s spot on.

[s1lence]

Sorry, my WOW was in the amazing anger that blurb was writen, not WOW he is right. I don't want a game crash , but I think that a change is needed.

[zektor]

I don't really know what to make of this. I think the people that know their games, well, know what to buy. I purchased some choice games quite recently, and they are testament that people really do care about what they do. Some new titles are so innovative, and this is a great thing. Sure, there's a whole lot of crap out there (when HASN'T there been?) but I see the few jewels that are released kind of balance it out.

If you are not happy with today's gaming existence, then do not become a part of it, period. Hunt and collect games of yesteryear (I of course do this too) and be happy. Things will never be the same as they were 10, 20 or 30 years ago...and that's life (and >big< money). Same goes for many other things that are not videogames....

[zektor]

I forgot to add that (while I really do not like Gamestop myself) that this comment is just truly retarded. Bottom line is that the games that people trade in did in fact support the developers when they were ORIGINALLY purchased. So, what this article is implying in essence is that the devs should get royalties AGAIN for the RE-SELL of said title? Why not flame the people that sell their used games on ebay for top dollar because of this? Hey, I sold some old Vic-20 Xonox double-enders to DP a long while back for a good buck....guess I should contact Xonox and give them some of that profit, or I may be pegged as a prick!

[kainemaxwell]

The industry needs to change badly and stop putting out cookie cutter games and try for that little thing called innovation again.

[Daria]

We could start brand new again in 5 or 10 years. Let's get rid of the casuals, the non-believers. I understand we'd be losing a few potential hardcore gamers but that's a risk I'm willing to take

I thought gaming was a hobby. Not a god damn religion. What a fucking nutcase.

[Doom Gaze]

I agreed with most of the stuff he had to say.

Video games have been McDonaldized. Whether you want to face this (although not as forcefully as does the writer) or you want to deny it and play Unreal Tournament 2007: retard++ lol editon, you cannot deny that games are not at all what they once were.

Do I hope the industry dies? No, there will eternally be people, for example, who listen to Top 10 radio stuff, just as there are people who faithfully buy Madden and Medal of Duty every year.

As long as there is enough good content for me, I'll continue to enjoy the good stuff and casuals can enjoy the not-so-good stuff.

[LAGO]

Unreal Tournament 2007: retard++ lol editon.

Is this out yet? If not i'm putting in a preorder.

[Push Upstairs]

We could start brand new again in 5 or 10 years. Let's get rid of the casuals, the non-believers. I understand we'd be losing a few potential hardcore gamers but that's a risk I'm willing to take

I thought gaming was a hobby. Not a god damn religion. What a fucking nutcase.

Amen to that!

But this is a hobby and i think there are alot of people out there who take this hobby *WAY* too seriously.



Honestly, i don't even give a shit about rants like that anymore. Rants about "lack of innovation" always seem to come off like "games today suck, there are lots'o sequels and games in the past were better".

And every single time someone bangs those phrases out on thier keyboard I think about those letters in the early 90's EGM magazines where people had the same complaints during "the golden age".


Here is a form for future video game rants, please insert the correct letter to descirbe the particular era you wish to badmouth.

Games today suck, there is nothing but ______ clones.

A. Space Invader
B. Mascot Platformer
C. Vertical shooter
D. Fighting game
E. GTA

I wish companies were more innovative and would quit making clones of the above mentioned game.

[Ze_ro]

The industry needs to change badly and stop putting out cookie cutter games and try for that little thing called innovation again.

In order to get the companies to stop MAKING cookie-cutter games, the consumers have to stop BUYING cookie-cutter games. Sorry guys, but as long as there's profit to be made in movie-to-game conversions, Madden, and Mario tie-ins, the companies will keep making them. Us old-timers may not like it, but obviously there are plenty of people who do, otherwise we wouldn't have to talk about "changing the industry", because the industry would just change on it's own.

I don't understand what the problem is here, really. There are PLENTY of original games. Frankly, there are probably more original games coming out now than there ever were in the early 80's if only because there are just so many games coming out period. Anyone who's on this board has probably been around long enough to know the general rules of how to tell if a game is crap before even buying it, so excersize that skill. Seek out the original stuff and support the companies and developers that create it. You've got the internet at your disposal if you can't figure it out by looking at the screenshots on the boxes. Let the masses have their Madden and their Tom Clancy games, while you go and buy games like Katamari Damacy and Alien Hominid. There's no reason to force your desires on other people who may actually enjoy playing rehashes.

--Zero

[Emuaust]

While I agree with some of the statements, Anit ea and all that trash,
I have One thing to Say,



SOTHY!!!< you are the man,


That is all.

[Sothy]

y thx u

Zero... I liked Alien Hominid.... but cmon as if Alien Hominid is in any way something new or thinking outside the box.

Its fuckin Metal Slug and you godamn well know it is.

[smork]

I think if EA or Bungie or whoever can make games that sell $100 million+ in the first week then they are damn well going to continue to do it, whether any of us like it or not. Why? Because clearly, plenty of people DO like what's being sold.

As far as newer games being shittier than older games -- have you looked at the N64 library? The PS1? Oh, that's when things got bad, homogenized. Really? How about the NES? 2600? Great classics in all those libraries, but also piles and piles of derivative shit.

Where there is quality, there is hack-created drivel. Same in games as in movies, books, music. It's no different now than 20 years ago.