video games are dying

[Papercut]

uk developers are going out of business with alarming regularity.

ea is the most successful global publisher of video games.

sega are talking about wanting to be the new ea.

the arcade industry is at deaths door.

the best selling title this christmas will probably be harry potter or gta double pack.

we will probably never see a shenmue III.

nintendo are treading water, the gamecube is still born.

the n-gage will probably do well despite being ****.

online gaming hasn't gone anywhere since counter strike and pso.

sony are the most successful console manufacturer.

sony block the release of metal slug 3 in the states.

sega have pimped their back catalog to a third party to make ends meet.

the psp will destroy the gameboy.

we will probably never see a Rez 2.

being a video games fan is still a social stigma.

the best hope for future innovation lies with microsoft.

namco are nothing.

most ps2 owners buy whatever sony tells them to.

the dreamcast died.

the best games of the last 12 months have been inferior rehashes.

[Brats]

Naaaaaahhh....

[Wools]

Bah. To all of it.

We've been through so much of this **** in the past couple of years that ive learned to ignore all of the cynical and depressed gamers out there.

Have I been a little bit disapointed as a gamer throughout my life? Of course I have but it's got to a stage now where people are damning everything for anything.

There's originality, greatness, hope and a little bit of worry out there too.

Just go with the flow.

[Max M]

Oh god.

[Razz]

uk developers are going out of business with alarming regularity.
It's because they make bad games mostly. Not the only reason, but comparing JP to western devs, there is very little competition.

ea is the most successful global publisher of video games.
Everywhere but Japan. They aren't killing the gaming industry though, they are getting average casuals to buy games, therefore keeping the indursty alive, in a way.

sega are talking about wanting to be the new ea.
Better to be EA than being nothing at all. At least EA pump out sales. Sega these days don't give quality or sales (except a few games)

the arcade industry is at deaths door.
Whose fault is that? The console owner or the arcade gamer? Sega/Namco etc release arcade games quickly followed by a console port. What's the point in inserting a credit when you can have infinite at home? One reason why OutRun 2/Virtua Cop 3 aren't being ported.

the best selling title this christmas will probably be harry potter or gta double pack.
That's the western market for you.

we will probably never see a shenmue III.
Sega's fault for relying on Xbox Shenmue 2's sales. Clearly it'd accomplish more mainstream on the PS2 market.

nintendo are treading water, the gamecube is still born.
By genre, GCN's games fall short compared to the PS2's. Nintendo need a change in attitude towards today's gaming market.

the n-gage will probably do well despite being ****.
Define "well". If it's going to do "well" it'll have to sell millions and millions, not only on hardware, but software. The GBA is a mammoth because it appeals to everyone. the n-gage appeals to those who upgrade their Nokia phones everyday. This'll prolly end up next to the Atari Lynx...I hope.

online gaming hasn't gone anywhere since counter strike and pso.
I don't think so. Online gaming hasn't even kicked off yet. Stuff like GT4, FFXI, PGR2, Monster Hunter etc will be great. Once the next gen consoles are released, online gaming will truly begin, from day 1.

sony are the most successful console manufacturer.
And deservedly so. If Sony didn't give Sega and Nintendo a slap up the arse, we'd probably be forced to buy expensive cartridge games which take 5 years to develop. Oh and all of them featuring Pikachu!

sony block the release of metal slug 3 in the states.
Yes, that's a shame

sega have pimped their back catalog to a third party to make ends meet.
Is this a bad thing? Sega Ages doesnt interest me, but I don't object to classic game releases as long as they are priced right, and perfect conversions.

the psp will destroy the gameboy.
Amen. It's about time Sony had the same impact on the handheld market as they did back when the PSone was released. I'm ****ing TIRED of constant under-powered nes/snes ports. Nintendo aren't doing anything new in this market, and yet they perform really well. If you see Sony as the demons of the console market, I see Nintendo as the ****wits of the handheld market.

we will probably never see a Rez 2.
Says who? Mizuguchi(sp?) is now no longer part of Sega. What's to stop him from creating Rez 2? Or something very similar? There was no way Sega would've allowed him to create Rez 2 when his team was joined with Sonic Team's. Yuji Naka is only interested in Sonic, PSO and Miyamoto cock sucking.

being a video games fan is still a social stigma.
Meh.

the best hope for future innovation lies with microsoft.
If you say so lol. I haven't been innovated by MS.

namco are nothing.
They are suffering Sega's illness, but they have franchises which they could do so much with. The Ace Combat series is getting a new instalment, which I can't wait for. Sadly, they were on crack when they agreed upon R:R evolution. There's still time for Namco.

most ps2 owners buy whatever sony tells them to.
Probably, but doesn't do us much harm to be honest.

the dreamcast died.

THANK ****!

DC died because of arcade ports, horrible third party games (Capcom supported them well but most of their games were average to say the least), no killer RPGs (why didnt they update Phantasy Star and Shining Force?) so it did badly in Japan, unlike it's predecessor which did exactly the opposite sales wise world wide.

[wod]

all of that is so true, i aint bought a game in months cause its all ****e thats out

[Papercut]

We've been through so much of this **** in the past couple of years that ive learned to ignore all of the cynical and depressed gamers out there.

Don't count me amongst that group, I rarely criticise anything. I damned the nay sayers back then too, but I really feel video game failures have reached a critical mass.

I love games, and always will, but have felt much dissapointment in the last 12 months. I don't blame the developers, or even ea.

These points reflect only the decisions of people who buy video games today.

Its interesting that Razz seems to agree with most of those points but doesn't see them as a problem.

[Rabasaurus]

Video games arent dying, they are CHANGING. People have changed. Technologhy has changed. The market has changed. It is enevitable that the actual games and developers would have to change.

[Brats]

We've been through so much of this **** in the past couple of years that ive learned to ignore all of the cynical and depressed gamers out there.

Don't count me amongst that group, I rarely criticise anything. I damned the nay sayers back then too, but I really feel video game failures have reached a critical mass.

I love games, and always will, but have felt much dissapointment in the last 12 months. I don't blame the developers, or even ea.

These points reflect only the decisions of people who buy video games today.

Its interesting that Razz seems to agree with most of those points but doesn't see them as a problem.

I thought you were taking the piss .

I haven't got a problem. KOTOR was magical despite Razz's daft suggestion that the West can't do anything to equal Japan. The shmup has seen a classy resurgence of late, we've had the best fighter ever to grace a console in the shape of VF4 Evo and I'm still loving Burnout 2 (Trying to increase me world rankings as we speak ).

Online is groovy atm. There's about two tons of good **** coming out on Live over the next two months. I'm gonna be a busy boy .

Think what people felt like when the big crash came along. Stop moaning you old git .

[Papercut]

I thought you were taking the piss

I don't fully believe in the sentiment behind this thread, but I do feel each of those statements is true.

If you accept those points, then it seems video games are dying. I'm really not sure either way.

I agree its more of a change than a death, but I don't know what video games are changing into.

The big crash never really affected the uk though did it? We were all busy playing Sabre Wulf and Thing on a Spring when the 2600 died.

[C']

we will probably never see a Rez 2.

Still, every cloud... and all that

[2097]

There seems to be a lot of slow shifting going on but then there always has.. the games industry is growing up and going through its puberty. How it is now it cant stay.

Games have got to or are close to a crossroads where there is the oppertunity to really change and bring everything to a whole new level in terms of professionalism, attitude and appeal. Different companies are going for it some are failing some arent.. some are just plodding along as usual and failing or not failing..

A lot of UK companies are going down the drain because the market is saturated. A lot of these companies turned to just churing out crap souless rentaware, which either hasnt worked and theyve run into trouble or theyve done well by short term fluke, over expanded, and driven someone else out of business with their own potentual demise further down the road.

The sorts of people buying the drivel from these rent-a-developers are tightening strings.. Acclaim the main source are going through major problems because the general public have got to a stage where "they can see through this ****".. likewise with BAM, 3DO etc.. there is less of a market for the rentaware stuff so thats putting presure on it too..

If the games industry did suddenly collapse I dont think it would go away, we would always have the independent/homebrew scene and however small the market there would still be companies out there making games.

We still have all the brilliant stuff that has been created and the potentually great stuff currently in development.. not to mention all the potentually even better new level of existence stuff we may be getting in the future..

[Brats]

If you accept those points, then it seems video games are dying. I'm really not sure either way.

I agree with most of those points, but someone else said they signify change more than anything else. The one point I don't agree with is the last one, which is the most significant one.

Also, moaning about the number of sequels around is at odds with crying over the loss of Rez 2 or Shenmue 3, isn't it? Maybe Mizuguchi and Suzuki will create something new for their next projects?

[taurusnipple]

I don't think gaming is that bad at the moment, at least for me. I've got done with F-ZERO now and that lasted me ages (though I still play it) also Viewtiful Joe I just got (US) which I dont consider a re-hash at all. While I don't bother with XBOX online play I still have loads of fun with a reaquired Halo. I have to say I am worried about the effect the PSP is going to have on Nintendo though.

[nips]

I'm in the middle of a gaming aphex. I'm really happy at the moment. I've just been playing through Star Wars KotOR, just completed Halo on Legendary, I got my US/JAP GC on Friday and get F-Zero GX tomorrow.

I'm loving games atm, and if that continues, then I'm more than happy. Certain developers will die, Nintendo should float due to the niche market of 'hardcore', and should the market 'crash' hopefully only good games will be created... atleast for a while.

I'm happy now, and I don't care what anyone says!