The E3 of Disillusion

[Sketcz]

Excellent article on Gamasutra detailing the decline of gaming as highlighted by E3 2012. I can't help but agree. Triple-A gaming has de-evolved into an unintelligent mess of lowest-common-denominator pandering.

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/172088/

E3 2012 was finally the E3 of my disillusionment with the so-called triple-A video game industry. And yes, it really did take this long.

Your thoughts?

[teddymeow]

I haven't read the article (im at work) but the quote is enough for me to kind of agree with.

In past years I've stayed up, watched the press conferences, got psyched about all the games coming soon and generally felt good about my hobby.

This year, for whatever reason, I watched no press conferences, only have a handful of games im looking forward to and am filled with a sense of "meh" about the whole thing.

Maybe im growing up?! <sob>

[Nu-Eclipse]

I haven't read the article (im at work) but the quote is enough for me to kind of agree with.

In past years I've stayed up, watched the press conferences, got psyched about all the games coming soon and generally felt good about my hobby.

This year, for whatever reason, I watched no press conferences, only have a handful of games im looking forward to and am filled with a sense of "meh" about the whole thing.

Maybe im growing up?! <sob>

+1

[charlesr]

Part of the attraction of E3 used be the big reveals. Game after game would be announced and you'd get excited in the conferences.

Now reveals are being done in other ways. For example facebook pages with "We will be announcing something tomorrow if enough people like this announcement" followed by "The announcement is that in 20 days we are announcing a huge new game" followed by "Here's a teaser trailer that doesn't even tell you what the game is" followed by "It's an expansion pack for Sims" (which game website X already leaked news of already).

It's a different world. Lots of exciting games coming out, but the news doesn't happen at E3.

[Brad]

E3 highlighted what we all knew. Big publishers have been bought by even bigger publishers and now everyone wants to make the next COD rather than trying to make a good game and letting its quality sell it.

The choice that pc gaming offers is where I'm currently seeking refuge.

[charlesr]

Part of the attraction of E3 used to be the big reveals. Game after game would be announced and you'd get excited in the conferences.

Now reveals are being done in other ways. For example facebook pages with "We will be announcing something tomorrow if enough people like this announcement" followed by "The announcement is that in 20 days we are announcing a huge new game" followed by "Here's a teaser trailer that doesn't even tell you what the game is" followed by "It's an expansion pack for Sims" (which game website X already leaked news of already).

It's a different world. Lots of exciting games coming out, but the news doesn't happen at E3.

I read the article: The obsession with violence has been there since the beginning. It has always been about defeating the baddies and saving the princess / day. It has now got to the point where it looks real though. What gets me more is that any slight hint of sex and it's a game that must be ripped off the shelves. And yet sex is great and doesn't harm anyone, whereas shooting people in the face is illegal, as is jumping on animals to kill them Mario, and tut tut at Link smashing everyone's **** up to find their rupees....

[Sketcz]

I'm reminded of an E3 from a couple of years ago where they had an image from three FPS, including Killzone 3, and all three images looked exactly the same.

Part of the attraction of E3 used to be the big reveals. Game after game would be announced and you'd get excited in the conferences.

I went through some old mags of mine from over the years, and the older game shows really did have some exciting content. Blame the internet?

[Spatial]

Maybe im growing up?! <sob>

If you are, then I am too.

I did exactly the same thing this year. I used to soak up all the footage, watch all the interviews etc. This year I watched the main conferences (and bugger staying up late to be disappointed) and that's really been it.

Sure, there are things to look forward to (RE6, new Splinter Cell, Watch_Dogs, A), but they're just that - things way down the road to look forward to. I haven't really seen anything to get me excited like previous years and as the years have gone by, all the companies seem to have lost the ability to excite because in many ways they've lacked a clear focus.

I won't bleat on about how people are more than ready for next gen as I've done that enough, but I do think that E3 has now become some sort of self-aware event that isn't really fun to watch any more (and as Charles said, it just gets swallowed up in the usual `announcement of an announcement coming in 20 days` style nonsense).

Perhaps I am getting old, but I have more things to occupy my time now instead of hanging on for developers or publishers to make an announcement of an announcement. That's just lazy PR - if you have something to say, then say it. If it's any good then your product will build up hype when you show it off. But then I suspect that's the problem, half the stuff it `meh` or a clone of something that's come before, and they're all reading from the same `PR for Dummies` book to try and generate interest.

E3 has always been a reflection of what the games industry is doing at the time, and this year more than ever it's been a window into the state of the industry today. Part of me can't quit help but wonder if some of what we're seeing is down to the economic mess at the moment - gaming's been around in global recessions before, but it was never at the point where it was a multimillion industry (where the cost of developing games is now phenomenal). Perhaps that's why all the trepidation of going next-gen? Perhaps that's why sequelitius seems to be at an all time high.

I think long time gamers have to accept that this is what their hobby is now - it's become big business and this is how a money spinner is treated in the modern age. In a way it's sad, but in many ways it's even worse for the kids growing up now and following the industry thinking this is how it always was ("oooh a teaser for a teaser! Did you see that 10 seconds of a sine wave and some green text!??! I'm so HYPED!").

Always easy to be cynical I guess, but again, it's reassuring that it's not just me out there that feels this way about the state of things generally.

[charlesr]

lol @ green sine wave.... and some while I'm at it.

[Daragon]

I'm reminded of an E3 from a couple of years ago where they had an image from three FPS, including Killzone 3, and all three images looked exactly the same.





I went through some old mags of mine from over the years, and the older game shows really did have some exciting content. Blame the internet?

So, a bit of blood, a bit more blood and then finally.....STRAWBERRY FRIGGIN' JAM!

[Baseley09]

Worst one i can recall, even the new system showing was bland, sony and microsoft had nothing i can even remember.

[Fader209]

This has been the first E3 that I have watched along with other people (you guys) and enjoyed the banter on here as the disappoints stacked up.
Comparing to other years this is easily the worst show I have seen with only a few new games being announced that we didn't already know about. There isn't enough for me to get excited about for the future right now with everything being years down the line before I get interested - WiiU needs more games being the main concern.

[cutmymilk]

I agree. About 3 games in all. I didn't get to watch live as usual but have now caught up.

Still, looks like a cheap year ahead where I can buy older titles that I have missed.

[gIzzE]

His comments are absolutely, bang on.

the world's biggest video game publishers made clear at whom they would direct hundreds of millions of dollars of investment: Bloodthirsty, sex-starved teen males who'll high-five at a headshot and a free T-shirt.

And if anyone tells me video games don't effect the way people behave and change their perception of what's cool then all I can say is you're a ****in' moron!!


Games for me used to be about getting home and flopping into a world of fun and colour, being in my own little fantasy world, and smiling at every new level. These days you have to get your kicks from blowing the side of some ones ****in' face off, or chopping up people with a chainsaw.

AAA games are ****e, they should be helping to shape our future, and they are, but not in a good way.

[averybluemonkey]

Except that all 3 of those games play completely differently to each other and the only similarities are superficial...

I agree about the pandering to the lowest common denominator issue but I'd argue that Killzone and Medal of Honor are perfect examples of that not happening. I'd say the main culprits for that these days aren't FPS games (barring the Modern Warfare franchise) at all but the Assassin's Creed series and the Tom Clancy games.