@green_scorpion I'm with ya man, but you know how gamers think...

Gamer A: EA Sucks! They're killin' us with their debilitating DRM, exploitative micro-transactions, and forcing us to pay $60 for roster updates! They are ruining the game industry!

Gamer B: Damn straight!

Gamer C: Ya,we should boycott them!

Gamer A, B, and C: Ya, boycott!

Gamer D: Hey, I just preordered Titanfall, BF 4, and the latest Fifa and Madden!

Gamer A, B, and C: You're late bro! We preordered on Day 1...Titanfall and BF4 look badass! And the new "hyper-dynamic ultra physics realism integrated body simulator engine" would make anyone stupid not to buy the latest Fifa or Madden!

...

Looks like a fun action game (mix of Assassin's Creed and God of War).

Personally was hoping for a return to what made past Final Fantasy games great (...and the reasons VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2, XII each sold over 5 million copies worldwide) with the next numbered release, but based on square's recent redirection for all their IPs into the action genre, was kind of what I was expecting.

This is a prime example of why publishers continue to implement business practices that are unfriendly to the consumer.

In most "normal" markets, a company that abuses its core customers would lose said customers, and unless they changed, may go out of business.

In the "gaming" market, a company that abuses its core customers will see a temporary drop in sales, but still sell millions of copies and see large profits (Simcity, Diablo III, COD treadmill, etc...), providing no reason for them to change.

So no matter how much we may despise these abhorrent business practices, if gamers continue to support them...and buy the oh so shiny games they release...then they will not only continue these practices...but may push further...providing less and less content, while charging more...and further limiting our already limited play options...

From the New York Post article: "...popularity of mobile and casual games...(causing)...Consumers (to) also buy fewer $60 games."

And the reason for this is...not because traditional gamer's are suddenly playing mobile and casual games. It's because we will only shell out $60 for games that are worthwhile, not the ones that publishers like EA release that are the same old, rehashed games and concepts that have been around for the past 20 years.

It has nothing to do with changing tastes and everything to do with businessmen, with little to no experience or understanding of the video game industry, making the decisions, and only funding games that slap a new coat-of-paint on an old game or concept that was previously successful.

If I learned anything in business school, its that a business which refuses to innovate will become stagnate and fall behind the competition, causing profits to suffer and the company to eventually...fail. Why is it so difficult for video game publishers to understand such a simple business concept?

Wow...surprised and very happy. Everything I've heard is that Xillia is one of the best Tales games that have been released in a long time...can't wait to try it after the mediocre experience of Graces f...

The problem arises from what will take consoles place and be able to saturate the market to such an extent that big budget AAA games will still be feasible. Consoles work because they are, for the most part, pretty cheap. But if you think they will be able to match sales by "integrating" streaming abilities into big ticket items...like TV's...then you'll be sadly mistaken.

Also...why does it seem that all these predictions about a streaming future for gaming seem to "forget" that ISP's are moving towards setting lower monthly caps on users? I have trouble staying under mine now with casual video streaming and occasional online gameplay...if I was required to stream games instead of play them from my console I'd hit my cap in a week, if not less...

"The industry is too far balanced towards kids and teenagers. It's too focused on violence," he said

^^This...more developers need to realize that the gaming demographic changed years ago and if they want to make money they need to create interesting, creative, and thoughtful games that do not only rely on violence as the key theme.

Fix the current issues in the industry before concentrating on the next gen of consoles that developers won't be able to exploit for years...