Game industry too corporate

I just like to play games and don't know much about the business behind it so correct me if I'm wrong.

After reading different articles about how mass effect 3 is being delayed so it can be changed to appeal to a "mass" market I feel that publishers are taking away the creativeness of the industry just to capitalize on sales. I like the rpg-ish slow pace feel to the shooting mechanics and now they may make fast like gears. I also read about Inafune and how when he used to work for capcom they forbade him to make nothing but sequels.( http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=157663 )

I don't know if it has always been this way, what do you think?

If a game like ME doesn't have the potential for massive sales the team behind it won't get the funding to hire great writers and voice actors or to make incredible graphics.

If a game like ME doesn't have the potential for massive sales the team behind it won't get the funding to hire great writers and voice actors or to make incredible graphics.

SuperVegeta518

The series, and I'm positive the final sequel as well, has more than enough potential for massive sales. The big issue is that corporate types use the argument at times to drastically simplify or "dumb down" a game's story or mechanics to make a few extra bucks here and there when the game would've been a huge success as it was.

If the issue was about being sure the product would break even, thenit wouldn't be a huge problem for many people like myself. After all, the publisher can't survive if it's publishing games at a loss. However, whenpublishers hinder developers to the point that the quality of the finished product suffers just sothey can real in even more moneyon top of analready huge pot, they're actionscan't be reasonably justified.

to answer the TC's question. I think it's been this way since gaming became an industry, but it's def getting worse with all the money that goes into making games nowadays.

I just like to play games and don't know much about the business behind it so correct me if I'm wrong.

After reading different articles about how mass effect 3 is being delayed so it can be changed to appeal to a "mass" market I feel that publishers are taking away the creativeness of the industry just to capitalize on sales. I like the rpg-ish slow pace feel to the shooting mechanics and now they may make fast like gears. I also read about Inafune and how when he used to work for capcom they forbade him to make nothing but sequels.( http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=157663 )

I don't know if it has always been this way, what do you think?

Ghost120x

*Shakes head* Why blame the publishers? Developers like money too. Bioware has been aiming for the mass market since Jade Empire (the point at which they started aping the gameplay of popular action games) and I've never read a hint that Bioware's game designs are something forced on it by publishers.

Capcom's focus on sequels kind of sucks, but one should probably blame consumersmore than anything. In the game industry a lot more people care about franchises than care about the people behind the games, so original games are extremely risky, even if they are developed by a creator whose games are massively popular.

Lots of creators probably like to complain about producers, but its not the money of creators at risk. Taking risks with other people's money (or even losing it) is easier than losing one's own). A ****c case is Shinji Mikami, a talented creator who felt such intense admiration for Miyamoto that he decided to make five exclusive games for the GC. The GC audience never accepted his games to the extend the PS2 audience did, but Mikami didn't care, because it wasn't his money being lost. A shareholder (you know, the people who paid for Mikami's nuttiness) revolt eventually ended the deal.

how mass effect 3 is being delayed so it can be changed to appeal to a "mass" market

Ghost120x

Badum tish!

but seriously, folks, it's called an industry for a reason. There are people who still make new, innovative stuff (go away, Nintendo, I'm not talking about you. Not anymore), but the sad fact is that a lot of companies are being forced to appeal to the mass market in order to stay afloat. Activision, however, is just evil. I love Dan Americh, but I hate the company he works for.

This is why I'm such a big fan of Nintendo. They are the only real game company out there. They throw a curveball here and there, but they produce the best games.

Nice discussion guys I guess it's only gonna get worse when next gen rolls around. Also like carnageheart said it may be the developers that want to change their games as well.Even nintendo, as much as I enjoy their games but I guess its my fault for the constant remakes ect (ocarina of time 3d ftw)

I hope nintendo makes some new Ip's and actually bring them to the US.

This is why I'm such a big fan of Nintendo. They are the only real game company out there. They throw a curveball here and there, but they produce the best games.

Heirren

Video games are just becoming to big for their own good. It just costs so much money to make games these days they have to sell a ton of copies to make a profit. Socom was killed as far as im concerned becuase the developers tried to apeal to a larger audeince. Same thing with resistance 2 the first one was great but they tried to add a bunch of crap that wasnt needed. We have also seen a ton of sequals becuase developers cant afford to take risks on new ips.I just hope next gen consoles dont come to soon or it could have a huge effect on the industry. Games cost to much to make these days and we are losing originality in games.

That's just what happens when the videogame scene becomes a multi-million dollar industry. You need to focus on making returns on your games when you work for a big-name developer/publisher, especially since games are becoming more and more expensive to produce (it costs a few hundred million to produce a single game nowadays, I believe). There are occasional cases of creative freedom that seep through, of course, but that's only possible because of the returns made on more mainstream games. The industry wouldn't be able to sustain itself if it weren't appealing to the market's wants.

I'll admit that the obsessive focus on sequels and the like is a shame -- not that there's anything wrong with sequels -- but that's simply the only way the industry can sustain itself. Besides. the indie scene is exploding with creative forces. If the big-name developers aren't satisfying your need for innovation and creativity, then you can always turn to indie titles. You can always count on them to do something new and unexpected.

That's just what happens when the videogame scene becomes a multi-million dollar industry. You need to focus on making returns on your games when you work for a big-name developer/publisher, especially since games are becoming more and more expensive to produce (it costs a few hundred million to produce a single game nowadays, I believe). There are occasional cases of creative freedom that seep through, of course, but that's only possible because of the returns made on more mainstream games. The industry wouldn't be able to sustain itself if it weren't appealing to the market's wants.

I'll admit that the obsessive focus on sequels and the like is a shame -- not that there's anything wrong with sequels -- but that's simply the only way the industry can sustain itself. Besides. the indie scene is exploding with creative forces. If the big-name developers aren't satisfying your need for innovation and creativity, then you can always turn to indie titles. You can always count on them to do something new and unexpected.

c_rake

According to a survey conducted last year $18-28 million is the range most game budgets fall into, though single platform games only averages $10,000,000 (though God of War 3's budget was $44 million and GT5's was $60 million so even single platform games can cost a pretty penny if no expense is spared).

I'm not surprised that going multiplat greatly increases a game's budget. Developers have gotten good at making the end results look similar, but by all accounts the PS3 and X360 work in very different ways.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/33625/Study-Average-dev-cost-as-high-as-28m