These guys...
Now, that doesn't stop me from believing what I do, but it's frustrating. Obviously, Christians aren't the only people with this problem. Just take a trip to the airport and watch who gets randomly selected for extra security screening. I know it seems like I'm off topic, but don't worry, this article is about video games. You see the point of all this witty banter is to drive home the point that the company you keep can define you, for better or worse. That is why a group of people is often forced to defend against the actions of a few.
Here comes the point. I feel the same way about identifying myself as a "gamer" (argument for use of the term at all aside). I read and/or watch just about every review and article I can and I'm finding more often than not the people who "represent us" seem to be doing a poor job. Look around you take stock, the voices that represent us are: self entitled, whiny, bitter, and nostalgic to the point of ignorance. I would add "alarmist" to the list, but this article seems a bit-o-that so I think I'll lay off.
I honestly think that the problem is most people can't take a step back and look at gaming as a whole. It shouldn't be hard, but apparently it is. Think about it, video games have only been around for about 30 years. It's still a young medium (that has nothing to with artistic value, mind) and as such it seems like nonsense to be predicting the downfall of it. I suppose the majority of this has to do with the internet, now more than ever any person can work their way to fame and notoriety through fear and alarm (See: Glenn Beck). Gamers are not immune to this, far from it. It's tough to get noticed when all you do is enjoy games, but show them a little tough love, or seething hatred rather, and you're in like Flynn. That, in turn, leads to whining and moaning about every military FPS, and talking about how publishers are ruining games.
Newsflash: Gaming has always been like this. We used to be inundated with side scrollers, then technology changed and along came the "3d" platformer. There will always be popular genres, just because there are many games in one style does not mean that gaming has some how reached the end of its life. The things about trends is that they spawn imitators, it's kind of what makes them trends. It's just growing pains. There is not a lack of creativity, in fact as gaming continues to grow I believe developers will grow with it. Just like art, just like literature, just like film. David Jaffe says that journalists need to push developers. I say; push yourself Jaffe, off a cliff preferably (I kid... I kid). Do you think 'To Kill a Mockingbird' was written because Harper Lee was under intense scrutiny from her readers and the press, or because she wanted to tell a story. Take your best guess.
Pressure from outside sources isn't what we need. Just let people make the games they want to. Technology is becoming more accessible every day. True, the smaller indie studios might not have the budgets of the big publishers (though some certainly do) but at that point you're splitting hairs. Do you want a developers vision or a multi-million dollar blockbuster? They might not be one and the same for some time, but for the time being just play the one you want. Lucky me, I enjoy both.
There will always be bad games, games that are made for the purpose of making money (which isn't inherently a bad thing), and games that are just okay. The existence of these games is not bad for the industry. If anything they can be used as lessons for what not to do. Good developers are constantly learning. It doesn't matter how far ahead you look to the future, there will always be those meh games. How can I be so certain of this? Easy, we've been writing for over 2500 years and we still manage to churn out crap. The only choice you have with par games is whether or not you play them (and through extension, whether or not you complain about them). Every game can't be tailor made for your tastes, stop being so self entitled. Seriously, stop it.
Video games make money, so they will attract people that just want to make money. However, it also is a valid artistic expression, so it will also bring in people who genuinely want to express a vision. There will never be a singularity that leads to a gaming utopia where every game is as awesome as Bioshock. A great example of that is the fact that not everyone loved Bioshock. Gaming will change, but not in the drastic (and alarmist) ways that people fear and blog about. The Wii didn't do it, nor will the Wii U obviously. So please don't worry fellow nerds, our beloved hobby is here to stay. So to recap; will you be able to recognize gaming in 30, 40, or 50 years? Well, the answer is YES, and no, but don't forget the first part is yes, so please stop whining.
"The PS Vita is just an iphone"
Boy, that was a little angrier than I thought... So am I famous yet?
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