Like letting a genie out of the bottle, it seems the march of gaming technology is unstoppable. In its wake, we have vastly improved graphics, effects, and huge worlds in which to explore. Gamers are logging in to meet, trade with, or shoot up other players from right across the globe. However, despite all of these advantages, there is one thing old-school gamers solely miss. There just doesn’t seem to be the legendary games that existed in the past.
What do mean by that? Back in the good old days, there was a much smaller pool of games to choose. No smartphones, no apps, and few consoles. From the available titles, legends would arise. These were games that everyone seemed to be playing pragmatic play and was all gamers would talk about at work or school – how far they’d got, sharing tips, tricks, and whenever possible the cheat codes. Classics of the past included:
- Mortal Kombat
- Prince of Persia
- Tomb Raider
- Monkey Island 2
- Mario
Are there too many games being made?
These days the frequency with which games are released, combined with the sheer number has diluted the power of ‘legendary’ games. This phenomenon exists in all areas of gaming, from downloadable apps to store-bought games, to the crowded shelves of online casinos. Developers like Play’n GO, for example, have a schedule of 52 games per year. That’s one a week; there isn’t enough time for games to make a big impression before the next one is released.
Legends do exist of course, but they are not so widespread, nor do they stick around for as long. And it’s not just gamers which have taken notice. This issue has caught the attention of games developers, and some are worried.
An unpredictable market
One major issue facing studios now is that even pouring massive amounts of money into a game does not guarantee it a success. Okay, it never really did, but the problem is far starker now than it was even 5-10 years ago. Mike Capps, ex-executive at Epic Games had this to say
– someone gave me $30 million or whatever it would take or $5 million to build an amazing mobile game and said go, I couldn’t guarantee you a hit. I couldn’t even guarantee you a 10 percent chance of a hit anymore. It’s so hard, and it’s so luck-based at this point.’
He points to the success of games like Crossy Road which no one could have predicted. As such, many developers turn to a quantity over quality approach. If a cheap game can top the charts, why take the risk of spending millions on an amazing game which could flop?
Now the good news
It seems the reason we don’t have the legendary games of the past is more a logistical issue than a quality one. Is that really a major problem, though? Unpredictability may be an issue for developers, but gamers are experiencing a golden age of entertainment. The range, depth, and choice of games, from consoles, desktop, mobile, and online gambling are staggering. Legends are still there; they are just more localised. Amidst the sea of games, there are plenty of gems to discover.
