No Money For Anything But Sequels In The Video Game World

from the opportunities... dept

Last month, we wrote about how video games were getting so expensive, that almost all of the focus was on sequels and movie tie-ins. Now, the NY Times is running an almost identical article noting that 8 out of the 10 top video games are sequels. Of course, what they forget to note is that many of these are sports titles, where "sequel" isn't entirely accurate, as each game releases an updated version with updated stats and a few additional features each year. Still, the end result is the same as was described in the original article: independent developers working on new types of games can't get any attention from publishers. Lots of blame is thrown around, from the expense of producing the games, to the hiring of "consumer products" people at the publishers, to the end-of-life-cycle for current gaming consoles. Of course, it seems like there are a few simple ways to deal with this issue: first, the console makers need to make it easier for independent developers to create games for their consoles, and, since there seems to be a gap in the market, a smart (or new) publisher should try to make a name for itself publishing independent games. While the article complains that a "Blair Witch" style video game success is almost impossible in the video gaming world, they forget that it's also almost impossible in the movie world as well. Very few indie films become successful, but there are still movie distributors focused on indie films. Perhaps the gaming industry needs the equivalent.