posted 11-07-03 02:33 AM EDT (US)
The Activision President had this little ditty to say: "The video game market is increasingly dominated by high-quality products based on recognizable franchises supported with big marketing programs. We have decided to take steps to align our business with the continuing evolution of the video game market." Do you know what the real problem is? High-budget games with bad game design. Everyone wants all this "eye candy" because it sells. People see something beautiful and figure the inside is just as, or nearly so. I am willing to bet that the majority of game companies out there have a staff that looks something like this: 60% Artists Now, mind you, 10% designers is not bad as long as you have people who can actually design a fun game. My point is, graphics and technology have become such a focus for game companies that fun gameplay is no longer top priority. My opinion from what Activision said in that statement is that they are going to focus tightly on a smaller group of games, make sure those companies make the graphics top-of-the-line and then market the hell out of them. Marketing is where its at. If you have 5 games you need to market, and not 15, you can REALLY market those 5 games. Just look at that Matrix game. Review-wise it was a failure, but it sold millions of copies due to massive marketing and (smart) marketing due to its release days before the 2nd Matrix movie came out. Who gives a crap about gameplay, right? Let me ask you a question and see what you answer. Would you knowingly rush out a crappy game if you knew it would sell millions? Or would you try to be original and make your own game that might totally flop, or could be another gaming classic? Would you go for the sure thing, or take the gamble? And why did Activision report such a loss? Who knows. Bad marketing? Bad games? Is it that the average game costs so much more to make now than a game in the early to mid nineties, because of the over-reliance on flashy graphics? That's my opinion. Take it or leave it. You can't make money if every game company under you is dumping millions into their staff to make pretty graphics, but crappy gameplay. Unless...of course, you hype it up and market the hell out of it. Get ready for the new age of gaming, everyone!
30% Programmers
10% Designers
