MO SADEK
Staff Writer
There was a time when being a gamer was easy. Look back at the Nintendo 64. You would buy one game, shove it in the console, make sure all your video cables and wires were plugged into the right place, add a controller and you were bound to have a good time. Sure, sometimes the game might not work the first time, but nothing a quick blow in the cartridge couldn’t fix. Even now, gamers everywhere treasure the Nintendo 64 and its predecessors for its simplicity and entertainment value. However, the once pure waters of video games have been poisoned by generations of corporate greed and unimaginative development among other external pressures that have brought about a decline in the gaming.
1. Sequels
Imagine if the Harry Potter series abruptly ended after the first book. It would leave thousands of fans in shambles in a similar fashion as Firefly. Games are no exceptions. In the world of games, sequels are developed to either continue a story or expand on a game’s universe. When executed properly, sequels are a great way for game developers to connect with and establish their fanbase. Some really great games don’t even need sequels and it’s more rewarding to have these games rest in peace, but for others, “quality, not quantity” doesn’t mean a thing.
Ask Ubisoft how the Assassin’s Creed series is going. With nine main games, one remake, and thirteen handheld and mobile spin-offs, the Assassin’s Creed series takes the cake for trying to keep a dead story alive. Publisher Ubisoft had a strong start with the first three games in the series but for some reason continued to go on after the protagonist’s death. With more plot twists than an M. Night Shyamalan movie, the Assassin’s Creed series is past due for a finale.
Games like Shadow of the Colossus and Cave Story are just two great example of games that were able to deliver stories that gave games closure and the happiness that followed. Having 23 games in a single series and leaving an audience in story limbo isn’t a precursor for genius, but a definite sign of desperation. Then again, Assassin’s Creed isn’t the only perpetrator of recycling mechanics and rebranding the same game *cough cough Call of Duty cough cough*.
Pressure to Pre-Order
DLCs
With the growing power of technology, games became more advanced — online features were implemented more efficiently and game worlds became dense spaces with immense detail. In some cases, game developers would release free DLC, or downloadable content, further increasing their intrinsic value.With these tremendous strides, it seemed like the world was destined for a second golden age for gaming, however, corporate greed poisoned the pure waters of gaming.
In order to maximize profits, many companies have found ways to split DLCs into many small additions that add very little content. In some cases, these pieces are not required to complete the story mode of a game, but are necessary to experience a game in its entirety. For example, the various installments in the Borderlands series are mainly composed of DLC. While you can beat the main campaign with just the base game, the DLC add more areas and items that attribute to a large part of the game’s essence.
“Pay-to-Win” and Microtransactions
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