Is the current gaming boom good for gamers?
COVID-19, the only thing we’re currently allowed to talk or think about, has frozen certain sectors of the entertainment industry. Theme parks, cruises, sports — they’re unable to continue until further notice. So, people who normally rely on those activities for recreation are turning to the few things they still can do from the safety of home, gaming among them.
Well-known names like Minecraft and Animal Crossing are experiencing re-awakenings as the people who grew up with them, now young adults with demands on their time, are able to return to their old favorites. Online lobbies for Fifa and NBA 2K have never been this full this long after release.
But we’re also seeing people who have never played video games or haven’t played in years coming in to the fold.
The issue is that the tastes of new gamers is not the same as the more experienced. New money changes the landscape.
Casual gaming saw it’s one of its first booms when the iPhone and iPod touch introduced people who had never owned a console to the entertainment potential of video games. These people weren’t interested in getting highly invested in a world or solving challenging puzzles. Often, they were just looking for a little bit of distraction in the middle of the day. This is what lead to games like Angry Birds to become one of the highest selling video games of all time.
And that wasn’t a bad thing. People have different tastes, preferences and needs.
It’s like how most people don’t want to listen to jazz anymore. Yes, jazz is objectively more complex than modern pop, but that doesn’t make it “better” or “worse.” It’s just different, and the tastes of the general public have changed, leaving jazz behind.
The problem was that publishers learned an unfortunate lesson: there’s more money in catering to people who don’t really care. Games became easier, micro-transactions took over as the primary monetization model and story took a back seat to gimmicks. While the traditional fanbase bickered over the changes to the industry, triple A publishers saw their profits increase. Which, ultimately, was their only goal.
Now, with a new wave of interest in gaming, similar changes are bound to happen. Mainstream games are going to get “worse,” insofar as they are likely going to become simpler, easier and less story-driven. Yes, even worse than they are now.
I don’t like it any more than you do, but it’s the truth. So, I’ve developed a three-part plan to help us all cope.
- Don’t be a jerk
The temptation will be to condescend, to mock, to complain and to express the superiority of our favorites. And that is our right, first amendment and all. But, if we genuinely want people to listen, if we really want to change hearts and minds, we’re going to have to be civil.
If you focus on the joy you gain from the games that you actually do like, instead of the annoyance you feel at the gaming trends you hate, you’ll find you’re a lot happier.
2. Support the games you want to see
Buy the games. Reach out to the developers, express your appreciation for their work. Volunteer for beta testing and give thoughtful feedback.
And spread the word. If you follow step one, people might actually listen to you.
3. Support the community
Help people. Be kind. If somebody has a different opinion, learn to discuss instead of argue. Nobody online is your enemy (well, ok, some people are, but it’s not because they like Fortnite).
We might just survive this.
