I think we have killed the Gaming Industry

[GuerillaBlack]

This is a generalization, so don't read if you get offended easy.

I'm finding myself at a loss for words. I don't know what to think of the gaming industry anymore. First of, the PS1 launches with semi-hype. It launches the gaming industry into an erra of digital entertainment, where games were now on digital compact discs. This was gaming at its finest. You sat back, put on a game that would just keep you occupied for hours. You didn't have to wait in line for a console because there were many available, you went into the stores, bought one and you were off. You didn't have to work 3 jobs full time to pay off your gaming needs, you went in, bought some awesome games and just played to your hearts content.

Then a new system is announced, one that is promised to be bigger better and overall the best system on the planet. PS2 launches. Hype is a new tactic that brings the worst out of gamers. You had to nearly sell your soul (and some did) to get a console at launch because the people behind the product (Sony) were late in delivering the goods. Whats worst is there was nothing decent to play at launch. You had to wait nearly 24 hours in a line just to get your hands on something you will use just to play movies on until real games come out. Then to top it off, people were buying the console to sell it for a PROFIT. A profit? Doesn't make sense.

Then another two system launch, each one with decent to stellar games at launch. Lots of systems available, and none of the "waiting in line" to get one. Lots of great games release with the console, and tons of gamers are happy.

Then another console comes out, and its promised to launch us into HD. Hype is generated and then lines ups form. Decent games available, but you still had to SELL YOUR SOUL to get one. Again, most bought it to sell it for a PROFIT Limited supply available, and you nearly freeze to death to get one. You get one, with what ever you can find that is decent to play, you play it for a little until something good comes out. But then...

Hell is launched. Hype beyond tomorrow. Many promises broken, many fans lost. 1 good game at launch, the rest are just passable. Hundreds of dollars more, and retailers tell customers that they will have enough to fill pre-orders. Then the console makers send out a statement, "We have to cut shipments, we can't meet our goals". Retailers panic, lines form days in advanced, solicitations start and customers don't want to shop while there are weirdo's in line. System launches but games are barely touched. Accessories are sold, but 100 percent of the buyers are going to "resell" for a profit.

What the hell is this industry becoming? What has Sony done to us? What has Microsoft done? This has become hell, not a hobbie. You have to sell your soul just to get in line. HELL its coming to the point where it is DEADLY to stand and wait in line:

http://www.startribune.com/535/story/818079.html

I mean what the fvck? Why do people have to be afriad to be shot while waiting for a gaming console. Why were people attacked just because they were "first in line"? Why do YOU HAVE TO LINE UP?

I mean we are supposed to buy these things to take our minds off of violence, to escape reality. Now its getting to the point where console manufacturers have to warn you to "be first in line" to get one because they want to make money.

The worst thing is today, we sold consoles. No, I mean JUST the consoles. No freaking games were sold, no freaking accessories (aside from two people). No warranties, nothing nadda. Just the system. Number one response: "I am going to make a killing on Ebay!".

I feel really bad for those gamers who actually WANTED the system today. I feel really bad for all those gamers today who waited in line for hours and hours, and the ones who are just going sell it were the ones who are going to buy it.

Honestly, in the end, Sony killed the industry.

[Crusader]

You have to look at the big picture:

The difference is how mainstream and popular games are becoming from back when we didn't have to pre-order or wait in lines. Due to the amazing graphics enhancements, video games are no longer seen as childish. More and more people are becoming gamers.

Now the biggest killer of the industry is supply and demand, with money-grubbing entrepreneurs in the mix, seeing opportunity for making money rather than appreciating the games.

So no, Sony didn't kill the industry... well not directly. Their lack of production certainly isn't helping; supply isn't meeting this new demand of these generations.

This makes me want to write an article...

[Danzego]

This reply is mostly about the system reseller part of the topic:

That's just the way it is, man. Blame EBay, if you're going to blame anyone. They gave everyone an easy way to resell things and people use it.

I use to be against the whole reselling of console thing back in the PS2 launch days. I mean, vehemently against it (though I didn't go to the extent of these no-lifers who are pissed for whatever reason, sit on EBay, and do false bidding to jack up prices and keep people from selling their PS3's).

But hey, if that's the way Sony is going to treat things, release an insanely short supply of overpriced consoles and it causes people to go nuts and want to pay three times the amount retail, then so be it. No one is putting a gun to anyone's head and saying "Pay 2,000 dollars for it. NOW!!!" The people buying on EBay at those prices, well that's their choice and if they weren't willing to pay it, then they wouldn't. But they are. They aren't willing to wait a few months to pay retail price, and that's their choice. There are no victims here.

To anyone who might complain about it, I ask you this: if you were sitting there on launch day and you just bought a 20GB PS3 console, then someone offered you $1500 for it, would you actually say no? Lemme put that into perspective: the $500 you just spent would be paid back and the money left over would buy you another console at no cost to you, and give you hundreds left over to play with or buy more games with or whatever. Would you HONESTLY say no to THAT?

You would be an idiot to NOT sell it.

Of course, I say this because I did go to Fred Meyers at 6:45 in the morning, waited in line for ten minutes, drew a ticket (they had a lottery for who got to buy systems), and walked out ten minutes later with a PS3. After sitting on EBay for less than an hour, that system was bought (while I was sitting in school, no less) by some generous chap in Philly, who in essence, just bought us a PS3 when we want to get it and paid off half of the laptop I got for school.

Would you honestly say no to that? I know I certainly did nothing wrong. Like I said, the guy who bought it chose to pay it. He didn't have to, but HE whipped out his credit card and said "Ok, I'll pay 1500 bucks for a 20GB PS3."

Same goes for anyone else.

Oh, and btw- regarding another point of the topic- I wouldn't worry too much about the fact that I bought no accessories or games with it. I'm sure the guy who bought my PS3 will pick up a few along the way.

[GibtheGamer]

Another thing that should be pointed at it is stores like EB and Gamestop who thrive on reselling. "We give cash (and credit) for games". Think about all those titles that are being re-sold instead of being bought new. The publisher and developer lose out huge when this happens.

And, to reiterate Dan's point, take what I said above and think that ALL the ps3 consoles were already bought, Sony made their money, and then they were re-sold. That, in essence, makes it ok.

But the biggest killer is re-sold games. If you have the option, buy new games and don't trade in your old ones. I know it's convenient and less expensive, but it actually hurts the market moreso than console re-selling.

[genhorseplay]

Its things like torrents amung other things.

[GibtheGamer]

Originally Posted by genhorseplay

Its things like torrents amung other things.

That too, for sure.

[DavidR]

Video games are now a highy profitable market,from a business point of view and the aim now seems really to bring in the biggest amount of people and make the largest amount of money, like any industry that booms, men in suits take it over, with the ideal of making money. I mean look at films, how many are brilliant, innovative and daring films...against ones which stick to the codes and convtions of the genre they are in, throw in some stars and are made for the very principle of making money.....and then theres movie lisenced games....oh dear

[Cyguration]

Well, re-selling games only hurts publishers who don't make games good enough to profit beyond the re-sell convention.

Realistically, so long as there are publishers there will be developers. Even so, the independent scene is thriving just fine without publishers (but for a much smaller product).

Actually, I'm not against anything that people do in the industry that some think is "killing it", other than Microsoft and Sony over-promising and hyping a product they couldn't deliver 100% on. Why couldn't Microsoft wait six months for a better supply of 360's? Why couldn't Sony keep their mouths shut at E3 2005 so people wouldn't go out of their way to think about the PS3, especially if they knew it wasn't even close to being finished?

The industry isn't broken, it's simply being built on hype. That's why Nintendo's Wii had the most successful, non-violent, streamlined launch since the PS1. Selling out the way it did wasn't anyone's fault because people actually wanted it. Yeah, Wiis are still being sold on ebay, but it's nothing like the silly mechanism that is the supply and demand chain for Playstation products.

I hope the PS3 is Sony's last system, maybe they'll think twice about over-hyping a $300 million investment because they knew people would buy into it. It's almost like Disney sending out a press release saying that the next Pirates of the Carribean movie is poised for success because they know people love it. And then promoting the heck out of the product only to have it shown in limited release.

...No hype, no problems.

[Danzego]

Originally Posted by Cyguration

Actually, I'm not against anything that people do in the industry that some think is "killing it", other than Microsoft and Sony over-promising and hyping a product they couldn't deliver 100% on. Why couldn't Microsoft wait six months for a better supply of 360's? Why couldn't Sony keep their mouths shut at E3 2005 so people wouldn't go out of their way to think about the PS3, especially if they knew it wasn't even close to being finished?

Are you kidding me? That's a MAJOR tactic for these two companies and has been for years. Why couldn't they keep their mouths shut? Because opening it, even IF they underdeliver, works and it works well.

Remember the Dreamcast? There's a prime example of what these tactics can do for a company. The Dreamcast was getting honest hype and Sony came along and swept the rug out from under them back at E3 in '99. Ya barely heard the term "Dreamcast" amongst the mainstream after that.

Funny you should mention Nintendo, though. You want to talk about another company who's guilty as charged when it comes to this sort of thing? Nintendo used to be straight up NOTORIOUS for this sort of thing, long before Sony and MS were doing it in the gaming biz.

[Triple H]

ok now for my 2 cents on this. I truily am a gamer that will wait in line for the best new system in this case at the time it was an xbox 360 i waited for 72 hours. It really wasent right but I did it n e ways because that is what I had to do to get one. I am a what they call a hardcore gamer and I love games I just dont think that they should limit the game supply so greatly. I like sated above think its wrong to limit the supply of consols and think its absoultly pathetic that people are made to wait in line. I think that it isn't only sony killing the game industry and making it something its not but its microsoft and yes even little old nintendo. I say that because I saw people waiting at my work (Wal Mart for welll over 24 hours and the same for ps3 and 360 for a chance at 6 consols.I think the big companys should go back to the good ol days of the nes and genisis!