Really Frustrated With Mainstream Publishers

[DaveDQ]

Let me just preface this with me saying that I don't want to start a bashing session. I'm just so frustrated with so many titles being hyped then falling to the ground.

There are so many licensed themes, characters etc. that have such great potential, and I look at some previews and they just look terrible. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance comes to mind. They just released a CGI trailer on IGN and it looks amazing, but when you look at the in-game, it's completely different. I'm not looking for the CGI stuff, but after seeing Mass Effect, I know more can be done.

Here we have so much potential with Marvel, but it just looks like it's going to fall flat. Very frustrating. The mainstream guys are snatching the best names out there and not doing them justice, and that is just really getting to me lately.

[Graphik]

Re: Really Frustrated With Mainstream Publishers

I agree, I think the video game industry has finnally reached the point of stagnation along with its cousins, Movies and Music. Just as the last two indusries I named, games have fell into the pattern of sticking to what makes money. And thats cloning whatever is the most popular. So many GTA clones and FPS that do nothing in the way of innovation.

But what can be said is, that its the only way to be done. I remember back in the days of the godfather NES and we had games flying out a mile a minute. And if you go back on it you would realize that 99% of the games were garbage. Less money was lost because the cost of making those 8 bit games was nothing. Today, with all this high tech gear, movie style music scores, hollywood voice acting and licensing issues, you can only gamble so little on making a game. The big corps have all the money so they are the ones to decide which game goes into your console. And since thats the case, they have to roll with whatever will make them a profit.

Now take movies and music and apply the same theory. Sad is'nt it.

[Spongedaddy]

Re: Really Frustrated With Mainstream Publishers

I wont mind the graphics of Ultimate Alliance if the gameplay and story are enjoyable. I see the gaming industry like any other big business these days. Many games are made to be average so they can be rushed out the door and quality control doesn't even come close to being solid.

[goh]

Re: Really Frustrated With Mainstream Publishers

Why are you blaming publishers? It's their job to make the game look good wich is what they're doing. Blame the developers if the game sucks.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Really Frustrated With Mainstream Publishers

Why are you blaming publishers? It's their job to make the game look good wich is what they're doing. Blame the developers if the game sucks.

I blame the publishers because they are the ones responsible for acquiring the licensing. If you look at a cooperation like EA, they have bought a bunch of exclusive licenses. From there they are responsible to make sure the game gets the proper development team. In many cases some games are in development and they are looking for a publisher, but your big name games (Marvel) rely on the publisher to properly get the game developed.

This is where my frustration lies. I'm thinking about how great Marvel can be, but based on past performance, I don't really trust that it will be that special.

Graphik makes some great points. This theme runs through movies, television and music. These companies are for profit, so I understand, but I'm just starving for something innovative and fresh.

Honestly, I think Microsoft Game Studios has some promising development going on. Bioware's Mass Effect is looking nice.

[pk500]

Re: Really Frustrated With Mainstream Publishers

The game industry has sequel-itis and clone-itis. That's been my biggest beef with the 360 and the reason why I haven't purchased one -- nearly every f*cking game on that system is a sequel or a clone. I'm paying $500 for that?

No way.

I want innovation. I want thinking outside of the box. Game publishers don't do that for any console anymore, it seems.

That's why the Dreamcast and its lineup of quirky, fun games was the absolute zenith of creative, innovative, FUN video gaming. I'm not sure we'll ever see a console or publishers with the kind of balls that Sega and its lineup of DC game publishers had from 1999-2002.

Take care,
PK