All around the end of this generation of console gaming we've heard of changes to the industry that range from puzzling, and questionable, to downright heresy. Some say that we'll all be reduced to playing casualized shovelware, others say we will have our games locked after the first use, and of course this whole idea that we're ready for full digital distribution. Some say there will be no place for singleplayer, and that all of our games will force us to stay on a constant internet connection (right, because diablo 3 worked so well didn't it?). Sometimes there is no evidence or potential for these futures, but somehow they wind up getting thrown out there by both journalists and developers. It's almost like they want to worry the readers and gamers. Heck, I saw an article that spoke somewhat positive about the future, and then tried to make it sound bad: Free to play. The dude made free to play gaming sound like a future that would overthrow hardcore gaming... how can you make free to play sound dark and assume that hardcore gaming is contradicted by it? Here, look at this: Google images for free to play. All of those likely for free, is it really so bad? okay, anyways here is a list of predictions that are more of a brighter perspective of the future, instead of all the fear mongering crap that the common gaming media would like to tell you is the future. Of course, the future will have some bad effects, and it's not like the main predictions are wrong. It's just that they're throwing it at us in ways to make us fear the future, when there is obviously some good things to come. Well this list will look at a lot of the better potential future of gaming, maybe with a drawback or two, but nothing compared to the regular doom and gloom predictions.
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More Artsy Games:
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| Simply Beautiful! |
I know art games aren't for everybody. Afterall, they're barely games. However after the amazing success of journey, limbo, flower, braid, dear esther, and more, it's quite obvious that there is a rising trend in both development and consumers. Simply put, we love brilliant experiences. Now on the same format that we're using to frag people over killstreaks, we're being given amazing emotional experiences tied in with abnormal but deep plots and covered in unique setting that bursts with atmosphere. Developers are taking new philosophies, new experiments, and a lot more emotion into the idea of game development, and shipping them out in wonderful and affordable experiences. Of course, there are drawbacks here. One of the reasons why they are so cherished is because they are rare. Should these be more mainstreamed, and they will, we will likely see more flawed releases, more cliches, interpretative endings will get moans like our current cliffhangers do, and of course some will be releasing these games simply for the sake of jumping on the bandwagon. This will result in poor releases, uninspired art, and of worst of all there is almost no way to warn people about it. Think, how would you review journey? "It's amazing because of all the colors, emotions, the way the multiplayer runs, and deep meaning.... " and that's it. You'd either have to press them for spoilers, ruin it with a trip to youtube, or blindly dive in and see for yourself. No way to actually get a good opinion without blind trust, or ruining something that was meant to be experienced first hand. And stating the obvious, we also would just get tired of a lot of art games. They are fun as a treat, and while our future should have more of them, we need to know the limit as well. Overall, I could look forward to more Journey and flower type experiences in between crashing starhawks, and collecting dragon souls.
Better motion controls:
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| Holy crap, what happened to the living room!? |
Like it or not, the gaming market is obsessed with motion control games. Kinect being the new and improved eyetoy (which failed miserably last gen), the move being the new and improved wii, and the upcoming WiiU just being some sort of awesome tablet thing combined with this gen's motion controls, we're getting constantly improving tech based around motion gaming. Eventually people will be laughing about the "waggle" insult, and we'll be switching between awesome sword slashing RPGs, amazing VR simulators, and our more normal games. However, I'll bring up the RPG idea again... I personally can't imagine going back to a regular game if I had the choice to dive into an RPG with a realistic sword and shield combat simulating system. Haters are going to hate, but motion controls are here to stay and improve. Lets cheer their improvements along, and hope that our future is filled with.... damn, I just really want to play that realistic sword based RPG now that I thought of it. Someone hurry up and get to work on it!
A new crown of mainstream gaming:
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| Eventually another, better game will take the spotlight. |
So everybody loves call of duty right now. Well, okay everyone except the internet's comment sections. Developers copy it, new generation gamers will put it as the top game ever, and eventually a piece of it will continue on through games forever. But then it'll go the way of halo, counter strike, quake, and other big name shooters that have a better reputation in the past than the present. Peoples moods often swing, and the fact that most of these games milk themselves to death doesn't help either. People will move onto something else that catches their eye better, something that takes just a piece of COD and either reinvents it or combines in with a brilliant new idea or style. Then that will become everything, get on magazine covers, get clones and copies, merchandise, cheap scams and marketing gimmicks, and an online community filled with millions... including trolls and mic spamming kids alike. Same way with minecraft, battlefield, and maybe one day we'll even have a more clear successor of WOW for MMORPGs. Why do I say this is good? Because it's about damn time! Honestly after a series milks itself for so long, and our only alternatives are more games copying the game that you are trying to escape from... it's kind of a crappy cycle and grind. While internet comments are full of trolls, whiners, and fanboys there is also some valid criticism coming from them that media and common person alike wont bring themselves to mentioning. Like the fact that the COD games are being pumped out at a rapid and unpolished pace, or how minecraft really isn't even close to being the best building sandbox game out there. Until we get this phase of change over with, we're stuck with a bad aftertaste of the current wave of mainstream games. At the ending time of a console gen, you can't help but appreciate the idea that a year into the PS4/720/WiiU we will very likely have a different ground breaking title that carries a fresher feel. Of course, we will be sick of that eventually and the internet comments will be filled with the same trolls hating on what is popular, but honestly thats just a problem with the mainstream itself. For now, lets be happy at the idea of a future that ends the grind of all the COD/Minecraft attention. Don't worry, they'll still exist and continue to do nice things for their loyal fans, and the series will be better off without getting the spotlight trolling and online cussing children.
Free To Play:
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| There are some amazing F2P games out there |
Again, how is this supposed to be so bad? Clearly developers will be greedy enough that there will always be priced videogames, and at the very least pay to play subscriptions. However the idea of a mass amount of F2P games is interesting, and depending on how it is executed, this idea can be fantastic or the apocalypse of gaming. If we can get games that still allow you to be offline, single player games don't get held back or nerfed compared to paying players, and the online is controlled well... this can be awesome. Some things will need to be taken care of to go smoothly. One of the complaints that always occur in games that convert to F2P (such as Team fortress 2) is that you get a wave of noobs and players that just don't belong. This can be taken care of if you give special server options to paying or premium players. This rewards the playing, keeps free playing noobs away, and doesn't punish anyone. Quite simple. Then there is the concern of this happening to single player games. Simply don't fuck up. The developer needs to go light on transactions, make it playable offline, and reward the paying well with things like cheaper/free additional missions, optional cheat codes, exlcusive levels of difficulty, exclusive achievments, etc. Things that wont matter much to the free, but will greatly reward the paying loyal fan while keeping the game to a true singleplayer experience. This'll be tricky, and will likely never happen to begin with, but overall if single player becomes part of this F2P model it can happen with great care. There is no harm to the hardcore, casual, or mainstream in this turn of events. F2P needs to be handled with caution to get the best effect. However, think about the benifits? Developers almost have to keep the game supported if they want any money, any of your friends will be able to play what you're playing, no need for demos or large fees, and developers will be better rewarded. Think, if someone makes a crappy game and puts it out for $60 they either get it or they don't. If Someone puts out an outstanding game, people will basically be showering them with money over donations, subscriptions, items, skins, and other weird content that they love because they love the game. The more someone loves the game, the more money will likely show up in the developers hands.
And, to state the obvious...:
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| It's so pretty! |
After all of this, I'm not necessarily saying that I'm ready for the PS4/720 to leap out in stores and for old servers to start shutting down. I'm quite content with what we have, and would be okay with 3-5 more years of PS3 and the 360. However I'm excited to see innovation, and like I said from the start, we shouldn't be expecting a doomed next gen that punishes the current gamers and gaming culture. Instead, we should be happy and positive about true progress, which is what will likely happen within the upcoming generation of gaming.
