The decline and fall of western game development

[Mootown]

Biggest games in Japan differ to the biggest games here. Depends what country you're in to some extent.

[DigitalDuck]

As far as I'm concerned, it's rising everywhere. I've enjoyed a lot more games in the past couple of years than I ever have before, largely thanks to the availability of lower-budget, more experimental games on services like XBLA, along with the shift in market this brings. Ubisoft has seriously thrust its way into my "develops/publishes awesome games" list, along with a few others, and the Western indie scene is rising greatly. I still prefer AM2 and Namco, but it's green grass on either side.

[ToxieDogg]

Will japanese developers begin to dominate again next gen with a more powerful wii and development of their own middleware engines?

No

What are some big European studious? There has to be a ton of note ables. Namco and Capcom are the only two japanese companies I care about at this point. Last gen Konami was in that list, but their output post 2007 has been dismal. Can you make a castlevania on a console that isn't censored god of war or terrible? Please.

You do realise that Konami's games aren't as good as they used to be because they've been farming them out to western developers, right? Last few Silent Hill games and Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow where both by western developers (Climax for Silent Hill, Mercury Steam for Castlevania) and they're also amongst the most hated games in their respective franchises.

Although I did personally really enjoy Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow.

[SomeScrub]

Will japanese developers begin to dominate again next gen with a more powerful wii and development of their own middleware engines?

No

What are some big European studious? There has to be a ton of note ables. Namco and Capcom are the only two japanese companies I care about at this point. Last gen Konami was in that list, but their output post 2007 has been dismal. Can you make a castlevania on a console that isn't censored god of war or terrible? Please.

You do realise that Konami's games aren't as good as they used to be because they've been farming them out to western developers, right? Last few Silent Hill games and Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow where both by western developers (Climax for Silent Hill, Mercury Steam for Castlevania) and they're also amongst the most hated games in their respective franchises.

Although I did personally really enjoy Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow.

You realize I didn't praise western development, nor am I ignorant of that fact. But konami is the publisher and ultimately the Japanese headquarters decided to make the game and at the end of the day calls all the shots. So even if a western team made these not great products the parent company shoulders way more of the blame.

I'm not fond of where western main stream games are for the most part but if anyone here thinks shooters are suddenly going to stop making money you are delusional. MW3 sold more than any other call of duty to date, and even if the shark has been jumped for that series the genre is still going strong. Gamers are sick of the military gun wank censored but your average consumer sure as hell isn't.

[Misery]

Hasn't the FPS boom been around since 1993?

Personally though I do think it will die out eventually. I think the majority of CoD players will tire of the whole thing and move on to a new hobby. I may be wrong mind.

Wouldnt THAT be nice.

It seems though, that players dont get tired of.... well, anything with guns in it.

WHY? I dont really want to know.

I dont see it dying out though. I've noticed, over and over and over and over and over and over again, that when FPS fans tire of an FPS game.... they move on, to.... another FPS game.

As far as I'm concerned, it's the most braindead genre of them all, so I sure as heck wish it'd die down and go away. Doesnt seem to want to happen though.

[HalcyonDaze00]

the fps is the ultimate online genre and COD (along with the other big fps) will continue to dominate for many years to come, brilliant games enjoyed by gamers all across the globe.

[sscott]

While lads want to shoot people in the face the FPS will persist... So that's forever then.

Anyone thinking they'll move to CAVE SHMUPs or something is being a little naive.

[nakamura]

Well I wouldn't be surprised if CoD dies out somewhat as it hasn't changed at all in 5 years. Eventually people tire of the same thing. Battlefield for me is going in a good direction.

[HalcyonDaze00]

Well I wouldn't be surprised if CoD dies out somewhat as it hasn't changed at all in 5 years. Eventually people tire of the same thing. Battlefield for me is going in a good direction.

but all the cod fans (myself included) dont want it to change, if we wanted it to be different we would play halo, battlefield etc, year on year cod obliterates the competition. changing the game too much would be more likely to bring about its downfall than not changing enough.

[nakamura]

On the other hand, plenty of CoD fans I know are bored of it and don't play MW3 half as much. It is such a stale series that is literally running on the online component. Yes it is still extremely popular but nothing lasts forever. I'm not saying it is a poor game, though the single player is dreadful, but popular things generally come and go. This may do the same.

[retrojc]

Well I wouldn't be surprised if CoD dies out somewhat as it hasn't changed at all in 5 years. Eventually people tire of the same thing. Battlefield for me is going in a good direction.

but all the cod fans (myself included) dont want it to change, if we wanted it to be different we would play halo, battlefield etc, year on year cod obliterates the competition. changing the game too much would be more likely to bring about its downfall than not changing enough.

Said it before, but I'm friends with some of the top players in the world, and believe me they get bored of Cod. They take a break for a couple of days, then go straight back to it haha


Will cod last forever? No. It will be replaced, all things have a cycle. I suspect the next cod will be the start of its demise

[retrojc]

Takinga step back, btu my argument above maybe void, in regards to the diehards...

Most people whom play cod, work/go to school etc, they may sink in a few hours a day+, but I sink that in on the internet, and I'm nto quite bored of the internet just yet - however I am always bored of the internet.

Hmm, personally it's all down to taste..

I eman, how many shmups can you play before they get boring? or racing sims? or rpgs? etc etc.

Rise and fall.

[HalcyonDaze00]

i wont argue about the single player game, i havent touched that since the original modern warfare (which was excellent), but for online multiplayer it cant be beat and is still the top online game in most countries. ive actually gone back to black ops as my connection has been really struggling with mw3 but I cant see anything topping COD for the foreseeable future.

[Misery]

While lads want to shoot people in the face the FPS will persist... So that's forever then.

Anyone thinking they'll move to CAVE SHMUPs or something is being a little naive.

*snort*

I dont think they'd do THAT. Good grief.

I just wish they'd, you know.... have more variety. Do fighting games, do sports games for all I bloody care. Hell, go play freaking Starcraft or something! Alot of those I meet/know that are into FPS types.... that's ALL they do.

...not that I actually CARE most of the time, mind you. I simply ignore everyone if they're going on about those. ...which means I dont talk to them all that much, really.

One way or another though, I find it a very deeply boring genre.


Though, that's all beside the point of the topic here.

I really dont think western game development has "fallen" or anything. FPS or not, there have been more than enough high-selling titles. And even ignoring THOSE, and just looking at, say, the indie scene, there's plenty of stuff there, too. Or stuff like MMOs, and whatever. Sure as heck is alot of those out there.

I'm much more interested in what's going on with Japan's side of the industry. FPS games dont dominate over there, so I have muuuuuuch more interest. But, always hearing things about how it's on the decline, and not doing so well, sales are low, blah-de-blah-de-dah. I dont usually see any concrete info, though, so not quite up to speed on just what's going on over there.

Takinga step back, btu my argument above maybe void, in regards to the diehards...

Most people whom play cod, work/go to school etc, they may sink in a few hours a day+, but I sink that in on the internet, and I'm nto quite bored of the internet just yet - however I am always bored of the internet.

Hmm, personally it's all down to taste..

I eman, how many shmups can you play before they get boring? or racing sims? or rpgs? etc etc.

Rise and fall.

Aye, a good way of putting it. I get really perplexed when someone can JUST play one genre all the bloody time. Much as I'm into shmups, too much of them at once will make me crazy, and likely break the controller. Gotta have other genres as well.

It's kinda the same as those who, say, play WoW all the freaking time, or other MMOs. Those are fun and all, but..... 8-hour sessions?

I dunno. Just baffles me.


I've lost track of where I'm going with all of this. Provided I was going anywhere at all. Bah, need caffiene for sanity.

[llj]

[q

I'm much more interested in what's going on with Japan's side of the industry. FPS games dont dominate over there, so I have muuuuuuch more interest. But, always hearing things about how it's on the decline, and not doing so well, sales are low, blah-de-blah-de-dah. I dont usually see any concrete info, though, so not quite up to speed on just what's going on over there.

I think Japanese games still do well in Japan. I think most of the "Japan is in decline" talk comes from the West--the fact that the gaming genres the Japanese like don't do as well in the U.S. anymore, which IS a fact in terms of sales.

I don't think there's necessarily been a huge downturn in quality of games, though. Just fundamental shifts in their key demographics in the West. As such, many of their games in general don't even make it to the West anymore.