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[DragoonWalker]

It's the culture of thirst for an unending stream of content and information, the demand for nonstop micro gratification, that has drove us to this point.
Only cure is to remove yourself from the news cycle. Step away. Check in once in a long while, rather than being hooked up to your bloodstream.

 

[Javthusiast]

As much as I like reveals, how about the industry just stops and does what movies do. They announce every fucking thing before they even begin filming. What its called, who works on it and who stars.

Devolver were right, its all about the marketing, games are an afterthought, lmao.

 

[Ten_Fold]

I like Nintendo’s approach, especially with the new paper Mario, release trailer game comes in a few months.

 

[Birdo]

Nintendo leads the way and the others just copy....

1. Analogue sticks

2. Rumble

3. Motion Controls

4. Treating your fans like shit

5. Lack of communication

 

[supernova8]

Not if you’re constantly online, good luck with that.

Yeah I fell asleep waiting for the PS5 reveal and had to watch it in the morning after waking up (in a daze). It was a real mission to pull open my browser, get YouTube up without seeing anything related to it.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

As much as I like reveals, how about the industry just stops and does what movies do. They announce every fucking thing before they even begin filming. What its called, who works on it and who stars.

Devolver were right, its all about the marketing, games are an afterthought, lmao.

I like Nintendo’s approach, especially with the new paper Mario, release trailer game comes in a few months.

Or how about cut back on all the marketing drivel and go back to releasing a demo 6 months out that let's people try out the first level.

I think what happened with game companies is that with the internet and gamers nudging them for more info and the game company reliant on clicks, they've bolstered their marketing teams to be huge.

And like any department director, the last thing you want to do is cut back or else the department gets less budget so you get less things to do ---> people fired.

So they keep themselves busy doing dumb shit to keep a job.

That's how budgets work in may companies. I see it myself every year. The company is on track, let's close out the year. Some cost budgets aren't needed anymore. So what do you do with it? Send it back to head office to bank the money? Do some last minute shit to use it up so VPs will give you budget back in the new year (they aren't close enough to the costs and tactical usage of it)? A slick combo of both where you get some costs carried over for next year doing dumb marketing shit with ad agencies in December while looking like a hero not going over budget?

Usually the last one.

 

[hemo memo]

Well said.

Don't forget this BS that cropped up big during the past 10 or so years.

Legit PC beta test: A free download for a game in development probably 1-2 years out. Game looks sketchy, is incomplete, but that's the point. Gamers know it's sloppy, but they play a game for free and give feedback. Game releases a few years later polished, looks better, has full set of content.

Asshole modern day tactic #1: A "beta test" is a free download. The game looks and plays the same as the retail release, but is missing features because it's a limited content download. Despite being a "beta" the retail game has basically already gone gold and will be sold a month later.

Asshole modern day tactic #2: Dev shows a canned video a few years out nobody is allowed to get a test copy of classified as an "alpha or beta work in progress". Dev gives a hint it's WIP so expect better things to come when it's final. Game comes out and the 2 year old build looks better than the final game.

Actually beta testing is a privilege. You have to preorder the game to get to beta test it. See Avengers game on consoles.

 

[BabyfaceRe]

I'm getting old guys.

Once upon a time this was how we got information about games: Gaming event > Developer announces new game with gameplay and gives a release date > Said date comes and people get to play the game

This is how we get information about games now: Obscure rumors of random people on the internet > Rumors from somewhat trusted people > "Insiders" start talking (tweeting) vague information about the game and possibles dates that may or may not be accurate> Developers tease with vague info (probably with a tweet) > "Very trusted Insiders" extra-officially confirms info on what's to come killing any little possibility of surprise > Developers announce a date to announce something > Here there's a high possibility of game trailer/screenshots "leak" > Developer finally announces a game, and announces another date where you can see the game > Said date comes and you get an "in-engine alpha work in progress may not represent actual gameplay" trailer > Developer goes dark > Developer appears and announces gameplay trailer date > Gameplay trailer arrives, but is very short and tells you there's more at insert big gaming event here > Big gaming event is here! Full gameplay trailer launches... no release date > Developer goes dark again > Go 5 steps back and repeat 2 to 4 times > Release date is finally announced! > Said date comes and people get to play the game

Exceptions may apply of course.

So, yeah, this industry has become such a shitshow and so full of themselve is just sad.

So true it hurts. I'm pretty sure it was Fallout 4 that had a full announce and released like 6 months later. That wasnt even that long ago and was really well received if I remember correctly.

Not sure why more devs(publishers) arent more inclined to go that way. I'd love to see the figures on how their drawn out marketing campaigns actually increase sales. Like op in the past few years honestly I'm getting way more burned out by over hype than the opposite.

Ghost is dropping tomorrow and it's been refreshing to see very little, a nice gameplay then reviews, then release. Hoping next gen sorts some of this out (but I doubt it) .

 

[Kuranghi]

It's just a nice trick memory is playing on us -I also remember nice analogue times with game magazines.

We just forgot the tons of bullshots and crazy previews/reviews in Peter Molyneux style that had absolutely nothing to do with the final game.

Its so funny I was coming here to say a similiar thing, I also miss those days of mystery that HerjansEagleFeeder refers too but also as you say there was a ton of bullshit back then as well lol

I can't find a picture because its too vague but I remember there was a preview for (I think! It may never have actually come out) a motorbike game called Redline or something with red in the title (I saw a game called Redline Racer in my search before this post but unclear if thats definitely it) and the graphics looked INSANE compared to what existed at the time, I think it was definitely a pre-render of some sort.

It was more in the form of abstract descriptions in fairness though back then, so it was your own fault if you interpretted "massive detailed open world" as meaning that it was a huge leap in detail from the last open world that just came out.

I guess thats why people felt so burned with NMS (and RAGE before that), it had videos and screen(bull)shots to go along with the wild dialogue/text so it felt more like "Oh I'm seeing the results right here, it could actually be as he says!".

 

[diffusionx]

Actually beta testing is a privilege. You have to preorder the game to get to beta test it. See Avengers game on consoles.

Twist ending: release date is actually the start of the beta test.

 

[.Pennywise]

See what I'm talking about?

5 years of the worst kept secret, with tons of 'insiders' already leaking what the game is about. An announcement of an announcement, and now they're talking about we won't see much of it IN IT'S ANNOUNCEMENT.



Jeez

 

[Saruhashi]

See what I'm talking about?

5 years of the worst kept secret, with tons of 'insiders' already leaking what the game is about. An announcement of an announcement, and now they're talking about we won't see much of it IN IT'S ANNOUNCEMENT.



Jeez

Yup. This is where the industry is at right now.

Then the game will come out and it will be picked apart to the Nth degree just looking for some cause to absolutely trash the developers and their game.

Everything runs on hype. So much so that people go out of their minds when there are no new announcements.

What, the back catalog of hundreds of games is no good?

No! We need trailers for games that might come out next year or the year after!

 

[FunkMiller]

The drip drip drip bullshit we’re having to endure this year thanks to covid has really highlighted the toxicity surrounding game development and communications to the public. The audience is not to blame. Rather it’s unscrupulous games executives and the pandering press that have created this hype machine idiocy, that’s got worse and worse as the years have gone by. Half truths, outright lies and FUD are deemed acceptable by an industry more concerned with clicks and follows, than providing gamers with clear information about their products. Our only way to respond to this should be to not buy games coming from companies that engage in this. AND to stop the toxicity towards one another.

 

[Kev Kev]

agreed. gamers are giong to fight no matter what, but all this bullshit makes everything so much worse. especially when the rumor flops and every one starts trying to dunk on each other

fucking annoying

AND to stop the toxicity towards one another.

 

[MP!]

I'm getting old guys.

Once upon a time this was how we got information about games: Gaming event > Developer announces new game with gameplay and gives a release date > Said date comes and people get to play the game

This is how we get information about games now: Obscure rumors of random people on the internet > Rumors from somewhat trusted people > "Insiders" start talking (tweeting) vague information about the game and possibles dates that may or may not be accurate> Developers tease with vague info (probably with a tweet) > "Very trusted Insiders" extra-officially confirms info on what's to come killing any little possibility of surprise > Developers announce a date to announce something > Here there's a high possibility of game trailer/screenshots "leak" > Developer finally announces a game, and announces another date where you can see the game > Said date comes and you get an "in-engine alpha work in progress may not represent actual gameplay" trailer > Developer goes dark > Developer appears and announces gameplay trailer date > Gameplay trailer arrives, but is very short and tells you there's more at insert big gaming event here > Big gaming event is here! Full gameplay trailer launches... no release date > Developer goes dark again > Go 5 steps back and repeat 2 to 4 times > Release date is finally announced! > Said date comes and people get to play the game

Exceptions may apply of course.

So, yeah, this industry has become such a shitshow and so full of themselve is just sad.

you forgot the part where seemingly everyone and their dog gets to play the game a month or two early for some reason ... has opinions for 2 months and then we finally get the game all hype deflated.

 

[FunkMiller]

agreed. gamers are giong to fight no matter what, but all this bullshit makes everything so much worse. especially when the rumor flops and every one starts trying to dunk on each other

fucking annoying

If that’s aimed at me, I’d like to know why. I don’t think I’ve dunked on anyone, other than maybe to respond when someone has decided to attack me for something I’ve said about a games developer or company. But feel free to point me to where you think I’ve dunked on another poster without justification, and I’ll happily apologise

 

[Schmick]

I wonder every now and then, wondering, just how much we would know if there had been an E3.

 

[Kev Kev]

If that’s aimed at me, I’d like to know why. I don’t think I’ve dunked on anyone, other than maybe to respond when someone has decided to attack me for something I’ve said about a games developer or company. But feel free to point me to where you think I’ve dunked on another poster without justification, and I’ll happily apologise

i feel like ive seen you being pretty trolly and being the toxic one towards other gaffers in other threads. but ill admit, maybe i havent given you a fair chance. so game on. ill follow you and wait. dont let me down

 

[JoeyWestSide]

That's what made e3 great. Seeing an amazing game nobody had any idea they wanted and no idea that it was in development by a dev they weren't expecting. Early information is making everything luke warm. And then with gaas there's no hype to play it when it drops because it'll only get cheaper and better months down the line.

 

[FunkMiller]

i feel like ive seen you being pretty trolly and being the toxic one towards other gaffers in other threads. but ill admit, maybe i havent given you a fair chance. so game on. ill follow you and wait. dont let me down

 

[tillbot8]

I dunno, yeah it is annoying like a junkie trying to get a fix but on the other end it opens up so much speculation and makes minor details seem like big deals. The start of this gen left so many memories which I believe still has impact on mindshare. The companies know this so they are ultra careful with every move. Also Covid really threw a spanner in the works so it is all probably exaggerated. We will get our news in a while and we will be happy!

 

[MHubert]

The 'reveal industry' is smashed and devs can show their stuff when it is ready.

I love it.

 

[Pyral Phoenix]

You know what era I yearn for?
The Era where a studio have his game up and running, finished totally and polished to the point of tiresome.
and then announcing the F***** game.
Give me a trailer, a gameplay and a demo if it was possible and then build up on that
give yourselves 6 months to fix the game if it had any kind of problems.
release it early if you feel you want.
I don't want to see the words "work in progress" in a game that is supposed to be shipped in weeks.

 

[EDMIX]

All that other crap is mostly limited to gaming forums, Twitter and the like.

Thank you, thank you and dear god THANK YOU! I have no clue why gamers get sucked into this whole weird echo chamber crap like the MAJORITY care about this. Most gamers are not on NeoGaf talking about games like us, its just a fact. Most of the gamers I know don't even go on stuff like this to even talk about games, they simply don't care.

They see trailer of game they like, they buy at release..... thats it. Thats basically the majority. This whole idea that someone is soooooooo emotional that waiting for the marriage proposal errrr I mean official game or system reveal that they will up and die or not buy games ever is silly.

Its a video game folks, not a damn relationship. This place get so melodramatic over stuff like this. ie I won't buy game if jaw square, I won't buy game if girl, I won't buy game if man, I won't buy game if trailer delay as feelings will be hurt and how can you mend a relationship that has no trust or....love lol

The people in know in real life that play games all just buy games whenever they come out, don't follow any hype at all, and they're happy. We do it to ourselves and help perpetuate it by constantly talking about it.

This.

 

[TLZ]

It's all about the hype.

 

[reptilex]

Marketing doesn't work anymore, so they have to manipulate and astroturf the youngest and most stupid into adopting rationalising pattern, mostly a phenomenon that make today's "fanboy's" very different from old age fanboy which is the "stooge syndrome"

 

[93xfan]

Totally agree. I'm getting tired of this twisted alternate reality in which a parody version of E3 is spread across an entire year, but without the fun events.

I miss the times when I was reading gaming mags as a kid.

Same here. Loved Gameinformer and Electronic Gaming monthly.

Game fan was my favorite by far though. Runner up is probably PSM

 

[The Cartographer]

The 'reveal industry' is smashed and devs can show their stuff when it is ready.

I love it.

The average developer usually reveals stuff way before it's ready.

 

[theclaw135]

If leaked info is totally authentic, acknowledge it. One isn't doing anyone a favor by denying facts gone viral across the web for months or years.

The average developer usually reveals stuff way before it's ready.

Revealing a game when you have something to show is okay.
I don't however like the idea of a complete blackout. You can't get valuable audience feedback at key stages of production when no one even knows the game is in development until it's finished.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

These days it takes a lot to get hyped. Despite solid next gen showcase, people think it's PS4.5/xbox 1.1

I do wish Dev's keep everything official and start by discussing concept art, pitch for the game. Nothing leaves better impression than concept art. Mostly, not even final game.

 

[MH3M3D]

Its called a hype-train and it has many, many carriages.

 

[Chiggs]

Great post, OP. It's a mess, and the obnoxiously vague insinuations made on Twitter are tailor made for losers, both giving and receiving. There's a lot to be said for a more traditional and straightforward delivery method.

 

[Greeno]

These days it takes a lot to get hyped. Despite solid next gen showcase, people think it's PS4.5/xbox 1.1

I do wish Dev's keep everything official and start by discussing concept art, pitch for the game. Nothing leaves better impression than concept art. Mostly, not even final game.

Well... the people that say that these next-gen consoles are not that big of an upgrade (PS4.5 and Xbox 1.1 claims) have a reason to say so. Where are the tech demo games that showcase the power of these consoles? There are no Killzone or Ryse games that scream "this is next-gen".