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[BbMajor7th]

Looking at Witcher 1 and 2 there's no way they could have rendered realistic characters with what they had at hand. Having said that, you're right, they have beatified Geralt a lot to make him more marketable.

They have and it worked out for them: the games enjoyed an increasing level of success that allowed them to build bigger and better games each time. Games sell to a market and the demands of that market will shift, not just in terms of art direction, but in terms of features too. Assassin's Creed was entirely rebooted with Origins to fold in the most popular elements that had emerged in gaming since the series' inception over a decade earlier; Zelda did something similar. Current trends will - for better and for worse - present the same challenges and opportunities for game makers and each will address them differently. It's bizarre to give this latest shift it's own label.

Are people going to look at Elden Ring and say 'go open, get broken'? No, they're not. They know that in some small way FROM are capitulating to market forces in adding some of these more popular elements - crafting, open world design, pop-up tutorials, etc - but they appreciate that for them it's business, part of the hustle. That's all Activision are doing with Vanguard and what many other game makers have already done and will continue to do so long as the market continues to shift and they continue to build their business on making money.

 

[reksveks]

So is UK the biggest region for sales? All I ever see is talk of UK sales on games.

How about sales in the US? I'd assume COD and other games like it are more popular here than in UK.

no, we just only really get data from UK and Japan constantly.

 

[Edder1]

They have and it worked out for them: it made the games increasingly successful and allowed them to build bigger and better games each time. Games sell to a market and the demands of that market will shift, not just in terms of art direction, but in terms of features too. Assassin's Creed was entirely rebooted with Origins to fold in the most popular elements that had emerged in gaming since the series' inception over a decade earlier; Zelda did something similar. Current trends will - for better and for worse - present the same challenges and opportunities for game makers and each will address them differently. It's bizarre to give this latest shift it's own label.

Are people going to look at Elden Ring and say 'go open, get broken'? No, they're not. They know that in some small way FROM are capitulating to market forces in adding some of these more popular elements - crafting, open world design, pop-up tutorials, etc - but they appreciate that for them it's business, part of the hustle. That's all Activision are doing with Vanguard and what many other game makers have already done and will continue to do so long as the market continues to shift and they continue to maximise sales and profits.

Highly doubt it was changing character's look that made the game popular, rather it was game mechanics and story that elevated it. There are plenty of games with far uglier characters that were as big if not bigger for their time like Legacy of Kain series.

 

[BbMajor7th]

Highly doubt it was changing character's look that made the game popular, rather it was game mechanics and story that elevated it. There are plenty of games with far uglier characters that were as big of not bigger for their time like Legacy of Kain series, etc.

That's fair enough, but it certainly didn't do the game any harm and they wouldn't have done it - and done it again in the third game - if it hadn't have been beneficial: to make him, as you put it, more marketable. More importantly, you never heard anyone bitching about the changes or claiming that CDPR had sold out.

Also, side note, but Raziel from Soul Reaver was a very attractive character for the time (for real).

 

[Edder1]

Also, side note, but Raziel from Soul Reaver was a very attractive character for the time (for real).

Lol, not sure what vampires you were hanging around with at the time.

 

[Derktron]

Good, I'm glad this is happening, hopefully, for once this will be a wake-up call for them. I got the game and after two days I went back to return it and got something else. I got Far Cry 6 and to my surprise, I'm enjoying the game more than Vanguard.

Edit: this has nothing to do with woke, plain and simple the game sucks

 

[BbMajor7th]

Lol, not sure what vampires you were hanging around with at the time.

Vampires are hot - even emaciated undead ones. Don't believe me, go and browse some fan-fic websites.

 

[STARSBarry]

This is such a disgusting take. Alloy looks absolutely fine and athletic and not the obese monster people keep trying to sell outside of a one second frame.

Hey man there's no need to feel nauseous over text, I mean if you where looking at an image of Aloys fat face when you where however...

They could however just be showing off alternative unlockable outfits, kinda like donut drake.