What happened to content?

[1980Miami]

When I was young, the games that I always enjoyed the most were the ones that had the most to do. Multiple game modes, unlockables, sandbox environments, things to collect, split screen multiplayer, etc. Games in the PS2 era especially seemed to have a heavy focus on stuffing the disc full of fun things to do.

For example the NCAA football games of the time were loaded with content. Play as mascots? Sure. Become a college football player and hang out in your dorm, take tests, and go to practice? Of course you can do that. Relive the 30 most iconic moments in college football history and change the outcomes if you please? Take over any FBS or FCS school as head coach and build their program through recruiting and coaching? Yep do that too.

This is one example, but it goes for all types of games. Compare Sonic Adventure 2 Battle's mission mode, unlockables, chao garden, and multiplayer to the modern sonic offerings. Compare DBZ Boudokai Tenkaichi 3s 100+ characters to the current gen games.

My point is, what is the reason for this change? It's not like the core gameplay of many series has improved by removing focus from extras. You could argue DLC, but in many cases the DLC doesn't add close to the amount of content that some of these old games had. Anyway, let me know your thoughts on this

 

[shae]

gonna guess capitalism on this one. we all know about EA overcharging for extras, I think everyone made a joke out of it and now most game devs just don't even bother making it anymore. the extra effort isn't profitable and major titles will sell regardless of if it's just the base game or has other content.

 

[TigrEncounter]

I actually lost interest in "new" video games overall. The professional video game industry lost the purpose why video games are made. Long ago they made games to entertain people. Now every cent of the budget goes into graphics, but the content, story is mediocre at best, not mentioning gameplay which got over simplified and scripted so you don't have to flinch for a second. (Except Asian video games they are still actually doing a decent job making games feel like a challange.)

Now that you mentioned football. Legend Bowl mathematically and officially has more content than the latest Madden. Yes, you have more customization posibilities and more things to mess around with in a game made by one guy than a game made by a multi millionaire devoloper team.

 

[1980Miami]

I'll give credit to Yakuza here, one of the few games that still has this ethos

 

[Pangolin]

Modern game players found it too difficult and overwhelming and are more interested in fancy graphics to gawk at than actual content to play. They just want to bang out a quick gaming "sesh" and get back to posting on reddit.

You can still find the good games in the indie category, where content takes priority over fancy graphics to push overpriced graphics cards. After a certain point graphically you receive diminishing returns.

 

[niuenso]

I'd have to agree with who said it's probably down to capitalism. The good thing is that we lost that type of content but we gained a lot more independent titles that were a lot harder to make back in the 90s because of costs.

Sadly the triple a industry is very focused on making something that is a safe investment and money seems to be the primary goal. Fortunately it's not like the entire industry is like that but it's certainly noticeable.

 

[RIG]

There are still a few good ones who will release free content to games already chocked full of content. Animal crossing just had a huge free update that kind of surprised me.

The thing about content is that it's just so normal to withhold stuff and charge 5$ per dlc or something silly that nearly everyone does it.
Ff7 remake is the most egregious offender of this. 70$ for every installment? The first part is full of bullshit fetch stuff while the actual story of ff7 doesn't even reach the end of the first disc I was so excited for the remake too, probably the most disappointed in a game I've ever been as I'm certainly not going to pay 70$ for every chapter.

 

[Kolph]

Because developers realized they could release an incomplete game and add rest of the content later, and that people would still buy it! It's a sound business tactic; you've got to pay your programmers, artists, voice actors, etc, somehow and sooner you can get the game out the door the sooner you can relax about the amounting bills, allowing you to add the extra additions to your game at your own pace. A good recent example is Animal Crossing New Horizons, only now a year later they are adding a bunch of content that should have been there at launch such as Brewster, gyroids, additional house customization, you name it. Thanks to the internet game devs no longer have to release a full product, only a good enough product, everything else is "DLC" later on down the line.

 

[RIG]

Because developers realized they could release an incomplete game and add rest of the content later, and that people would still buy it! It's a sound business tactic; you've got to pay your programmers, artists, voice actors, etc, somehow and sooner you can get the game out the door the sooner you can relax about the amounting bills, allowing you to add the extra additions to your game at your own pace. A good recent example is Animal Crossing New Horizons, only now a year later they are adding a bunch of content that should have been there at launch such as Brewster, gyroids, additional house customization, you name it. Thanks to the internet game devs no longer have to release a full product, only a good enough product, everything else is "DLC" later on down the line.

I see less of an issue with releasing content later if the content is sufficient already and as long as it's a multiplayer game, bringing along free content is a great way to keep a player base alive, a business tactic yeah but keeping the player base alive benefits both parties

 

[Kolph]

I see less of an issue with releasing content later if the content is sufficient already and as long as it's a multiplayer game, bringing along free content is a great way to keep a player base alive, a business tactic yeah but keeping the player base alive benefits both parties

Oh yeah for sure, but so many publishers are now releasing games that do not compare to the amount of content of previous iterations and then adding this expected content as DLC later on. It does not look good to consumers, just look at the reception modern Pokémon and Call of Duty receives.

 

[TigrEncounter]

I'll give credit to Yakuza here, one of the few games that still has this ethos

Yakuza 0 is one of the best experiences I've ever had in my entire life playing video games. The last time I had such fun with a video game was Guitar Hero and Devil May Cry. So much content, so much things to explore, so much heart touching and relatable things that mirrors real life. It gave me lots of life lessons. I can't wait to play the rest.

 

[1980Miami]

Yakuza 0 is one of the best experiences I've ever had in my entire life playing video games. The last time I had such fun with a video game was Guitar Hero and Devil May Cry. So much content, so much things to explore, so much heart touching and relatable things that mirrors real life. It gave me lots of life lessons. I can't wait to play the rest.

I just beat it and Yakuza Kiwami 1 (remake of the original Yakuza with 0s engine) and I really can't believe how good it was. Like you said the game is touching and definitely teared up at the end of Majima's story. It's also hilariously random in the best way possible and has some of the best distractions (underground women wrestling, slot car racing, arcade with Sega Classics, bowling, batting cages, etc.) Don't even get me started on the level of detail in each restaurant and stores offerings

 

[Jared]

When I was young, the games that I always enjoyed the most were the ones that had the most to do. Multiple game modes, unlockables, sandbox environments, things to collect, split screen multiplayer, etc. Games in the PS2 era especially seemed to have a heavy focus on stuffing the disc full of fun things to do.

For example the NCAA football games of the time were loaded with content. Play as mascots? Sure. Become a college football player and hang out in your dorm, take tests, and go to practice? Of course you can do that. Relive the 30 most iconic moments in college football history and change the outcomes if you please? Take over any FBS or FCS school as head coach and build their program through recruiting and coaching? Yep do that too.

This is one example, but it goes for all types of games. Compare Sonic Adventure 2 Battle's mission mode, unlockables, chao garden, and multiplayer to the modern sonic offerings. Compare DBZ Boudokai Tenkaichi 3s 100+ characters to the current gen games.

My point is, what is the reason for this change? It's not like the core gameplay of many series has improved by removing focus from extras. You could argue DLC, but in many cases the DLC doesn't add close to the amount of content that some of these old games had. Anyway, let me know your thoughts on this

I think its mostly an economic thing .Truth is 60 dollars isn't worth what it was in 2000. 60 dollars in 2000 would probably be 95.58 dollars .For whatever reason video games don't scale with inflation .Consumers are refusing to pay 70 dollars today for video games with the PS5, so why would you pay 95 dollars .This probably discourages developers to try harder and put more content in their games. If you knew you'd make less money on average for a better product you'd probably be discouraged to develop aswell .

 

[Pangolin]

I think this video shines a little bit of light onto the $60 price.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvPkAYT6B1Q

 

[1980Miami]

I'd gladly pay $90 for a game if they weren't allowed to release paid dlc for said game

 

[ETierhuman]

Also miss when games were jam packed with shit
its always been lego games for me, right now game ive had the most fun in recently is Watch_Dogs

 

[TigrEncounter]

Also miss when games were jam packed with shit
its always been lego games for me, right now game ive had the most fun in recently is Watch_Dogs

I get that it didn't live up to the hype. But overall it's a pack of fun. I got the game on release day as a gift from a friend for the Xbox 360 back in 2014 and holy shit It's actually pretty good. I beat it countless times just to replay the tower defense mission tagging up with T-Bone while Ministry was banging in the background.

 

[Jessica3cho雪血⊜青意]

Now, I could sit here and tout the same ol' same ol' schtick about games only care about the money, and games only care about graphics, and rinse recycle repeat games every year for massive profit yadda yadda yadda.

I do want to point out one thing that I feel people often overlook. Technology. We have made massive strides in technology in the last decade. The issue is, that technology is too readily available. We have companies designing games for hardware before the hardware is even out of R&D. You can't make a good game like that, its impossible. On top of that, the technology these companies want to use to "stay ahead of the curve" isn't even optimized.

I think that's part of the reason indie games are so popular these days. Using less complicated and complex technology has allowed artists to expand gameplay and content greatly compared to the modern AAA market.

 

[temporaltaboo]

The focus on graphical fidelity and marketing kinda eats into the budget for actual game development, doncha think?

Maybe we should have smaller games with worse graphics made by people who are paid more to do less, amongst other buzzwords that were co-opted by Twitter.

 

[Wanderer]

people that dont know or care about the product that they will never consume, that know only the marketing and expected profits based on retarded models, are corporate overlording creators with horrific ignorance and mismanagement. its why so many of the same kinds of games come out all in a row, one indie developer makes something good and unique, pulls a crowed and the AAA see this come in to the dev meeting for a game >80% finished and tell them that (insert genre) games are the hot thing so gut it and remake it.
like they did with Banjo-Kazooie 3, that was butchered into banjo kazooie nuts & bolts because "racing games are what sells".
or spore that the "game was for a young target audience and we dont need all that complexity cut it".
so why would you put love into a game that is really owned by those assholes that dont respect or understand what you're doing.
most of the people that love developing games are going independent and being replaced by the cheapest alternative that are just there to get payed and nothing more.
and so the games come out with only whats required for it to count as finished and impress corporate heads that are not going to play it, just be wowed by graphics.