this post was submitted on 30 Nov 2023
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[–] zifnab25@hexbear.net 14 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Its survived much worse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983

PC games went into decline during the 2000s. And I'm sure COVID is paying it forward into the franchises thanks to all the delays and consolidations. They're all happening for similar reasons - excess consolidation in the AAA market, lots of really crappy knock-offs filling up the retail space, and the model for the industry being incompatible with the popular demand among players.

Just look at Blizzard, a studio that made its bones on RTS in the early 90s. They haven't released an RTS in over 13 years. Bioware, a studio that pioneered third-person TTRPG-style adventure games, has lost all sense of direction with its foray into MMOs and eroded by staff turnover. Now Larian is eating their lunch on the very title that put them on the map. And then you've got EA, which has been devouring and destroying studios since the early-90s (RIP Origins, you'll always have a special place in my heart).

There's still plenty of demand for video games, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. But we've been in a quality tailspin since at least the mid-'10s. Enshitifcation has taken its toll.

[–] M500@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m trying to think of the most recent non-Nintendo game I’ve placed that was genuinely good.

I liked resident evil 2 and 3 remake. Cyberpunk was pretty good, but not great.

I mostly play emulated games as most new stuff has not been enjoyable or interesting.

[–] zifnab25@hexbear.net 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean, I had a great time with Elden Ring, even if I never finished it. I'm currently enjoying my playthrough of BG3 and tempted to go for another playthrough just to see all the story paths I missed. I enjoyed my stints in Fortnite (particularly the base-building PvE) and Genshin Impact. Diablo 4 was fun to beat once, although I have no desire to play it seasonally. FF7-Remake was the best FF game I've played since 12.

I'll say that waiting until the games drop inside the $30 price point makes buying a game, not enjoying it, and shelving it significantly less painful. Nier Automata was fun-ish, but turned into a slog. I've got my eye on Armored Core 6, but I'm not in a rush.

[–] M500@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Those points are fair. This year and I guess last year have been particularly good years for gaming.

I was not a fan of armored core 6. The experience felt pretty empty. It’s just a bunch of short missions. The battles were kind of boring. It’s just you and an opponent revolving around each other firing. That what’s every mission boils down to. I was expecting a lot more from it.

[–] Maoo@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago

There's been restructuring in several industries and a lot of it is a consequence of higher interest rates - rates intended to sink small business and make many cut staff to bridge budget shortfalls. Management always wants to minimize labor costs, but tends to try and avoid cutting to the point of collapse or being "uncompetitive". Higher interest rates sets a new bar on what it means to be "competitive" while cutting staff, as everyone has to take that haircut. However, larger businesses can generally outlast these conditions better than smaller ones, and will prepare to buy up the smaller ones when rates drop again. In the meantime, they'll also cut staff to build that war chest and report profitability.

Everything hasn't quite been going to plan re: interest rates, but having an excuse to cut more staff is certainly there.

[–] HexReplyBot@hexbear.net 1 points 1 year ago

I found a YouTube link in your post. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy: