I've been a gamer since I first earned the money on my own to buy the original Nintendo Entertainment System back around 1987 or so. I don't recall the year I actually got the system but I remember that I was young and there was nothing as appealing and addicting as that video game console. This same thought and feelings can still be shared today with modern gaming consoles, and probably PCs, but one thing has really changed the experience.
Today, the sheer number of games and options available to gamers are outstanding. Back in the 80s when I played games there was no Internet or major marketing for games. I think back then it was just Nintendo Power (which I would salivate for each month), maybe some TV commercials here and there, but mainly word of mouth or visiting a friends house. Today, I'm a 31 year old gamer and there are so many forks in the road and ways to split my attention it is insane....it really is. Back in the day of Nintendo there were games coming out left and right but it was just a handful that people really looked forward to (ie. Super Mario Bros. BattleToads, etc).
We are closing in on the 2010 holiday season, and yesterday I went to visit my local Gamestop to see about cashing in my trade-in credits. The only really outstanding game in my mind that I want to purchase when it comes out is Dead Space 2. I walked into the store and asked about the typical pre-order bonus for the game, but found that nothing is currently offered. I then asked the customer rep what he suggests. The guy exploded w/ a list of games, but then back tracked to ask what games I like. Either way, he could name over 10 hot titles coming out within the next 2 months and even more in the next 6 months. Most of these games I will want to play, at some point, but the question really comes down to:
1) How many games can I afford to buy?
2) How much time do I have to dedicate to games?
I'm not a marketing specialist, but I have noticed in the past year or so that game publishers move out release dates for games just b/c the feel their game's release date may conflict with another hot title. Because of this they don't want to dilute their market by leaving the consumer w/ a choice on what to spend their money on. I understand the revenue forecast models for this, but I just wonder if game companies plan long term to understand how diverse the offerings are for gamers and how fast new titles appear on the shelves.
Time and Money, that is what it comes down to as a gamer. I just wonder at times if game devs or publishers consider how this market has matured, where it will go and how will the gamers change. Does it even matter?
I would love to play ever awesome looking title out there, but its demanding. Definitely a fun second job, if anything. Too bad I'm not paid for it, but that is another story.
Anyway, I'm not sure if this blog was really something interesting or my mind just spilling out on paper. I think I may have gone down a good path for a point, but in the end I lost it, and it wasn't really all that interesting anyway.
To you the readers, do you ever ponder which games you're going to purchase if your list is long and budget is limited? Even past that do you ever stress over when and how you will get to finish your games? Actually, that brings up a whole other point I'd like to get into, but that is a topic for another blog post. "Campaigns vs Multiplayer."
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