The diminishing returns of higher end video game consoles are becoming more and more apparent, particularly in the context of budgets. Looking back at the PS2 -> PS3 generational transition there were very few cross generation games. There were also way more PS2 exclusives that generation. During the PS3/360 generation nearly every major developer was forced to adopt cross platform publishing to recoup their investment, and most major games were also ported to PC. People stopped expecting significant exclusives on any platform. Now the majority of AAA games that are released for PS4 and Xbox One are also being released on PS3 and 360, which limits the potential scope of the PS4 and Xbox One versions, especially with expensive productions like Destiny. Games have become so expensive to make that they simply cant be released for a single generation, let alone a single console. On top of that you have everyone chasing after the free to play model because iPhone games and Steam sales have dramatically influenced customer perception of value. Were starting to see more and more games with budgets north of $200 million. With investments that large they cant afford to experiment or take risks. So we get sequels and derivative gameplay. And thats with $60 games. But its nice that at the same time were seeing the rise of indie games. WIth premade engines like Unity specifically targeting indie developers, its becoming easier to make complex games with a very small team. And indie games dont have to sell very many copies to make their creators money. Terraria is a small game made by literally 2 people. Because of the vast potential audience they can reach over the Internet it has now sold over 1.6 million units at between $3 and $10 a pop, depending on Steam sales. The creator is now a millionaire. 1.6 million units of the latest Assassins Creed wouldnt be anywhere near enough for that game to break even, with its 3 year development cycle and team of around 1000 people, even though its selling for at least 6 times as much. Interesting times.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 00:22:32 +0000
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