To most gamers immersed in gaming world, game releases are usually expected to be bigger and better every year. As the technology advances, the story line, the character, the graphics and the sound effect are inclined to be more delicate. This happens especially when a second version of a game is released. It is universally acknowledged that the second version often performs better than the previous one with the help of technology. However, here is an interesting phenomenon that console sales and video games sales are down while gaming sales are up. Does this indicate that gamers are no longer interested in the big and complicated games?
Let's take a close look at the most played and most popular games. It is easy to conclude that many of them are very simple. FarmVille is quite a good example. This game has more fans than any games are for sale on the PC or consoles. Of course, it's simple enough for people of all ages to play and enjoy it. Look at the Wii console and many of the most popular games are the simplest. There are also millions of sales for simple games on mobile phones.
One crucial reason of this phenomenon is that gamers nowadays are not pure crazy gaming fans. The brand new group consists of different generations varying from pre-school children to people who have retired from work. Games were previously not taken seriously as a form of entertainment by public, but nowadays things have changed. New games should be designed to cater to all ages' needs. Thus simpler games gain more popularity because of its flexibility.
As the gaming group expands, the game designers have to be aware of the fact that many gamers are not computer expert. The games should be easy to install, easy to start, and easy to understand. Common major points of a game like grand graphics and enchanting storyline doesn't matter to the new group. Being able to play the game and enjoy the fun wherever and whenever is now the priority.
To gaming companies, there are two choices in front of them. One is to spend millions of dollars on a complex game which is approved by hardcore gamers. The other is to use less money to create some simple games that will be a great hit to the masses. We can see clearly that most companies are now focusing more on the latter one. |
Favorites
Del.icio.us
Digg
Furl
Magnolia
StumbleUpon
Google
Yahoo
Technorati
BlinkList
