Game Changer: Why getting what we want isnt necessarily what we need. - jestep123's Blog

jestep123's Blog

Game Changer: Why getting what we want isnt necessarily what we need.

Posted on November 1, 2010 at 12:04 PM.

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"Its a good lesson though. Now I can just hold on to NCAA 11 and probably NBA 2k11 through next year until I can give them the proper amount of playtime.

One game has changed the way that I will buy video games, probably forever. Thank you SCEA for saving me some cash next year."

I wrote this a few days ago on a thread I started on the MLB 10 The Show message boards. The thread was about the fact that I love football but was still playing The Show deep into football season and well after my team (the Reds) were eliminated from the playoffs.

I meant what I wrote, and it scares me just a little.

I dont think that there is much debate that this has been a genre-defining year for sports games. We are telling game makers what we want and they are listening. Gamers should feel about as full as that old Uncle who cant get his pants buttoned after the Thanksgiving feast. I wonder aloud though, is this a good thing for anybody?

Gamers constantly complain on message boards because they absolutely know the ins and outs of what dev teams are capable of and yet, they seemingly fail to deliver. That has not happened this year.

Think about it. This year's biggest sports gaming dissapointments are aguably Madden 11 and to a lesser extent, because EA spared us from droping $65 on it, NBA Elite. If you are an older gamer like me (it hurts to say that, I am only 35), that has to knock you back on your heels a little bit. Back in the day (again that stings just a bit), you couldnt walk into a college dorm room without seeing Madden or Live on whatever console the student had.

Anyway, every other major sports game this year was pretty solid, if not spectacular. The question is what happens next? As mentioned above, I cant tear myself away from The Show long enough so I could basically use NBA 2k11 and NCAA Football 11 as bookends right now. Why would I go out and buy NBA 2k12 on release day if I havent even spent time with my last $60 game? Same thing with NCAA 11. My 4 year old loves "College 11" as he calls it. I have watched him play, it looks great but I am yet to play a full game myself. I am surely not going to go out and buy NCAA 12 as an upgrade just so my then 5 year old can enjoy it. Frankly, he doesnt care about improved tackling animations, or if all the teams have their exact uniforms in the game.

I am sure that I am not the only one thinking about skipping titles next year and that is NOT a good thing. I want to support the gaming industry so they keep churning out these great titles but the fact is that I have a family to support first. I am not talking about a situation where its food on the table vs the newest football game but what I am saying is that it may be time to step back and admit that I am content with what I have for a while. Especially if I havent even had the playtime to know whether I am content or not.

The bottom line is that most of the sports games this year may be too good for their own good and that may not be a good thing for all parties involved.

Like I said, scary.