Out with the old, in with the new! That’s what the new year rings in and we’re sure many of us have made personal resolutions or maybe we’re all just a bunch of stubborn gamers who reject resolutions just to hold on to our fickle fantasies of controlling luck and fate?! Whatever your choice, what would you improve if you had no budget, health, distance or priority restrictions?
New years eve is a window in time that offers a clarifying chance to know instantly what could be the most important improvement in your life – though you already know in a week’s time the life you already live will rearrange those priorities that often aren’t yours or put there by you. So what would you do and what could games become if all restrictions were removed?
What would you want for the gaming industry?
With these thoughts in mind, these are five game resolutions we’d like to see come true in 2020 if there were absolutely zero restrictions!
5. Say No To Drawn Out Development.
Pre-launch burn out is real, especially in the MMORPG genre or crowdfunded arena. We don’t need to bring up a certain game that has raised $288 million dollars that still hasn’t launched. Whoops, but lets get serious for a moment. Crowdfunding is hurting the industry, leaving a trail that is mentally and emotionally draining the gaming community. Not just for investors (gamers) but also developers. There is an anxious sense of insecurity and unfairness that comes to the surface every time an online game is offered on the crowdfunding menu. So much so that one can’t help but wish there was a time limit for a game to be in development when they raise a certain amount of funds.
4. Stop Making Games Public Too Early.
On the flip side of the above – Respawns, Apex Legends had the best launch in the last decade in February 2019 throwing the internet into a buzz of confusion since Anthem also released that same month. Clever or cocky? Electronic Arts (EA) has proven to be both on many occasions but regardless of their reputation because of any of their titles EA remains a powerful force in the gaming industry making bold decisions for better or for worse revitalizing the dream so many have that games would release asap! Surprise and mystery remain sentimental favorites among gamers.
3. Continue To Make Games For Players Not Influencers.
We get it. Streamers and social media socialites are marketing leaders for gaming which is fantastic but we’re watching developers create games that rely heavily on their participation, marketing that may not yet meet the budget to include them and battle royale’s galore but can you live up to the fleeting hype? Is your game going to thrive beyond the launch hype and can you offer updates and fixes that keep not only streamers but gamers coming back? If you appeal to the gamer within the streamer first, then the audience they bring success will continue!
2. Develop Your Game To Be Played On One Account Anywhere, Anytime.
Loyalty is everything and where a platform might be thinking we need to be loyal to them – gamers out here have a message to Windows, Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch and Cloud gaming. We want you to be loyal to us! Stop making us buy the same game over and over without even the remote possibility that we can play the account we invested time and sentiment into originally. Please.
1. Be Present And Purposeful.
There are millions of us out here who wish they could do what you can, remember your place in the grand game scheming wheel of things. It’s magnificent, regardless of what anonymous folks online say. At the same time the gaming industry overwhelms itself often trying to wear too many hats. Developers are burning out all over the world staying plugged in, taking care of things they may not have any/the best ability at doing. Stop guessing and stressing, those of us who love games and everything you create for us want you to enjoy what you launch also, take the time and investment to put the right folks in place to support all of us – especially you!
Yes this has been written like I am speaking to every gaming developer in the world, because I am and we appreciate you every day of the year.
Happy New Year!