Are Bad Games Ruining it for us all?

Some people are concerned with the popularity of bad games taking over the market. It was brought to my attention that a legitimate amount of consumers are worried that AAA development may be affected by such low quality games. With so many games flooding the market, it seems like a logical concern.

Oh, video games...

There are many kinds of games. Games for adults, games for kids, games for the whole family. Genres ranging from first-person shooters, platformers, puzzlers, action-adventure, the lists go on. With such a variety in the kind of games you can pick from, there are bound to be some stinkers in that pile. Logically, not every game can be a AAA product, granted, there are plenty of polished turds, and from AAA developers. In the end, every game has its place, even if it's broken and barely functions.

Games have been around for decades and have found their way into our homes and hearts. As a kid you only get a handful of games, and you cherish those games. No matter what, you're stuck playing them until you scrounge up enough change from the couch cushions to buy another game.

It didn't matter how the game reviewed, it was something that piqued your interest, and come hell or high water, you were going to conquer it! Sometimes you struck gold, you purchased a great game and you invited your friends over, take turns, stayed up all night... Oh, the good life... Then, then, there were the times you cringed at the mere thought of starting up another session of that game.



They can't all be winners...

People often say without the bad, you won't appreciate the good, and that especially holds true to gaming software. For all the gripes and complaints I may have about Grand Theft Auto 5 occasionally being buggy, there are in fact fundamentally broken, almost unplayable games.

Games that have terrible clipping, texture pops, or even a lack of responsiveness from the controller are still around, and for some reason wont go away. One might think after a while these less than stellar apps might take a toll on the market.

Flappy Bird and its millions of clones are a prime example of sub-par game development. Yet the overnight success of such a game leaves industry analysts dumbfounded. Reportedly the game made $50K a day in ad revenue. On the flip-side of that, you have 38 Studios, who released Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning which was a well polished game that flopped and has Rhode Island scrambling for money.



This has resulted in an influx of get rich quick games, that result in a sub-par experience. Maybe it's because of the low risk, or maybe it's just a matter of someone cutting their game development teeth. In both situations it's the consumer who's to blame here. So long as we continue to support these games financially, they will be around.

It's hard to not see those crappy games doing financially well, and not want to replicate that magic formula. What this usually ends up creating are countless clones of an already niche, and poorly made games. Does this mean all that time, effort, and money spent toiling away is all in vein? No, no it does not.

I didn't mean to, I swear!

Many developers don't set out to make a crappy game, but due to lack of experience, finances, and other unforeseen circumstances, it can result in terrible game experiences. Most of these games sink to the bottom of the pile and are never seen or heard from again. Those types of games, I'd like to think, are great ways for young devs' to learn, and build a working knowledge of both coding, and how to market a product.

There will always be a place for a lower tier of polish and game design, just like there's a place for mid-tier. All these products have their place and price point. Smaller games - in terms of replay ability, graphics, overall polish - can typically be sold at a cheaper cost, if not free, to the consumer. Whereas, with mid-tier, the pricing can fluctuate pending on the platform, but are usually reasonably priced for the consumer.

Pricing can sometimes be a defining wall to overcome for market penetration. It's not uncommon to see a completely free game. Those that are genuinely free, rely on ad revenue. In other cases the word "free," is almost synonymous with microtransactions. Microtransactions are a great way for the developers and publishers to turn a profit for free games otherwise known as Free to Play Games. Though, at times at the cost of the player experience.



The Breakdown

At the end of the day, that's what the concern is: the players experience. Some players set out wanting a low-tier, inexpensive way to have some pixelated fun. Others strive for the best of the best. Then there's a group that relish the mid-tier compromises. I imagine most people - like myself - enjoy games from many price points and polish levels.

The player being satisfied is what keeps an audience coming back, and telling his friends about the game. That game can be cheap, just right, or top dollar, and they all have their righteous place in the gaming market. One doesn't overshadow the other, though business practices may be shared (i.e. microtransactions), each thrive and depend on each others success.

@Coatedpolecat