Whatever happened to original titles?

[Zak]

I apologise in advance for a bit of a rant here, but what on earth happened to original game development. Everything seems to be a copy of a copy of a copy. Its not just in games - Hollywood is just as guilty - but lets look at some titles coming out soon which are little more than reskins. There are two off the top of my head:

WH40K - Darktide. It's by the same developer as Vermintide. They couldn't even be bothered to change the name significantly. Just take off Vermin and add Dark. This is a copyof Vermintide to appeal to a wider audience. 

Humankind - Take Civ 6 (or Civ 3, 4, 5 and 6!) and make it pretty. The same process applies. A different developer this time, but they're just churning out copies of games.

 

Have there been any truly original titles recently? What are they?

[Shagger]

A big part of me doesn't want to believe you're right, but I do have to agree. I don't think gaming is nearly as creatively inept as Hollywood and there are still some very original and unique games out there, but it has been getting worse in recent years, especially the AAA gaming industry.

[Zak]

It's a difficult pill to swallow isn't it? As a gamer I want to scream "NO!" at my own thought process but the scary, inevitable truth is staring me in the face. I get it, don't misunderstand me, gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry and a dev studio can live or die by their last game. If they put out an unsuccessful title they don't earn enough to produce the next title. Its a bold move to do something different as failure can lead, ultimately, to the loss of revenue. Its safer to put out something you know works. Just look at Call of Duty; how many versions have their been now? And players keep lapping it up. The fear of failure impacts the decisions of the development studio. 

[m76]

I've heard the exact same complaint regularly levied against gaming in the past 20 years or even earlier than that. And I don't think it's more valid now than it was before.  There are only so many formulas for games, it's hard to do something that has never been done before. And I think originality is overrated. It's not originality that makes games great, it's using existing and well established formulas in the best way possible. I don't mind what brand they slap on a game, if it means they get the budget to make a good game. Call of Duty Infinite Warfare was one of the greatest single player campaigns I played, the COD branding didn't take anything away from it, it just meant they had the budget.

[The Blackangel]

Originality is unfortunately a thing of the past. No one has the balls to make anything unique. The last time I saw any kind of truly unique games was somewhere between SNES and N64. NES however was the heyday of unique games. Marble Madness, A Boy And His Blob, Castlevania, Mega Man, Battletoads, Street Fighter 2010, and so on. Now everything is a damn carbon copy of something. Developers see success with a title that debuted 2 systems ago, and they keep puking up sequels to it. It’s one of the reasons why I’m a classic gamer. There’s nothing new anymore. It’s just a slightly altered package with a word or two changed.

[skyfire]

On 8/17/2020 at 10:00 PM, Zak said:

Humankind - Take Civ 6 (or Civ 3, 4, 5 and 6!) and make it pretty. The same process applies. A different developer this time, but they're just churning out copies of games.

I think after some time development gets too slow that they don't focus on bigger features or changes.. innovation and originality slows down too. 

[Wolves]

Game developers are always so rushed to finish the project. There's a huge difference when you put together a highly creative team and give them time to work but unfortunately that's not what corporate likes to practice. It's all about getting things done and turning a profit. Blockbuster games like GTA, Fortnite, etc. are all as popular as they are because they're unique. 

[skyfire]

On 8/29/2020 at 1:12 AM, Wolves said:

Game developers are always so rushed to finish the project. There's a huge difference when you put together a highly creative team and give them time to work but unfortunately that's not what corporate likes to practice. It's all about getting things done and turning a profit. Blockbuster games like GTA, Fortnite, etc. are all as popular as they are because they're unique. 

Yes each year they have to stay relevant and keep the sales going. most of the games have 1 month of rushed sales span. so they have to keep on building something new. 

[KuroInDistress]

Agreed with the lack of great new IP's recently, but this generation has seen some good stuff, especially from Indie developers who have been doing AMAZING. But AAA Companies are really shitting on the industry

[Zak]

Indie is the only place to go if you want originality. There's very little in the AAA world which breaks new ground. Perhaps the increase in uptake in VR will change that a bit. Fingers crossed.

[Heatman]

The simple truth is that they are all in for the money right now and don't even have the time to stress over working up a new original game because it's actually going to take them more resources to get it done. 

[Reality vs Adventure]

People don't make and sell things based on originality. They make and sell based on what is predicted to sell. So if they profit from unoriginality, then it is the people who are boring and distasteful. Also, being time pressured is a part of it. Contracts with publishers are a huge problem. 

I want you to make me a shoe. You have one week.

One week? I can make a really great shoe in one month.

Who cares! It's a shoe; you walk in it. 

Shoe ready?

Yes, but with more time I could have used this better quality leather to make it last longer

They don't know that!

 

[Crazycrab]

Occasionally you get some original IP's that pull through but most AAA publishers consider them to much of a risk.  I appreciate when it when a publisher has the balls to it and there are instances where it has been very successful.  I think PlayStation seem to be doing the best in this regard with at the likes of Horizon Zero Dawn, Bloodborne and Ghost of Tsushima all being big commercial and critical hits.  I don't think doing something original is as much of a risk as these companies seem to think.

[Heatman]

12 hours ago, Reality vs Adventure said:

People don't make and sell things based on originality. They make and sell based on what is predicted to sell. So if they profit from unoriginality, then it is the people who are boring and distasteful. Also, being time pressured is a part of it. Contracts with publishers are a huge problem. 

I want you to make me a shoe. You have one week.

One week? I can make a really great shoe in one month.

Who cares! It's a shoe; you walk in it. 

Shoe ready?

Yes, but with more time I could have used this better quality leather to make it last longer

They don't know that!

 

So, in summary from your little thesis, it's our desire and pressure for the games to be out too quick that makes them make games that aren't that good or not that much of an original or unique? 

[Reality vs Adventure]

12 hours ago, Heatman said:

So, in summary from your little thesis, it's our desire and pressure for the games to be out too quick that makes them make games that aren't that good or not that much of an original or unique? 

That's right because we are consumers and have control over what garbage is sold. If a lot of our money goes into games that supports unoriginality, then that is the market. If developers feel it's risky to make a unique game, then they understand that the consumers prefer poop sticks.