Are games reaching the limit of gameplay innovation? In a market packed with sequels and copycats, all signs seem to point to yes.
While the past week at GDC showed off some new stuff, I can’t help but to think that a majority of it will never hit the mainstream. What incentive does a developer have to try something different when GunGuys 4 is almost a guaranteed hit?
Let’s face it, most games today are pretty close together in gameplay mechanics and themes. Just in the final months of 2007, we were faced with Bioshock, Halo 3, The Orange Box, Call of Duty 4, Soldier of Fortune: Payback and Blacksite: Area 51. Each of these titles do something different, but all rely on a base mechanic that’s popular among the audience and pretty much guaranteed to sell a few copies.
There are two ends of the spectrum on the list. Bioshock was praised for it’s fresh storytelling and atmosphere, while Halo 3 sold millions of copies, because it was the third coming of an established engine.
GDC did show us some innovation from mostly unknown developers. Although there was some interesting ideas, many of the other games shown from the XNA Creator’s Club, or from unknowns on the PC were based on popular genres that don’t switch up the bases much.
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5 responses so far ↓
1 NoneOfYourBusiness // Mar 4, 2008 at 11:12 am
Games Like Patapon, Spore and Echochrome are shaping up to be pretty interesting. It’s a shame they are all probabaly going to one hit wonders.
Also, nice reference to the podcast with Gunguy 4..lol
2 Maul // Mar 4, 2008 at 11:20 am
Well, we all thought Mario had run his course and then he bounced back (literally) with SMG.
Now i find it hard to imagine where mario can go next in his platforming career.
Nintendo don’t tend to repeat themselves so Mario may not make another outing as spectacular as both SM64 and SMG were.
However series like COD can continue evolving, it went from king of the WW2 shooters to the most popular modern day shooter of our time.
3 haydenkayne // Mar 4, 2008 at 11:23 am
with all of the smaller studios getting bought up left and right, it really takes a bite out of the innovation. pretty soon well end up with brand a and brand e. we all know both brands love to mass produce these titles. its really simple why they do, 1 the less time and innovation they put into production, the less it costs. 2 the more often you put out titles, the more copies you will sell, thats 2 big ways for them to make dump trucks full of cash. and we all know thats what its all about, making cash, not great games
4 Dark Sovereign // Mar 5, 2008 at 9:50 am
I do see a few new ideas being brought forth, but there is only so much that can be brought into the genre. Part of the problem is that the establish series crush other shooters. If your going to make over the top gunplay, your competing with Halo, and will lose. If you go for heavy tactics, your competing with Rainbow Six, and will lose. If your going for modern shooter, your competing with CoD 4, and you’ll lose there too.
@Mauler
The gameplay of Call of Duty has stayed virtually the same since I first got on board with Call of Duty. The big addition with Call of Duty 4 was a modern setting and mixing RPG leveling and customization with online matches, which is something that Rainbow Six had already pulled off. Call of Duty 4 brought nothing new to the table, just polished what was already there.
5 Cube // Mar 9, 2008 at 3:33 pm
The best Innovation was be able to order pizza hut from your MMO’s
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