Prez wrote on May 17, 2025, 01:28:
Well yes I read the article. But I don't think he is making the same points I am because he says the industry is broken as evidenced by us collectively being "enthralled" by GTAVI when I am saying almost the opposite. But maybe I am not saying it right. Fuck my broken brain.

Ok I can see that. Maybe I am reading it too much that he meant the journalism aspect is broken. I think he might be putting too much weight in to the importance of him, "journalism" saying it pertains to the industry as a whole but tries to make it be about analytics. Sounds like he did his mission was accomplished even if it was a crappy one.

Well yes I read the article. But I don't think he is making the same points I am because he says the industry is broken as evidenced by us collectively being "enthralled" by GTAVI when I am saying almost the opposite. But maybe I am not saying it right. Fuck my broken brain.

Prez wrote on May 16, 2025, 21:33:
My response was exclusively to the author. I don't agree with him. And my point wasn't a bad game = more sales. But it means more people in his line of work will have more to write about. More exposé videos will be made if it is bad than if it is as good as V. The industry isn't in the thrall of a single release, though I understand that it might look that way to an outsider.

I see, not asking this to be insulting but did you read the article? I got the impression that he is making the exact same point you just did but that could just be how I read it. He even admits that his job depends upon the BS hype machine which was a breath of fresh air.

My response was exclusively to the author. I don't agree with him. And my point wasn't a bad game = more sales. But it means more people in his line of work will have more to write about. More exposé videos will be made if it is bad than if it is as good as V. The industry isn't in the thrall of a single release, though I understand that it might look that way to an outsider.

Prez wrote on May 16, 2025, 11:57:
This really isn't true. For argument's sake, let's say the GTAVI is a colossal disaster. There were SO MANY articles written about and so many videos created about how disastrous the GTA Definitive Edition release was. And that wasn't even a tent pole release. Many times more than what would have been created had it been released and it was good.

Also, only the media is in the thrall of the GTAVI release. (The author's point about SEO is on point in this case) They don't need it to be good, or terrible; they only need it to be relevant. Gamers (including myself) just want to play it when it comes out. Some of them really want to play it, but most of them seem like they will just play other things until it releases. When it does, they'll play it. When GTAVI online comes out (by that time, the old meme about being charged for reloading your gun might no longer be just a meme), it will occupy the time of millions of gamers. Just like GTAV is doing right now. I fail to see what is going to change...

I'm not 100% clear on what part you are saying isn't true. What I said? What he said?

As for the game's meme worthiness because it's bad = more sales, that only goes so far and never enough. The recent Gollum game is probably the best example of a terrible game getting more attention for being terrible but that didn't save it with enough sales. The studio retired from making games as a result of it. GTA6 is going to be large enough that it will find an audience pretty much regardless of the quality of it. It may be a larger or smaller audience than previous titles in the series but that's also nothing new for them. So long as it makes enough to warrant making another, they will keep doing it.

It's important to note that a lot of, "gamers" out there aren't like us and don't really care for repetition or low effort, quite the opposite even. They want their NBA/Assassin's Creed/Madden/CoD/GTA/FIFA to have the same stuff over and over with different coats of paint. It's the familiarity that attracts them to it over and over which is the bread an butter of these large companies.

This really isn't true. For argument's sake, let's say the GTAVI is a colossal disaster. There were SO MANY articles written about and so many videos created about how disastrous the GTA Definitive Edition release was. And that wasn't even a tent pole release. Many times more than what would have been created had it been released and it was good.

Also, only the media is in the thrall of the GTAVI release. (The author's point about SEO is on point in this case) They don't need it to be good, or terrible; they only need it to be relevant. Gamers (including myself) just want to play it when it comes out. Some of them really want to play it, but most of them seem like they will just play other things until it releases. When it does, they'll play it. When GTAVI online comes out (by that time, the old meme about being charged for reloading your gun might no longer be just a meme), it will occupy the time of millions of gamers. Just like GTAV is doing right now. I fail to see what is going to change...

This is a depressing read but sounds on target. There's some irony here in that the author is contributing to the problem he's espousing about by writing this article.