Bloggery and ramblage

Hard core gaming is here to stay

With the constantly rising sales of games targeted at a mainstream audience and rising budgets of console games across the board, it's easy to see why many "hard core" gamers are becoming worried about the future of their favourite pass time. I argue, however, that a quick glance at music, movies and other forms of entertainment helps push those worries away. I don't have any figures to back myself up, but I'm sure indie music and art house films thriving just as well as they have been all along, and I believe the same thing will happen for games in the form of digitally delivered content.

Although Microsoft started off its Live Arcade service as an attempt to grab casuals, the biggest selling games (Rez, Ikaruga, Penny Arcade) have been some of the most niche games released in the past few years. Sony's PSN service has been selling some of the most unique and likely difficult to market games as well (Flow, Everyday Shooter, the upcoming Pixel Junk Eden) as well as digital versions of their big title games (Warhawk, Gran Turismo). Though I think the developers and publishers are still trying to get a feel for what they think they can and should sell, digital distribution will be a fine refuge for "hard core" games should selling them in stores ever become cost prohibitive.

There's also the matter of in game advertising and other business models that allow for larger budgets without having to increase game prices. Games with contemporary settings actually benefit from realistic advertising, and we're starting to see games like Battlefield Heroes that offer free online play but minor incentives to those who want to pay money for entirely optional extras. Combined with digital distribution, I honestly don't think hardcore games are going anywhere.

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