Posted by We’re back with our “thinking about thinking” series! If you’re interested in our previous deep thoughts, check out the Metacognition series. Join us for some deep thoughts (and maybe the occasional not-so-deep thought) about gaming. If you find one you’d like to answer, you can either comment below or write a post and share the link so we can all read your fantastic thoughts.
What is your opinion on AAA gaming?
I have honestly not really thought about this before. And I’m not sure I’m qualified to really answer this question, because I’m just a gamer with a blog, not someone who studies trends in gaming or anything like that. But since I have your eye, here’s my unqualified opinion on the matter.
I think overall, AAA gaming is doing alright. I certainly have some issues with modern games, and I do believe that it is a toss up as to whether modern games are better, worse, or the same as the games of yesteryear, but overall I think the AAA scene is doing alright overall. Interesting games are released on high-powered consoles, virtual reality is something we are able to dip our toes into, and there are so many choices available to gamers to enjoy their hobby.
Of course, that doesn’t mean it isn’t without its issues. I don’t like that there are some games that just exist on servers, that can be paid for and then can be yanked away from the player at the whim of the company. I also don’t like that small developers are either out-marketed by larger companies and so their games don’t always get the publicity they might deserve, or they are straight-up acquired (I’m looking at you, EA), only to be dismantled or, worse, must watch their IPs be turned into cash cows.
But honestly, I see the little stack of games I have that are AAA titles, and I can’t say I’ve been disappointed. Sometimes a game hasn’t been to my personal taste, but that didn’t mean it was an objectively “poor” game.
Overall, I think the future of AAA is generally bright. As we continue to make sure that companies don’t take us for more of a ride than we are willing to go on, I think we’ll be happily seeing AAA games for a long time.
And that’s not to mention the rise of AA and indie games. It’s a good time to be a gamer.
What do you think? What is your opinion on AAA gaming? What about the AA or indie scene? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you soon!
~Athena
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I see AAA games as “easy games” for publishers. These are games that they’ll release with pretty much a guarantee of getting their money back. Whilst there are the occasional ones that take a risk, they are few and far between. Whether they are bad or not has to be taken on a case by case and person by person basis, but they’re often good in my experience. Good, but safe.
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Yeah, that’s another great way of putting it. They are the money makers… and there is nothing wrong with that, like you said. A lot of them can be great fun. I just wish they used some of that guaranteed money to fund a few “risky” games every once in a while, too…
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Absolutely. All that money they make is just pumped into another sequel that’s guaranteed to make more money.
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I agree with what you hit on AAA games are alright. Thinking about it I’m not sure if expecting alright on their budgets is enough? Triple A games tend to appeal to the masses so they are fun but often not as innovative as their smaller cousins in the industry. At the end of the day I love AAA games but there’s something about smaller ones that stand out. It’s a unique position the game industry is in where having no budget at all can still yield a game that can rival a game made for millions and I think that’s a great thing!
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It’s tough, for sure, since AAA games make a lot of money, but they also risk a lot in production costs so they want to be sure they make it back…. and that sort of mindset doesn’t lend itself to experimentation or breaking from what has worked before.
It’s definitely an exciting time, because there are so many options and so many ways to make such great games!!
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That’s true, I’m not sure if Telltale can be classed as a AAA developer but they are a perfect example of the risks involved for game devs!
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I like Eh gaming a lot… games from Canada are awesome (that was lame sorry, haha)
“I don’t like that there are some games that just exist on servers, that can be paid for and then can be yanked away from the player at the whim of the company.” So much this! I hate that idea too. It’s one of the things that eventually factored into my decision to quit WoW for good. It’s also why I’ll likely never get to really play Destiny. I’m guessing it’ll be shutdown by the time I get to it, at this rate. The only reason why I own it is because it came with my PS4.
But yeah, a lot of the big AAA games released recently have fallen flat with me so meh. I’m trying to give more Indie developers a chance. For example, I was less than impressed with Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, but Hellblade and RiME ended up being special gaming experiences I’ll never forget! 🙂
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Yes I wish I knew a little more about gaming history/business so I could comment on the AAA versus indie scene, because there are the big budget games that will surely make money, but games like Hellblade and RiME weren’t exactly “small budget,” either… hm…
But yeah, the whole “games as service” thing grinds my gears quite a bit…
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