I was reading this Wiki about the North American video game crash of 1983 Very interesting and sounds a lot like what is going on today... Of course its scaled 10 times larger and we are losing PC/Console gamers to phones... But I recognize some similarities in today game market: Oversaturation of Games High prices on systems and games Lots of low quality games Also the war of consoles vs PC's started back in 1983. Consoles were first to the public, but PC's were the next to take on games. Very interesting how history is repeating its-self. Are we going to witness the next Game Market crash?
Quite possibly. This is why I believe in indie games. They aren't shit. Who cares if EA makes more than Obama can waste in a week, if I make the game and release it, it is what I would want to play.
I have to admit there are a lot of bad indie titles. Just look on Moddb.com There are a lot more unfinished, uncreative games on there then really good ones (Overgrowth). Of course there are a lot of genre's, but I've only play a few of them since so many are so poor in quality. On the flipside, big AAA games aren't guaranteed to be good either. There are some I just stay away from... Others like Assassin's Creed are AMAZING! But I wait for them to go on sale. Indie companies are really struggling to make profits and AAA games are struggling because it requires 100's of people and millions of dollars to create one. Totally over-saturated! Every once in a while, a unique game appears like Minecraft and blows the industries minds!
Mobile games will never fully take over for console & PC games. The reason is simple, with consoles and PCs you have a larger screen, and any true gamer would still prefer either console or PC becasue of a few reasons. One being a larger screen, two being that with the current technology you simply can't get the same performance on mobiles, three being that a small screen means that it's hard to make an advanced game. I consider a true gamer someone who plays games for fun, and the way I see it, most people who only play mobile games or facebook games don't play it because they think it's incredibly fun, they play it because it passes the time in between other stuff that they do. In other words, they are procrastinating.
Aryvandaar has a point, but no one can say a phone will kill the gaming industry. I have an android business phone. Quad core, 4 gigs ram, the whole deal. What do I use it for? Web browser when I need it, IRC, SSH, and as a phone.The exact same stuff I did with my Java phone way back when I could stand programming in java.
Another arguments against tablets & phones, and why it will never fully take over, is because certain tasks is a lot more comfortable while using a desktop or laptop. In businesses like IT, computer development, engineering, architect etc the desktop and laptop will always reign supreme. Things like this simply cannot be done with a tablet or a phone as effectively. I use my phone at work, for google hangouts, web browser, flashlight and basic phone stuff. At home I have a habit of using the phone to check my e-mail. I also use it as a music player.
The mobile industry is an interesting one... Though devices are getting extraordinarily powerful, they will never be able to push the amount of data a full blown desktop can. I choose PC gaming because of the large screen, keyboard/mouse and surround sound. I really get that movie-like experience when playing high quality games. Mobile has its benefits as well. Phones are small, no need for keyboard or mouse, can take your games anywhere and full access to the web. I admit, Andriod and iOS games are getting more and more graphically intense and very interactive. Not to mention almost everyone has a smart phone or tablet. But I agree with Aryvandaar, most serious gamers will still go with their console or computer for games that will probably never run on phones. Any time I pick up my iPad or Windows Phone, its to pass the time. I don't even use headphones. I only play free games and don't necessarily get really involved with the story or longevity of each game. But if you consider how many games are on Android, iOS, Internet, PC and console's... We are talking thousands and thousands of games. Think of all the developers and companies who make all of these games. Who is actually making a profit and who is going bankrupt? Over-saturated is the keyword Are we at the point where any game is only worth $1.00 and companies are flipping because they can't sell their game and make a profit? That seems to be where a market crash starts.
There are plenty of good quality games out there, that people are willing to pay for. Then of course, there are also plenty of not so good quality games out there, but I'm not worried about those games. I don't think the market will crash, or maybe not as people think. I think that developers will soon realise that gamers demand quality, and that bad quality games won't sell. It's not like the film industry, or the music industry. In the game industry consumers are more interested in quality (less bugs, flawless graphics, good gameplay, good story* etc).
I'm sure you have seen the flash games websites Littered with poor quality games. You might find one decent game out of 10. Mobile games are better, but not by much. PC is plagued with a LOT of bad game through out the last 30 years, but of course there are still hundreds of GREAT games. I have no idea what is on consoles when it comes to quality. When I had a Super Nintendo and then later upgraded to Playstation, there were only a handful of games I was willing to purchase. A few FPS's, Mario platformers, fighting games and racing. That was about it. I own about 250 games and most of them are decent playable games but a few of them are worth 30 minutes and then you move on. Maybe you are right, there won't be "crash" but the market will fluctuate heavily because only a few have figured out a working business model: Minecraft Farmtown World of Warcraft Free-to-Play (various titles) Valve
