Gaming Issues Today

  A lot has changed over the years in the gaming industry. It went from being, a lone ranger type of thing with game cartriges. Where a few people or even one person could work on a game and have it out in a decent amount of time. Then it grew and wento to discs where everything was three dimensinal. (The N64 being the odd man out there) Yet a lot in gaming has stayed the same.

  This post is about some of the things that I find to be slightly annoying and well hurtful to the gaming industry as a whole. Lets rewind time back to fifteen years ago. A lot has changed in fifteen years. For computer gamers Steam wasn't even a thing. Now that being stated Steam has created a new way to buy, play and download games. I have to say that thanks to steam I have a huge gaming library on my computer. Yet that being said, there are some issues I have with what Steam has been doing lately.

  Early Access being one of the major issues I have with the gaming industry as a whole right now. As a gamer I love being able to be one of the first people to get my hands on a new video game even if it isn't finished. (Beta) Then Early Access was launched. Then in March of 2013 Steam/ Valve launched Early Access. Which means that for a bit of money you can get into a game on the Alpha level. Which means you have all the major issues where the game doesn't work or can just die on you randomly.

 Now I remember playing the demo discs from the Playstation as a kid which was awesome it would get me interested in a game or make me just say "Eh it's alright" Yet now with computer gaming I have to pay double if not triple the amount you had to pay for the Playstation magazine which you got the demo disc in. Not that long ago I was looking at a game on Early Access it was Planetary Annihlation. The game was going for a hundred dollars in Early Access... I understand that the developers need help funding things sometimes. Yet why would I shell out a hundred dollars for a game that is thrity bucks now... Or worse yet. I am guilty of this one. Paying twenty bucks for a free to play game...

 This isn't to say that Early Access is a bad thing. It can be a good thing. Yet when it seems more like a cash grab than a Alpha test.. Which it is supposed to be. In the case of H1Z1 (which I spent twenty bucks on...) It is a free to play game. It also is being made by SOE or rather was. SOE (Sony Online Entertainment) was recently bought out by a company in New York. The new company name is Daybreak or something like that.  Then the mass layoffs of some of the biggest names in the company? Really people? Who is to say that any of these games will actually launch. Look at how long the Beta has been for SMITE.

 I have to say that as (being a PC gamer primarily) that I can't log into Steam without having every other game that shows up in my que be an Early Access game. Which I find slightly saddening. Look at the industry. Is this the way gaming is going to go? Is this the future? Are we paying for nothing?
I look at all the games I have Alpha, and Beta tested. Which is a lot mind you. I have tested just about every MMO to come out in the last 5 years. Mind you many of those I was in the Closed Beta and went into the Open Beta for. Yet now we have to pay to play the Beta tests? Why is that? Well I can somewhat understand supporting the company making it.

 Look at Star Citizen, and their 72 million dollar funding they have gotten since they launched their Kickstarter. That in itself is another issue I have. Kickstarter is crowdfunding. Which can be cool but when the person doesn't deliver well there is an issue. Heck some guy wanted to make better mayo for potato salad... Come on people. Yes I realize that if I were to ever make a game I would more than likely have to be crowdfunded as well. Yet I have seen so many games either not make their goal, or just drop off the face of the planet.

 I feel that these two things can end up breaking the gaming industry as a whole if let loose on the general public. You wouldn't pay for half a burger at McDonald's? So why would you pay for half a game?

 I want to know what you all think. Let me know if you agree or have a different opinoin on these two subjects.


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