Is Another Video Game Crash Possible?

[williamjones]

I know this is on an emulation board, but I was wondering what would you guys do if there was another crash like the early 80's had.

Lets say Sony had another hacker attack and it also loses 10 billion over the course of a year so they decide to leave the gaming world. Then the 720 doesnt catch on and using Internet Explorer on your Xbox gets your console infected with malware so MS loses billions of dollars while the Windows 8 needs more fixes than they thought, MS decides just to have their Xbox games on Windows computers. The WII U doesnt catch the hardcore kinda gamer Nintendo wants to get back in touch with (THAT FREAKIN STUPID CONTROLLER) using the console and the casual mom doesnt see the need for another version of Wii fitness or bowling, so it too bites the dust.

What do you think would happen after that? Or what kinds of things could cause another crash?

[Inferno.]

None of those things are going to happen though, these companies aren't stupid enough.

[luffy4]

well they are pretty stupid but... i dont think all 3 of them would keel over at once even if one did

[GradyWilson]

I think what caused the crash in the mid 80s was a huge glut of 'sameness'. Sure, truly original games these days are few and far between, (Indiana Jones = Montezuma's Revenge = Tomb Raider = Uncharted = etc.) it was rather ridiculous in the 80s. There were essentially 4-6 basic 'types' of games until 1984 or so, and little else. (stuff dropping from above, spaceship shooter, maze, etc.) Things like leveling-up, true depth, and even saving your game were unheard of, this is not the case these days.

I dont see another crash in the near future, there are some pretty creative folks in the industry today, but who knows...

[williamjones]

Yeah its all hypothetical, but watching E3 conferences over the years it makes my mind wander around.

[JKDarkside]

None of those things are going to happen though, these companies aren't stupid enough.

Lord knows they're trying, but they haven't reached retarded-vana yet.

[luffy4]

"you went full retard!, NEVER go full Retard!"

[emufan79]

A crash is possible in the future,i mean hell they dont even make complete games anymore.What is going to happen in 5 years or so when the Catwoman section of Arkahm City isnt available to anyone anymore because you can no longer buy a unlock key? Not to mention the ridiculous cost for AAA games,with alot of them having a AAA budget but being far from a AAA title. the same thing is happening now as in the 80's-the industry is becoming to bloated to support itself.

Just look @ Activision a few years back.They flooded the industry with Guitar Hero sequels to such a point that when they did try something different,i.e. DJ Hero (which was actually pretty good,better then Guitar Hero IMO)people were so tired of that genre it didnt sell as expected.They are doing the same thing with the CoD franchise now.A crash is very possible,especially with the global economy being in the shitter.The real question will come after the crash.Will we need Nintendo to once again save the entire industry?

IF you really think about it,a crash could be beneficial to us,the gamers.Just like in the 80's when the industry crashed all the low quality developers and publishers pretty much went out of business over night.And when the industry did return,we had a nice quality assurance policy,that kept tons of bad games form ever seeing the light of day.Its not as if the industry is at tip top shape now.Look how many buggy games are released today.Almost every game seems to have a day 1 patch.Some were so bad,like the new Ghost recon FS,it was unplayable @ release.Darksiders II,Sleeping Dogs,and Transformers FOC all shipping with bugs.

[Gare]

A crash is possible in the future,i mean hell they dont even make complete games anymore.What is going to happen in 5 years or so when the Catwoman section of Arkahm City isnt available to anyone anymore because you can no longer buy a unlock key?

They'll just release it for free? Or something. Or just get the game on Steam, it has the Catwoman content included by default without the need to unlock it.

In any case, I agree with Inferno in that I don't see a crash happening in the near future.

[TheRealSpiders]

I think we can all agree that a crash isn't exactly viable in the near future, I suppose anything is possible.

In the off chance it did happen, I'd be left with a lot more free time.

[Nemkoon]

None of those things are going to happen though, these companies aren't stupid enough.

This, also the fact that the theory relies WAY too much on what ifs.

[williamjones]

This, also the fact that the theory relies WAY too much on what ifs.

Yeah its just a what if thread to begin with. Im not saying this is gonna happen, just wondering if it could and how it could happen.

double post, my internet sucks today, couldnt download any ps1 games here.

[Krieger]

I agree with Inferno, I doubt we will have a crash. If we have any sort of crash it will probably just be with the FPS genre since it's the current "trend" for gaming right now. That wouldn't effect the companies badly as they'll just cater to the whatever is popular in gaming at that time. That and the fact that wouldn't affect me in the slightest.

[MaslowK]

I agree with Inferno, I doubt we will have a crash. If we have any sort of crash it will probably just be with the FPS genre since it's the current "trend" for gaming right now. That wouldn't effect the companies badly as they'll just cater to the whatever is popular in gaming at that time. That and the fact that wouldn't affect me in the slightest.

^This, luckily the industry as a whole as come to the point where it is far more "monopolized" than it was in the 80's. That is, rather than a dozen or so console development companies all marketing their products on the same level, along with even more individual game developers in a time when genres and tastes were not yet well defined, we now have a whopping 3 major console developers, each with their own 1st & 3rd party development teams with much more experience in the industry.

tl;dr, it would take some serious upper management issues for any of the major developers to flat out go out of business (ala Sega with their console development sector).

[williamjones]

Or they make games people dont want anymore and freak out and dont know what do. Has Nintendo thought of what a Miyamotoless company would be like? Mario and Link are DEAD.