7) Brainwashed Consumers
We hate to admit it, but even we've been guilty of this one. We all occasionally fall into the hype machine and get gobbled up and spit out as the fanboys we are, but constantly churned out sequels and -esque games are destroying the creativity of the gaming industry.
Lining up with everyone else for the release of Grand Theft AutoIV and Halo 3 isn't the problem - these are good games. But our willingness to repurchase one barely-upgraded sequel or licensedcrapdiscafter another - and in fact, consumers as a whole actually avoid new ideas-isforcing developers and publishers into creative ruts and encouraging them to feed us the same game over and over again.
Above: Which is scarier, the mall full of zombies or the one full of Brainwashed Consumers...or is there not much difference?
What's the problem? Do you really want to be playing Halo 10, God of War 20, and Final Fantasy 100? Ok, maybe we might - those are the exceptions that prove the rule - what about yet another Tony Hawk or Dynasty Warriors game? What about another slight, annual improvement to every EA game? Do you wantimperceptibly tweaked sequels to be all you're playing? As we get more and more brainwashed to keep buying the next great sequel, shell out for this year's roster updateor try the next bargain-budget GTA rip off, the really creative developers are going bankrupt because their games are being left on the shelf and ignored.
How do we fight him?
We admit that not every truly original and creative game is great, and not every sequel sucks.But why not take a chance?Instead of buying that generic FPS, try out something like Okami, which is so fresh it should be kept refrigerated? Buy Loco Roco, or Sega's upcoming Culdcept fantasy card battler, or Puzzle Quest or Earth Defense Force 2017 or Shadow of the Colossus... the list is endless. Taking a chance on a creative game encourages game makers to take chances of their own. And in doing so, you are doing your part to fight the man and help save your hobby.
If you don't shake it up now and then, don't blame us if ten years from now, the only games you can find that aren't sequels are the ones based upon licenses, like the latest Disney and Nickelodeon cartoons.
