Goodbye all. I am checking out of here. Things have run its course, and for a number of reasons, things are not worth it for me to be here. I really don't have room in my life for this, and it is coming off worse for wear being on here most likely. So, will go permaban.
As a parting post, I am going with this. The financial success of GTA V is bad for the videogame indusrty. One can point to maybe some good points, but there are a number of troubling ones as I see it. And here we go on why I say this:
* GTA V rasied the bar too high for individuals trying to break into the industry. People look at GTA V and think it is the videogame industry is that. The want to work on epic games. NO WAY does someone breaking into the industry even get close to this. People wanting to lead with story and characters starting out, are going to end up falling WAY short. Even if they do a competent story and characters, odds are their gameplay will be buggy or stale. I have seen small guys starting out work on a huge backstory and lead with story, and not even have a clue what gameplay they want. Doing what GTA V has by pushing the story side, is unreachable by people starting out.
* GTA V sends the wrong message as to what projects to back. I harp on this later in this rant, but the idea is now to fund stuff with HUGE bucks and hope to get the next big thing. That is the lesson from GTA V, not that you go smaller with stuff, and try to be more niche and get fans like this. In GTA V obsessed industry, you don't get new Katamari type products, or at least none that aren't Indie and low budget development costs.
* GTA V reenforces how old established IP is critical to generate needed sales. This is at least the 5th game in the series. What started out as a 2D sandbox mayhem game got much larger, and ended up being where it is. By doing what it is doing, it causes old IP to be what is getting funded, undermining the chance of new IP getting launched. On the AAA end this will mean really not to see much more. Look for sequel after sequel to continue to hit.
* GTA V is responsible for there being no mid-level developers left. It is now even more "Go big or go home". The 10 AAA titles left, due to AAA stuff being the place GTA V is, means no mid-level developers left. Either be garage/Indie, or big. Low production value, or bloated production value. In saying GTA V is responsible for this, it means AAA level stuff like GTA V, with GTA V being a top example.
* GTA V turns videogames into platforms to serve DLC up to people. With this, people get commited to a single title and buy DLC for it, it means less money around. It becomes a lifestyle pit that people fall into. Look for more and more projects this coming generation to go this sandbox/open world direction and end up losing money. More go big or go home happening. Capcom now said they MUST be able to create DLC engines or they won't make it. This is NOT a healthy trend. It means new IP falling to the way side, as money diverts.
* GTA V diverts attention away from other activities. I recently was at an event in the area that took a fairly big hit in attendance. GTA V's release was said to be responsible for this in part. Other games and activities end up not getting needed attention. GTA V, is the latest project to suck money away from other projects. Undermining other things is not healthy.
* GTA V's success manages to cause people to not see the dire issues facing the industry. People look at the sales and think the videogame industry is doing gangbusters. It is not. GTA V is a rare exception here, and its success will cause projects to either go unfunded or hit the $200+ million level and likely not pay off. Ask Square-Enix about this approach. Of course, why bother thinking about that issue at all when GTA V is doing so well. OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE can do well, if they just get funded right. Ask EA how the Old Republic turned out also.
* GTA V ends up drawing the wrong attention to the videogame industry GTA V, for all practical purposes, is a crime simulator. It appeals to the most low brow desires of people to be horrible. It does a Jerry Springer spin by trying to put social commentary in it, but the basic idea is to do crimes and live the criminal life. The media picks up on this, makes noise and you get them and interests groups branding the videogame industry as GTA. It is not, but they don't know that. Showing this side of human nature is an easy target for them to do.
And I am out. Make this what you will. I really don't care. I can be found at my links below, but beyond this, I am gone. Bye. I am done here. And may this last rant not be like Final Fantasy and become a series. I am done here, so no debate. Make it what you will. Looking next day or two to have this be myself gone, depending on what mods do. I am not going debate here. I am not up for it.
Salute and bye...
