Are devs making graphics way too much of a priority?

[Bodhesatva]

I don't think it's the devs, exactly, I think it's the "hardcore" gamers.

"Hardcore" gamers are the loud minority: it's a truth I began to understand from playing MMOs. 80 percent of the people are fine with easier, simpler stuff, but the 20 percent who plays constantly are also the 20 percent who post on forums and make requests constantly, and they demand harder, faster, more competitive content. It takes a particularly savvy company to realize that this loud 20 percent doesn't represent the much more sedate 80 percent. 

I honestly believe that "hardcore" gamers may lead themselves to economic ruin if they persist, or if some companies don't wise up and realize that the economic opportunities presented are rapidly being outpaced by production costs. It's not sustainable: there's strong evidence that the number of people interested in "hardcore" games isn't growing very fast, but the cost to make these games has doubled in the last 5 years. Why is this relatively small group being catered to so luxuriously? Because they've been around for a long time, have proven profitable in the past, and are very, very loud.

Again, I only blame the devs in so far as they are unable to see that the people who go on message boards and in forums and write letters requesting high end games with extreme graphics and AI are only a small portion of gamers, and that many if not most are fine with Wii Sports or Guitar Hero.