Just checking out metacritic and if you base "shovelware" purely by critic scores (say... below 75% is shovelware).
Then PS2 had 33% quality games and 66% shovelware.
I guess that's just the way it goes on whichever platform is winning the generation.
Ok, I really don't want to wade through the whole first page.
Has anyone supplied a list (or any of) the shovelware games that have actually sold well? I realize that they only need to sell a few to make money, but if we go by the article, Wii audience buying preferences is mostly off the shelf based, meaning some shovelware titles would actually do very well. So which games are they? Again, the example he uses is comparing Pirates of the Caribbean to No More heroes. Not only did No More Heroes sell more, but Pirates of the Carribean sold like crap on the Wii, doing the same as the "HARDCORE!" PS3 version.
And no, being a game idea you think is stupid does not make it shovelware. Carnival games, American idle and Gameparty aren't shovelware.
I'm a mod, come to me if there's mod'n to do.
Chrizum is the best thing to happen to the internet, Period.
Serves me right for challenging his sales predictions!
Bet with dsisister44: Red Steel 2 will sell 1 million within it's first 365 days of sales.
I support this article, because it uses data well, and has fun pictures. Things certainly could be different. It's unfortunate that not all games are awesome. Nintendo could reinstate a seal of quality like system. What is more likely is that this model will not change much. The PS2 was filled with shovelware, but the PS2 has a plethora of great games, and historically they've revealed themselves. Unless you really like Hannah Montana, who is forcing you to buy a game based on her? You don't even want to know about all the shovelware released in japan that we never see.
On a less realistic note, I fully agree with your goals. The industry, that includes gamers and developers, should care more about the average quality of a game and something should be done.
| stof said: Ok, I really don't want to wade through the whole first page. Has anyone supplied a list (or any of) the shovelware games that have actually sold well? I realize that they only need to sell a few to make money, but if we go by the article, Wii audience buying preferences is mostly off the shelf based, meaning some shovelware titles would actually do very well. So which games are they? Again, the example he uses is comparing Pirates of the Caribbean to No More heroes. Not only did No More Heroes sell more, but Pirates of the Carribean sold like crap on the Wii, doing the same as the "HARDCORE!" PS3 version. And no, being a game idea you think is stupid does not make it shovelware. Carnival games, American idle and Gameparty aren't shovelware. |
Oh god, are falling back into the "which games are shovelware?" categorization again?
First of all, game reviews are skewed toward PS2/PS3/X360 games, so of course the Wii won't score well.
Secondly, the NES, PS1, and PS2 had tons of shovelware. Note how they beat competitors. Coincidence?
Thirdly, when developers saw the Wii sell, they copied superficial features (MINIGAMEZ) without understanding the underlying mechanics (Nintendo's A teams developing them, subtle controls for people to master, actually adding depth) so of course the games failed. Read
http://malstrom.50webs.com/birdman.html for a much better description of it.
There is no such thing as a console war. This is the first step to game design.
Daddo Splat said:
I would like to hear where the article was flawed??? It made some great points but there are still at least 20 great titles for the Wii the same as the PS3, also just cause a critic plays a game and says its garbage doesnt mean a 5 year old wont like it! also the pirates game compared to no more heroes is usless granny doesnt want junior coming over and getting F bombs dropped on him even though it may be a better game criticly speaking its a mature title and easier mechanics in a game make it so the casual market can play. As long as there are good games to play who cares whats where its when there are NO GOOD GAMES at all your in trouble! Smash bros brawl ,mario kart , legend of zelda, Metriod Prime, SMG , and included shovel ware Wii sports Game of the year. And who would say anything bad about sports????? So I would say as long as People like the console and the games who cares what garbage comes out on it Nintendo used to be developer unfriendly and very restrictive hence lack of third party support now they are less restrictive and trying to gain 3rd party support. Which is it allow it or not??????? I believe an open policy will get a few unexpected gems out of the piles of shovel ware. |
| stof said: Ok, I really don't want to wade through the whole first page. Has anyone supplied a list (or any of) the shovelware games that have actually sold well? I realize that they only need to sell a few to make money, but if we go by the article, Wii audience buying preferences is mostly off the shelf based, meaning some shovelware titles would actually do very well. So which games are they? Again, the example he uses is comparing Pirates of the Caribbean to No More heroes. Not only did No More Heroes sell more, but Pirates of the Carribean sold like crap on the Wii, doing the same as the "HARDCORE!" PS3 version. And no, being a game idea you think is stupid does not make it shovelware. Carnival games, American idle and Gameparty aren't shovelware. |
So Highschool Musical doesn't count? Golden compass at nearly 400K?
Kasz216 said:
So Highschool Musical doesn't count? Golden compass at nearly 400K? |
Licensed games are shovelware by being rushed by the license holder. Plus they also tend to sell thanks to the license. Plus this applies to any system, so it not a legitimate argument about the Wii's library. So it would be better to look at games that have no such excuses.
A flashy-first game is awesome when it comes out. A great-first game is awesome forever.
Plus, just for the hell of it: Kelly Brook at the 2008 BAFTAs
Highschool Musical has a Gamerankings rating of 68% - Not a masterpiece, but by no means shovelware.
As for golden Compass, the reviews are pretty crap ( 36%) But it's sales numbers aren't some dramatic departure from the other consoles. It only sold 10k more than the DS version and 20K more than the PS2 version.
Movie licensed games tend to play it safe and not be major outings, but aside from Balls of Fury, they're not really Shovelware.
Shovelware and Not good are two different things. They just tend to overlap a lot.
I'm a mod, come to me if there's mod'n to do.
Chrizum is the best thing to happen to the internet, Period.
Serves me right for challenging his sales predictions!
Bet with dsisister44: Red Steel 2 will sell 1 million within it's first 365 days of sales.
How is shovelware a problem?
If a title doesn't appeal to you don't buy it. You still have other titles to pick from. The problem would be if there were no other titles.
Developers recognize that a bad title catered to the mass market like a movie tie-in will sell, but that quality games sell better. Those bad titles don't cost much to produce. So in order to finance those epic titles, a few duds have to be released.
Consider the movie industry. Romantic comedies typically perform well but are in no means blockbusters (with rare exceptions) however they don't cost much to make in comparison to your CGI stunt action flick which cost a good deal of money and can flop disastrously leaving studios in debt. Yet they are more likely to smash box office records.
The point is the two go hand in hand, and as you pointed out they exist on all three consoles (just in different percentages), historically the more popular console sees the greater amount of shovelware, yet by no means did it doom the console to obscurity. It simply was an avenue for developers to get to the mass market.
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