This man is a genius!
Just look at what he had to say about the development mindset:

"Here is the business strategy I think is appropriate and most profitable for all game companies: make games that sell forever. In other words, make classics"

WOW Malstrom, I can't believe people haven't thought of this yet. Classics are the answer.

Good.

you is dumb.

People try very hard to make classics. People put millions into projects and work eagerly to make classics, but they fail. Sometimes they are simply too good. Look at Ico or SoTC. Look at Uncharted. Look at God of War. Games like these sell minimal compared to what games like Carnival Games makes.

Let's talk about who is driving the shovelware industry. Let's talk about how your whole point is completely backwards, and that it is Nintendo who is, was, making 50$ per console in the US.

Let's talk about how Nintendo doesn't take chances with new IPs. Instead they re-release the same franchises ad-infinitum, and put out easily made OIPs like wii sports and wii music.

Then if you tell them you are bored with their games they tell you, "I don't understand, this is what you wanted", completely disregarding that it's possible to make more than 2 games a year. When you then ask for some of the lesser known franchises, ones which don't have 7 installments, they say "You want that? But you just said you wanted new IPs. You're moving the goal posts around".
Thanks Nintendo, thanks for taking the easiest road. Thanks for telling me that the reason I don't want a wii, is because I'm asking for the impossible....which are somehow possible on both the ps3 and 360. Variety, what a novel concept.

All the dev companies do what they need to get by. Nintendo and Blizzard are no different. While I will agree that Blizzard does make classics, they only release maybe one title per year. If this guy expects every company to only release one game per year, you will completely destroy variety. There are so many problems with your argument that I can't even begin to respond without contributing ANOTHER TL;DR to this thread.(I did actually read the OP)

/rant
sorry if I offended anyone, but this guy is so full of shit that it's literally offensive.

God of war, uncharted and SOTC, ICO are not classics, ten years from now no one will be playing them

then classics are an even more rare animal than I originally anticipated.

I hope you weren't trying to prove my point, because you did.

The last paragraph summarizes everything. :P

Actually it proves his point, most companies don't know how to make classics, Nintendo does, which is one reason they are one of the most profitable companies around

-Costs are ballooning. $600-$400 for launch game consoles. $60+ for new games. Endless ‘limited edition’ packages that are filled with garbage.

Has this guy heard of inflation? Can someone run the numbers on this?

Also, how much were N64 games? I think they cost around $70.

And N64 was beaten, so clearly the market didn't like it, also even if you argue inflation, Its still too expensive, why do you think used game sales are so strong

This is where I ask you what classics and then you tell me your opinion, which I will disagree with, unless you say wii sports.

This is a typical forum argument, no offense, which I will not take part in. Ico isn't a classic? Ok

/conversation

games were 50$ on the NES.

Used sales are strong because there is no reason to get a new game when they offer a warrenty and lower price.