The stupid mass market appeal chase has made every game boring. It can't have it's own identity if it's for everyone, and everyone can pick up and play.
Especially something like the ones mentioned, but also RTS.
People still play AoE 2. The latest offering from the Civilization series was horrible. People still prefer Civ4 or 5. Heck, Civlization Revolution was even kinda okay on the 360.
Anyone remember Bullfrog? I still play Theme Park, Theme Hospital and Dungeon Keeper every so often.
For theme park, there is nothing else like it that I've found yet. For Theme Hospital, they tried with 2 Point Hospital and it was pretty good. War For The Overworld picked up where Dungeon Keeper 2 left off.
But most of those mentioned aboves are going on 8-10 years old too.
Every genre is worse off because of this. Every company is worse off because of the mass market appeal chase. Bethesda I'm looking in your direction.
You're exactly right. Using Fortnite as an example, it started life as a wave spawning zombie defense game where you collected materials to make traps and ammo to funnel zombies into a kill box.
Then PUBG came out and they scrambled to add that mode. Retiring the original point of the game.
Fast forward a few years and it's become a catch all for every pop culture character on the face of the earth. They even paid to promote people's music and videos and whatnot. They also hosted political crap in the game since so many eyes are already there.
It's become a shell of it's former self. Oh, and loot pinatas and an in game currency that makes them more money than a Steam sale.
Fast forward a few years and it's become a catch all for every pop culture character on the face of the earth. They even paid to promote people's music and videos and whatnot. They also hosted political crap in the game since so many eyes are already there.
Star Wars sequels used it for Palpatine's return announcement speech prior to ROS being released. Which is why most people had no fucking clue about it.
My most played games are in order. DOTA 2, MW2 and Heroes of might and magic III.
I haven't touched MW in a while but I play the campaign every 3 years or so. Dota I still fit in when I can.
Homm3 hasn't left my rotation in the 26 years since it came out. Id say I've never gone 2 weeks without playing a map.
Its the start I'd the trend for me, and it's weird to look back on the optimism and constant growth we hD back then.
Homm 1 had 5 unit slot, 6 creaturs, and 4 towns.
2 had 6 slots, some creature upgrades, hero progression and 6 towns.
3 had upgrades for eveyr cresture, 2 heroes per town, 8 town, and 7 slots for 7 creatures. An expansion added a nee town for total of 9.
4 had.... no upgrades, 4 creatures, 6 towns..
That's the first time in rmemevr the sequel being an active step back. It wasnt an abominations of a game but it just had less content. And everything went that way soon enough.
The stupid mass market appeal chase has made every game boring. It can't have it's own identity if it's for everyone, and everyone can pick up and play.
Especially something like the ones mentioned, but also RTS.
People still play AoE 2. The latest offering from the Civilization series was horrible. People still prefer Civ4 or 5. Heck, Civlization Revolution was even kinda okay on the 360.
Anyone remember Bullfrog? I still play Theme Park, Theme Hospital and Dungeon Keeper every so often.
For theme park, there is nothing else like it that I've found yet. For Theme Hospital, they tried with 2 Point Hospital and it was pretty good. War For The Overworld picked up where Dungeon Keeper 2 left off.
But most of those mentioned aboves are going on 8-10 years old too.
Every genre is worse off because of this. Every company is worse off because of the mass market appeal chase. Bethesda I'm looking in your direction.
Yep, it’s stupid. Not every game is going to be Fortnite level hit, so stop trying to make your games appeal to everyone.
You're exactly right. Using Fortnite as an example, it started life as a wave spawning zombie defense game where you collected materials to make traps and ammo to funnel zombies into a kill box.
Then PUBG came out and they scrambled to add that mode. Retiring the original point of the game.
Fast forward a few years and it's become a catch all for every pop culture character on the face of the earth. They even paid to promote people's music and videos and whatnot. They also hosted political crap in the game since so many eyes are already there.
It's become a shell of it's former self. Oh, and loot pinatas and an in game currency that makes them more money than a Steam sale.
Star Wars sequels used it for Palpatine's return announcement speech prior to ROS being released. Which is why most people had no fucking clue about it.
Fortnite Save the World is still quite enjoyable even today.
New RTS games have totally vanished because you can't play them on a touchscreen.
And porting to console was always an iffy prospect too.
Far too many companies are focused on releasing on as many platforms as possible now.
There's still AoE2 remake and Beyond All Reason if you hate yourself.
And something about a spiritual successor to starcraft that's not Stormgate? I don't remember maybe Korean team doing it.
ASL, now now BSL is still a thing, so fingers crossed something good comes of it.
The creator of theme park did quite well :
https://en.protothema.gr/2024/10/19/demis-hasabis-the-story-of-a-genius-who-solves-lifes-mysteries-and-won-the-nobel-prize/
My most played games are in order. DOTA 2, MW2 and Heroes of might and magic III.
I haven't touched MW in a while but I play the campaign every 3 years or so. Dota I still fit in when I can.
Homm3 hasn't left my rotation in the 26 years since it came out. Id say I've never gone 2 weeks without playing a map.
Its the start I'd the trend for me, and it's weird to look back on the optimism and constant growth we hD back then.
Homm 1 had 5 unit slot, 6 creaturs, and 4 towns.
2 had 6 slots, some creature upgrades, hero progression and 6 towns.
3 had upgrades for eveyr cresture, 2 heroes per town, 8 town, and 7 slots for 7 creatures. An expansion added a nee town for total of 9.
4 had.... no upgrades, 4 creatures, 6 towns..
That's the first time in rmemevr the sequel being an active step back. It wasnt an abominations of a game but it just had less content. And everything went that way soon enough.
It didn't have to be that way sadly.