Generation Civ:Farmville?

[KingYosef]

So, I used to think that I could fight the growing wave and trend of social gaming, and that certain genres would never delve into the pits of Farmville like engineering.

I was wrong. There is no sense in trying to fight against it. It is what the upcoming generation of kids want and where the easy money is at. Games have become pathetic little cubbyholes to get a few kicks and satisfy others. Rather than what they used to be when the game was about learning, a beginning and a end, and a self accomplishment when it was all over. And a bonus is always the replay value. That is what the Civ series USED to be about.

It's sad really, to see a generation of newcomers that will never gain what Civ used to be about. It reminds me of the movie Idiocracy, that is where gaming is heading.

Moderator Action: Moved to 'All Other Games' forum. - Methos

 

[GambleFish]

Yep. It's too bad every single gaming company is designing facebook games.

An equally plausible hypothesis, instead of fire and brimstone consuming originality and the video gaming of yore, is that a new gaming market emerged, and that many of the participants are people who weren't and aren't members of the pre-facebook/ipod gaming market. How many Farmville players used to play Call of Duty, but then switched to Farmville? Not many. How many are people who never have and probably never will touch a console game in their life? Quite a few.

The point, if you haven't caught on yet, is that it is entirely possible, and indeed quite probable, that the gaming market as we know it will continue to exist. There may be a rise in the number of people and companies who use these mass social media type games, but these companies are simply meeting the growing demand. That doesn't mean that demand for traditional video games will just puff into nothing in the future.

In fact, Civ is a perfect example. You say that they are headed towards facebook-only developing? That people will never again get to understand "what Civ used to be about?" I think that Firaxis is going to continue to develop Civ games, because they will continue to make money doing so. The people who play CivWorld and who also play Civ aren't going to suddenly stop, either. If anything, CivWorld may attract new players to the original Civ series.

In short, assuming that all games are going to boil down to the same basic, monotonous drudge, Farmville-style, assumes also that demand for conventional gaming will completely disappear, that it will be no longer profitable to make games as we know them. That seems pretty far-fetched.

 

[Selous]

imo, if you look at the continual release of indie steam games, you will see that the pc gaming market is stronger than ever

 

[Drowbane]

Facebook games are, in my amateur opinion, not a threat to "real gaming". They market to casual gamers who would probably never consider investing money (and time) into PC games and/or Console games.

Personally I do not understand the appeal of "clicky games" like Farmville, but my mother and one of my brothers can't seem to stay away from it.

 

[Thrawn]

Facebook games are, in my amateur opinion, not a threat to "real gaming". They market to casual gamers who would probably never consider investing money (and time) into PC games and/or Console games.

Personally I do not understand the appeal of "clicky games" like Farmville, but my mother and one of my brothers can't seem to stay away from it.

100% this. I'd almost go so far as to call it a new genre of games.

 

[Double Stack]

Casual gamers are growing drastically and the best platform is social media. People are more willing to play a 15 minute session (or more) on casual gaming and passive competition with friends than say Call of Duty or other long term gaming styles.

To not take advantage of this new market is foolishness on any gaming company. To say that Firaxis or any other company is going to drop making games for PC/Console to cater to Facebook is mistaken as well. Social networking and gaming for that platform is growing so quickly, it may take stand as equal or more over PC/Console in the next decade.

 

[NickyJ]

Facebook games are, in my amateur opinion, not a threat to "real gaming". They market to casual gamers who would probably never consider investing money (and time) into PC games and/or Console games.

Personally I do not understand the appeal of "clicky games" like Farmville, but my mother and one of my brothers can't seem to stay away from it.

Exactly. I just don't see Facebook games replacing Call of Duty.

 

[PeteAtoms]

The elitist vs casual=dumb argument always baffled me. It's like witnessing an argument between someone who wants to watch The Hangover 2 and someone that thinks independent films are the shizz. Not a true comparison, but I see the same kind of emotion or feeling from the two arguments.

Seriously, are people this threatened by new games for new audiences?