Smaller niche games - those were the days, when MMORPGs were niche, and about grouping, challenge, and danger. Modern MMORPGs all suck because they are mass/wide appeal solo idiot mode games that no longer resemble MMORPGs. Toss in cash for gold - host companies facilitating the biggest of the cheating losers, and there isn't much lower that so-called MMORPGs can go anymore.
Premium MMORPGs do not feature built-in cheating via cash for gold pay 2 win. PLAY to win or don't play.
The Next Big Thing was Minecraft. No telling what the new Next Big Thing will be.
But there will always be a Great Sandbox Hope, a game whose development is far in the distance, that people can project the image of their heart's desire onto. Until the practicalities of real game design appear, letting them down, and the game gets excoriated for not living up to the illusion.
If you are holding out for the perfect game, the only game you play will be the waiting one.
There probably will be a next big thing eventually but personally I'm switching my focus on some more niche games. Currently I'm keeping eye on Crowfall and Revival. The former is more traditional fantasy while the latter is more Lovecraftian horror. Both have their niche elements and both seem interesting.
I can't really say what will be big. WoW is still big against all odds, and I personally believe that their success has left the genre paralyzed as investors and big publishers chase the white whale.
It seems like the age of indie developers and niche titles are upon us. Thats a good thing for sure.
I can only say that closely following every big and small mmo that pops up on the map, I find theres an overall lack of understanding of what it takes to create the virtual worlds necessary to captivate players and keep them coming back long term.
On the PvE scene, studios are still pumping out clones like no tomorrow. Meanwhile, we've been waiting since UO and SWG for another fleshed out PvP game, and one has yet to arrive. Then I read what these new games plan to do, and they are hellbent on making the same mistakes that everyone else has been making since Darkfall.
Even as an avid PvPer, if I'm being honest the only developer that seems to understand the elements that are required for creating an immersive MMO that will recapture our imaginations is the same guy who created the first big one, and everyone seems to hate him so much, his new work will likely never see the light of day - or at least, it won't likely reach many people and his genius will go unnoticed, failing to inspire struggling developers who, up till now, can only emulate and never innovate.
I speak of Brad McQuaid, and after recently viewing the updated Pantheon Game Summary and listening to his new Round Table discussion, I became excited and convinced that there is still hope for this genre. Then I remembered that he has little money to continue development and lacks the popularity to draw further support because he did some stupid things in the past. All I can say is, regardless of whether or not Pantheon is finished or how you feel about McQuaid, aspiring developers would be doing themselves and this genre a huge favor by paying attention to his design philosophy.
Hoping that EQ next is gonna be atleast a bit more "open" in the sense that they have alot planned but right now i dont know, have yet to hear if they will have actual dungeons other than the big open highly destructible world, where items and passive traits play a large amount of how you are gonna play your multi class hero
The next big thing is going to be Co-Op RPG's. That's pretty much all anyone ever actually wanted in the first place, if you want my honest opinion.
They wanted to play Final Fantasy 7, where they were Cloud, and their buddies from two states over played Tifa and Barret. The story is exactly the same - just someone else controlling the other party members.
That's really all I am currently looking for in the "Next Big Thing." I want to play a great RPG with decently solid gameplay... something like Mass Effect, but Co-Op. Maybe I'll play Garrus, and my buddy will be Shepard, and another Wrex. Maybe there could be some PvP if they could figure a way to allow someone to play Saren and his goons who maybe had their own simultaneous story.
I'm sick of MMO's. There are simply too many focusing on all the wrong things. It's always "What are the abilities? What classes? How about Raids?" They're all the same, and it frankly never was fun in the first place. There was always something missing from these outlets of game: a story you could invest yourself in. An actual story.
SWTOR got sort of close with the Class arcs. But they've basically stopped all production on continuing that. It was fun while it lasted, but in all honesty - as soon as that Class story ended... I had absolutely no motivation to play the game anymore. Because nothing else actually mattered. And the reason it didn't matter was because the rest of the game.... it wasn't personal. The game world doesn't "see" YOUR CHARACTER. It doesn't respond to YOUR choices. It doesn't respond to YOUR character's actual existence. Your character could be one of a million others, and the game wouldn't care. And that's exactly how MMO's are built - you ARE just one hollowed existence that could be and is replaced by millions of others.
This is why we don't read quest dialogues. Because it doesn't matter. Our existence doesn't matter. It's just a treadmill. And it's dull. And it doesn't matter what new shiny graphics you put on it. It doesn't matter if it has PvP or not. It doesn't matter how difficult the group content isn't. It doesn't matter if one class is better than another. It doesn't matter if crafting is relevant. You can put whatever you want in the game - but it will always be that treadmill.
Well... I'm sick of it. So... until someone makes Mass Effect... or The Witcher... or Elder Scrolls (for real Elder Scrolls) and just gives me the damn option to play it Co-Op.... I simply don't see this "genre" moving forward. Why in all the nine hells is this so hard to do? Seriously...
I think the 'Next Big Thing' is a 'Premium' subscription model. One that has a higher monthly subscription price, say double or triple that of a normal subscription and runs a more 'exclusive' niche playerbase, the idea being that the extra money will allow the devs to cater more towards the player's actions/reactions within the game with quick and custom driven content with consistant and frequent world events.
The next big thing will be fun, and not just fun now and then.
But frankly need it also be a game that isn't too hyped up before it launches.The hype might sell pre-orders but it makes people expect something that they wont get and many people buy a game that really isn't aimed for them.
I do think OP have a point about focusing the gameplay though. Trying to add something for everyone just means that the content made for a specific player will be relatively small. If you instead put the focus on delivering a top game for just one type of players (RvR fans, dungoneers, raiders or people who enjoy open world content to mention some) you will keep those players far longer.
Also you need to focus the content where the players actually are. Putting 90% of the content in leveling upand then make that so fast that you will pass it in a few weeks means you need to repeat those last 10% over and over where you in that case either should make levelingslower or put most of the content in the endgame.
Finally as for grinding, that is a problem. Grinding is usually when you repeat the same content over and over and often fights many battles with little chanse of losing. In some games it is for leveling up (like old EQ and Lineage 2) while in other games it is for raid gear or something else.
MMOs needs to stop that type of grind. Of course if it is fun it isn't grinding but having players constantly attacked by trashmobs that couldn't defeat a fly is not challenging or fun, just annoying. And dungeons or raids that you need to repeaet a zillion times but are exactly the same is just fun the first time. At least make some changes to the mobs and bosses so you can't learn to master the entire instance the first time you try it.
As for PvP it is far too often pretty meaningless. Here DaoC shines out from the rest of the games, you actually had a good reason for fighting for your realm there and if you won it mattered.
I don't think the next big thing will be something like the games that are popular right now (unless it is WoW 2), it needs to give it's players an experience Wow or other popular games don't but it also needs to be well made. Unless of course it instead use new technology to deliver something different like a VR MMO or something.
Any game similar to Wow that isn't a sequel will fail, Wow already exist and you can't beat it at it's own game no matter what some devs and publishers thinks.
The next big thing is going to be Co-Op RPG's. That's pretty much all anyone ever actually wanted in the first place, if you want my honest opinion.
That's what Neverwinter was to be; with the addition of the Foundry, for people to make and publish there own adventures. Co-op D&D RPG, set in Forgotten Realms. Brilliant!
Then Cryptic and PWE got their dirty claws in it;... the rest is history.
I think the 'Next Big Thing' is a 'Premium' subscription model. One that has a higher monthly subscription price, say double or triple that of a normal subscription and runs a more 'exclusive' niche playerbase, the idea being that the extra money will allow the devs to cater more towards the player's actions/reactions within the game with quick and custom driven content with consistant and frequent world events.
That might work but chanses are that the extra fee just would go to more profits. How high percentage of Wows income do you think Activision/Blizzard actually put back into the game the last few years?
If they actually put most money in they could afford GMs that controlled certain bosses now and then and constantly adding updates but most MMOs cut the crew after launch, in some cases with a lot to cash in.
I just have a feeling that it might work for a while but once the players start to adds up more and more of the income would go to profits and after a while the game would get as much resources as a $15 or even a F2P MMO...
The next big thing is going to be Co-Op RPG's. That's pretty much all anyone ever actually wanted in the first place, if you want my honest opinion.
That's what Neverwinter was to be; with the addition of the Foundry, for people to make and publish there own adventures. Co-op D&D RPG, set in Forgotten Realms. Brilliant!
Then Cryptic and PWE got their dirty claws in it;... the rest is history.
Biowares Neverwinter nights were actually exactly like that but more competent made. It was really popular for a while but still nothing like WoW.
If I were interviewed this very moment about what is the future of MY gaming and why, I would have to say: Monster Hunter.
It is not an MMORPG, but instead a console game with online interaction... but it is fulfilling my gaming needs: I have fun, I have social interactions WHEN I want to, and I am not pressured to always sign in all the time.
I have noticed that, along with many other people getting into my gaming age (mid-life, so to speak), the fun comes from group accomplishments, not a solo treadmill. From cooperation, not confrontation. But just like in real life, the young and the old do not see eye to eye... and there are much more young that mature...
If Project Gorgon gets more funding and updates the graphics < game content is amazing already >, it could become the Next Big Thing before the end of 2015. Currently its in a pre alpha testing and is open and free to play during this time for everyone. No cash store, completely free for testing. ( Dev's have said they favor a small monthly sub vs a cash store to support game after launch, like $5 - $8 , we'll see )
Check it out if you havent at projectgorgon.com . I highly recommend it!
I read their projected design. I was not impressed. It is still early in their design choices, but unless they make some changes I don't see this going anywhere.
At this point I think Crowfall has a much better design. Of course I prefer a sandbox design, but we will just have to wait and see though.
Anyone waiting for a SOE project is just setting themselves up for a major disappointment. They have no vision which directly attributes to Smedley because he does not have it either. I have completely lost confidence in that studio due to off the wall design choices.
Hardware will change the genre. Aside from players literally creating a world from the Stone Age to the Space Age (ala real life) I believe the genre has plateaued. You can only do so much with the software we have. I know, I know, my expectations are pretty unrealistic but after playing the same'ol MMO's for the last decade it's all become so...bleh.
The next big thing is going to be Co-Op RPG's. That's pretty much all anyone ever actually wanted in the first place, if you want my honest opinion.
That's what Neverwinter was to be; with the addition of the Foundry, for people to make and publish there own adventures. Co-op D&D RPG, set in Forgotten Realms. Brilliant!
Then Cryptic and PWE got their dirty claws in it;... the rest is history.
Biowares Neverwinter nights were actually exactly like that but more competent made. It was really popular for a while but still nothing like WoW.
I played Neverwinter... it was... not a very good RPG lol.
Neverwinter Nights was a great game and would probably be more like what I think the "Next Big Thing" is going to be. For one, I think that game was ahead of its time, but... I also believe the lackluster official Bioware campaign hurt it overall. It was really kind of boring - "Save the Waterdavian Creatures!" They did better with the X-Packs, though.
Still, the Custom Stories was the star of the show - and from what I understand, there were some really good ones.
My recipe for success:
1. Lose the Turn-Based combat, and make it something really slick with some really responsive controls.
2. Give it some modern, fast graphics with a sleek art style.
3. Drop the D&D name (not that I mind personally, but I think the masses would be more inclined to play it.)
4. Make the Custom Stories editor simple to use, but powerful. On a side note, though - frankly... I don't even know that this is entirely necessary. If they can make it good... then okay. But... if it is going to take away from the official campaign... they should wait on this.
5. Don't make it high fantasy, but maybe Tech Fantasy or Sci-Fi (genres are important for competitive reasons.)
6. And write some really wonderful characters.
Divinity: Original Sin just won PC Game of the Year on Gamespot, and it was in the running for Best of 2014 on several radars. That game is basically a Co-Op RPG. I think the only reason it didn't sell more is because it was Turn Based, and played more like Diablo than a more modern MMO or RPG like the Witcher.
I really do believe that sort of game is going to get really big in the next year or two.
Hardware will change the genre. Aside from players literally creating a world from the Stone Age to the Space Age (ala real life) I believe the genre has plateaued. You can only do so much with the software we have. I know, I know, my expectations are pretty unrealistic but after playing the same'ol MMO's for the last decade it's all become so...bleh.
I just don't think the Occulus Rift is going to get really, really huge. People just aren't ready to put toasters on their faces. This is basically why 3D hasn't taken off in the Home Theater markets. People don't want to wear the 3D glasses. For one because they're silly, and for two... lots of people wear glasses already.
The problem is MOST likely 99% believe the "Next big thing " is ONLY determined by numbers.
If you simplify logic like that ,there is no logic.It would be like saying every time a new car is the best seller of the year it is automatically the BEST car in the market.
I base my judgment on WHAT a game delivers.Does it give us something creative AND unique and not just ONE idea but several?BTW i do not fall for developers that like to tell us they have a unique game or they are the best because 99% of the developers tell us that,i actually despise those devs and use my own judgement.Now of course i should not be saying "devs" it is the one or two spokesperson for the developer that are feeding us bs.
A trap i don't want to see even though i said UNIQUE is a simplified version of unique.I mention this because i see possibly a trend to go the VR route.That is all fine and dandy IF it is done on a grande scale,it is nothing to talk about if simply implemented for the sake of implementing it.
MY personal gut feeling as to what will be the next?I honestly don't know ,i do not see any of the big developers that can pull of the BIG THING because they are all doing copy cat game designs and even worse is they are trying for ways to cut costs and limit game development.So far we have seen large inductees from VERY cheap game designs like the MOBA's for example.
The three top games streaming right now are all cheap game designs,from CS a simple HL mod to the MOBA's ,then to Hearthstone a cheap card game.Point is developers are looking for quick gimmicks that might catch on,they are NOT aiming for EPIC game development.
My point is the next big thing may be from an Indie developer and come out of nowhere but they will still need a lot of funding from somewhere.It doesn't look good,the next BIG is likely several years away.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Not sure there is A next BIG thing... but there are certainly a few smaller things on the horizon that sound promising; SotA and Shards being of personal interest.
To me an EPIC game has to stand out for a reason and not just because it has a lot of players.
I have an opinion of those games along the time line.
First it was Wolfenstein,a fps back in the DOS days.Ultima Online the first real notable mmorpg.
Super Mario Bros possibly the game that set console gaming on fire.The rpg side of that was possibly Zelda.
FFVII Possibly the biggest FIRST on the SEGA console systems and many feel is the best rpg on console at that time.The cost to make FFVII was more than some mmorpg's of today.
DOOM another FPS game that was far above Wolfenstein in design.Quake the next installment of FPS's and a big step up in that genre.Unreal the FIRST game to give players the game engine and tools to do modding.The Unreal engine is still to this day considered one of the best.
EQ/EQ2 the first real 3D great graphics MMORPG
Call of Duty ..Another FPS but a huge advancement in warfare type gaming with great graphics.
As you can see not a whole lot of epic jumps in the gaming industry.Yes some of these games were top on the money list but i did not pick them because of numbers ONLY because of advancements in the industry.
It is soooooooo costly to do gaming right now,i cannot see ANYONE advancing the genres for a long time unless some OIL mafia rich guy comes along and wants to make a game.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
They should make a pet taming mmorpg in a medieval fantasy style. Where you have a whip and go around caging animals and make them fight each other. Can't see why that wouldn't be big even a crap version with different animals having different stats. Strengths and weaknesses and alot to capture.
I'd say StarCitizen for cross-genre, Project Gorgon for oldschool, EQNext for innovation, Black Desert for those who like eastern MMORPGs, and Crowfall for PvP-oriented gameplay. There are a few more interesting things like Pantheon: Rise of Heroes or Blade and Soul, but one those five probably will go big. I'd say SC, but... we'll see.
Comments
Premium MMORPGs do not feature built-in cheating via cash for gold pay 2 win. PLAY to win or don't play.
The Next Big Thing was Minecraft. No telling what the new Next Big Thing will be.
But there will always be a Great Sandbox Hope, a game whose development is far in the distance, that people can project the image of their heart's desire onto. Until the practicalities of real game design appear, letting them down, and the game gets excoriated for not living up to the illusion.
If you are holding out for the perfect game, the only game you play will be the waiting one.
- Beregar
I can't really say what will be big. WoW is still big against all odds, and I personally believe that their success has left the genre paralyzed as investors and big publishers chase the white whale.
It seems like the age of indie developers and niche titles are upon us. Thats a good thing for sure.
I can only say that closely following every big and small mmo that pops up on the map, I find theres an overall lack of understanding of what it takes to create the virtual worlds necessary to captivate players and keep them coming back long term.
On the PvE scene, studios are still pumping out clones like no tomorrow. Meanwhile, we've been waiting since UO and SWG for another fleshed out PvP game, and one has yet to arrive. Then I read what these new games plan to do, and they are hellbent on making the same mistakes that everyone else has been making since Darkfall.
Even as an avid PvPer, if I'm being honest the only developer that seems to understand the elements that are required for creating an immersive MMO that will recapture our imaginations is the same guy who created the first big one, and everyone seems to hate him so much, his new work will likely never see the light of day - or at least, it won't likely reach many people and his genius will go unnoticed, failing to inspire struggling developers who, up till now, can only emulate and never innovate.
I speak of Brad McQuaid, and after recently viewing the updated Pantheon Game Summary and listening to his new Round Table discussion, I became excited and convinced that there is still hope for this genre. Then I remembered that he has little money to continue development and lacks the popularity to draw further support because he did some stupid things in the past. All I can say is, regardless of whether or not Pantheon is finished or how you feel about McQuaid, aspiring developers would be doing themselves and this genre a huge favor by paying attention to his design philosophy.
Its a sad, fickle thing this mmorpg industry.
The next big thing is going to be Co-Op RPG's. That's pretty much all anyone ever actually wanted in the first place, if you want my honest opinion.
They wanted to play Final Fantasy 7, where they were Cloud, and their buddies from two states over played Tifa and Barret. The story is exactly the same - just someone else controlling the other party members.
That's really all I am currently looking for in the "Next Big Thing." I want to play a great RPG with decently solid gameplay... something like Mass Effect, but Co-Op. Maybe I'll play Garrus, and my buddy will be Shepard, and another Wrex. Maybe there could be some PvP if they could figure a way to allow someone to play Saren and his goons who maybe had their own simultaneous story.
I'm sick of MMO's. There are simply too many focusing on all the wrong things. It's always "What are the abilities? What classes? How about Raids?" They're all the same, and it frankly never was fun in the first place. There was always something missing from these outlets of game: a story you could invest yourself in. An actual story.
SWTOR got sort of close with the Class arcs. But they've basically stopped all production on continuing that. It was fun while it lasted, but in all honesty - as soon as that Class story ended... I had absolutely no motivation to play the game anymore. Because nothing else actually mattered. And the reason it didn't matter was because the rest of the game.... it wasn't personal. The game world doesn't "see" YOUR CHARACTER. It doesn't respond to YOUR choices. It doesn't respond to YOUR character's actual existence. Your character could be one of a million others, and the game wouldn't care. And that's exactly how MMO's are built - you ARE just one hollowed existence that could be and is replaced by millions of others.
This is why we don't read quest dialogues. Because it doesn't matter. Our existence doesn't matter. It's just a treadmill. And it's dull. And it doesn't matter what new shiny graphics you put on it. It doesn't matter if it has PvP or not. It doesn't matter how difficult the group content isn't. It doesn't matter if one class is better than another. It doesn't matter if crafting is relevant. You can put whatever you want in the game - but it will always be that treadmill.
Well... I'm sick of it. So... until someone makes Mass Effect... or The Witcher... or Elder Scrolls (for real Elder Scrolls) and just gives me the damn option to play it Co-Op.... I simply don't see this "genre" moving forward. Why in all the nine hells is this so hard to do? Seriously...
No matter how cynical you become, its never enough to keep up - Lily Tomlin
I think the 'Next Big Thing' is a 'Premium' subscription model. One that has a higher monthly subscription price, say double or triple that of a normal subscription and runs a more 'exclusive' niche playerbase, the idea being that the extra money will allow the devs to cater more towards the player's actions/reactions within the game with quick and custom driven content with consistant and frequent world events.
The next big thing will be fun, and not just fun now and then.
But frankly need it also be a game that isn't too hyped up before it launches.The hype might sell pre-orders but it makes people expect something that they wont get and many people buy a game that really isn't aimed for them.
I do think OP have a point about focusing the gameplay though. Trying to add something for everyone just means that the content made for a specific player will be relatively small. If you instead put the focus on delivering a top game for just one type of players (RvR fans, dungoneers, raiders or people who enjoy open world content to mention some) you will keep those players far longer.
Also you need to focus the content where the players actually are. Putting 90% of the content in leveling upand then make that so fast that you will pass it in a few weeks means you need to repeat those last 10% over and over where you in that case either should make levelingslower or put most of the content in the endgame.
Finally as for grinding, that is a problem. Grinding is usually when you repeat the same content over and over and often fights many battles with little chanse of losing. In some games it is for leveling up (like old EQ and Lineage 2) while in other games it is for raid gear or something else.
MMOs needs to stop that type of grind. Of course if it is fun it isn't grinding but having players constantly attacked by trashmobs that couldn't defeat a fly is not challenging or fun, just annoying. And dungeons or raids that you need to repeaet a zillion times but are exactly the same is just fun the first time. At least make some changes to the mobs and bosses so you can't learn to master the entire instance the first time you try it.
As for PvP it is far too often pretty meaningless. Here DaoC shines out from the rest of the games, you actually had a good reason for fighting for your realm there and if you won it mattered.
I don't think the next big thing will be something like the games that are popular right now (unless it is WoW 2), it needs to give it's players an experience Wow or other popular games don't but it also needs to be well made. Unless of course it instead use new technology to deliver something different like a VR MMO or something.
Any game similar to Wow that isn't a sequel will fail, Wow already exist and you can't beat it at it's own game no matter what some devs and publishers thinks.
That's what Neverwinter was to be; with the addition of the Foundry, for people to make and publish there own adventures. Co-op D&D RPG, set in Forgotten Realms. Brilliant!
Then Cryptic and PWE got their dirty claws in it;... the rest is history.
That might work but chanses are that the extra fee just would go to more profits. How high percentage of Wows income do you think Activision/Blizzard actually put back into the game the last few years?
If they actually put most money in they could afford GMs that controlled certain bosses now and then and constantly adding updates but most MMOs cut the crew after launch, in some cases with a lot to cash in.
I just have a feeling that it might work for a while but once the players start to adds up more and more of the income would go to profits and after a while the game would get as much resources as a $15 or even a F2P MMO...
Biowares Neverwinter nights were actually exactly like that but more competent made. It was really popular for a while but still nothing like WoW.
If I were interviewed this very moment about what is the future of MY gaming and why, I would have to say: Monster Hunter.
It is not an MMORPG, but instead a console game with online interaction... but it is fulfilling my gaming needs: I have fun, I have social interactions WHEN I want to, and I am not pressured to always sign in all the time.
I have noticed that, along with many other people getting into my gaming age (mid-life, so to speak), the fun comes from group accomplishments, not a solo treadmill. From cooperation, not confrontation. But just like in real life, the young and the old do not see eye to eye... and there are much more young that mature...
I read their projected design. I was not impressed. It is still early in their design choices, but unless they make some changes I don't see this going anywhere.
At this point I think Crowfall has a much better design. Of course I prefer a sandbox design, but we will just have to wait and see though.
Anyone waiting for a SOE project is just setting themselves up for a major disappointment. They have no vision which directly attributes to Smedley because he does not have it either. I have completely lost confidence in that studio due to off the wall design choices.
Two words: Oculus Rift.
Hardware will change the genre. Aside from players literally creating a world from the Stone Age to the Space Age (ala real life) I believe the genre has plateaued. You can only do so much with the software we have. I know, I know, my expectations are pretty unrealistic but after playing the same'ol MMO's for the last decade it's all become so...bleh.
I played Neverwinter... it was... not a very good RPG lol.
Neverwinter Nights was a great game and would probably be more like what I think the "Next Big Thing" is going to be. For one, I think that game was ahead of its time, but... I also believe the lackluster official Bioware campaign hurt it overall. It was really kind of boring - "Save the Waterdavian Creatures!" They did better with the X-Packs, though.
Still, the Custom Stories was the star of the show - and from what I understand, there were some really good ones.
My recipe for success:
1. Lose the Turn-Based combat, and make it something really slick with some really responsive controls.
2. Give it some modern, fast graphics with a sleek art style.
3. Drop the D&D name (not that I mind personally, but I think the masses would be more inclined to play it.)
4. Make the Custom Stories editor simple to use, but powerful. On a side note, though - frankly... I don't even know that this is entirely necessary. If they can make it good... then okay. But... if it is going to take away from the official campaign... they should wait on this.
5. Don't make it high fantasy, but maybe Tech Fantasy or Sci-Fi (genres are important for competitive reasons.)
6. And write some really wonderful characters.
Divinity: Original Sin just won PC Game of the Year on Gamespot, and it was in the running for Best of 2014 on several radars. That game is basically a Co-Op RPG. I think the only reason it didn't sell more is because it was Turn Based, and played more like Diablo than a more modern MMO or RPG like the Witcher.
I really do believe that sort of game is going to get really big in the next year or two.
I just don't think the Occulus Rift is going to get really, really huge. People just aren't ready to put toasters on their faces. This is basically why 3D hasn't taken off in the Home Theater markets. People don't want to wear the 3D glasses. For one because they're silly, and for two... lots of people wear glasses already.
But... I could be mistaken.
The problem is MOST likely 99% believe the "Next big thing " is ONLY determined by numbers.
If you simplify logic like that ,there is no logic.It would be like saying every time a new car is the best seller of the year it is automatically the BEST car in the market.
I base my judgment on WHAT a game delivers.Does it give us something creative AND unique and not just ONE idea but several?BTW i do not fall for developers that like to tell us they have a unique game or they are the best because 99% of the developers tell us that,i actually despise those devs and use my own judgement.Now of course i should not be saying "devs" it is the one or two spokesperson for the developer that are feeding us bs.
A trap i don't want to see even though i said UNIQUE is a simplified version of unique.I mention this because i see possibly a trend to go the VR route.That is all fine and dandy IF it is done on a grande scale,it is nothing to talk about if simply implemented for the sake of implementing it.
MY personal gut feeling as to what will be the next?I honestly don't know ,i do not see any of the big developers that can pull of the BIG THING because they are all doing copy cat game designs and even worse is they are trying for ways to cut costs and limit game development.So far we have seen large inductees from VERY cheap game designs like the MOBA's for example.
The three top games streaming right now are all cheap game designs,from CS a simple HL mod to the MOBA's ,then to Hearthstone a cheap card game.Point is developers are looking for quick gimmicks that might catch on,they are NOT aiming for EPIC game development.
My point is the next big thing may be from an Indie developer and come out of nowhere but they will still need a lot of funding from somewhere.It doesn't look good,the next BIG is likely several years away.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
To me an EPIC game has to stand out for a reason and not just because it has a lot of players.
I have an opinion of those games along the time line.
First it was Wolfenstein,a fps back in the DOS days.Ultima Online the first real notable mmorpg.
Super Mario Bros possibly the game that set console gaming on fire.The rpg side of that was possibly Zelda.
FFVII Possibly the biggest FIRST on the SEGA console systems and many feel is the best rpg on console at that time.The cost to make FFVII was more than some mmorpg's of today.
DOOM another FPS game that was far above Wolfenstein in design.Quake the next installment of FPS's and a big step up in that genre.Unreal the FIRST game to give players the game engine and tools to do modding.The Unreal engine is still to this day considered one of the best.
EQ/EQ2 the first real 3D great graphics MMORPG
Call of Duty ..Another FPS but a huge advancement in warfare type gaming with great graphics.
As you can see not a whole lot of epic jumps in the gaming industry.Yes some of these games were top on the money list but i did not pick them because of numbers ONLY because of advancements in the industry.
It is soooooooo costly to do gaming right now,i cannot see ANYONE advancing the genres for a long time unless some OIL mafia rich guy comes along and wants to make a game.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
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