200

Its March now, the big games are coming down the pipeline. Dark Souls II, Titanfall, FFX/X-2 Remaster, inFamous: Second Son, and MGS V; are all games that are highly anticipated. Whether you own next-gen, last gen or a handheld system there is much to be excited for this month and the ones to come. Marking the 200^th post has made me reflective and looking backwards I have pored over the ones I could have done better. I want to start by saying Mea Culpa. I haven’t always been right in what I foresaw for the industry. The Tomb Raider reboot was of the highest excellence, I found out after playing the PS4 DE edition. While I was hesitant to latch onto the idea of a reboot being necessary after the trilogy that began with the excellent Tomb Raider: Legend I can acknowledge that Crystal Dynamics did an outstanding job with the IP. It wasn’t the only thing I got wrong but it stands out to me as one of the biggest.

 

The gaming industry continues to be a turbulent sector to watch. Game studios, even those that have had commercial success are not removed from the chaos of the unending cycle of hiring and firing. One needs only to look at Irrational Games and understand that the industry is at odds with itself. I think the focus on smaller teams and a more digital footprint may very well be the path that allows developers to stay in the business without being tossed about by the rapid expanding and contracting of larger studios.

The future is bright though. We may all sigh a bit at the idea of the many numbered sequels on the horizon, but sequels equal guaranteed revenues for an industry that often struggles to hit projected profit markers. While there is such a thing as too many sequels, the industry hasn’t hit that mark yet. The next generation also marks the new beginnings of IP’s. Last gen gave us, Assassin’s Creed, Mass Effect, and Uncharted, just as the generation before that gave us series like Splinter Cell and Halo. If last gen brought story to the forefront of gaming, then I believe this gen will be about how developers bring emotion into video games. If games like The Last of Us and The Walking Dead have shown us anything is that gamers are ready to shed a tear or two in search of the great game. Here’s to a 2014 and beyond that is just as bright.