[RiverBed]

Over half a decade with the current generation is a long time. We got frustrated, pleasantly surprised, we made purchases we regretted and those we felt we missed out on. We also grew older and wiser; we learned more about gaming and the industry as a whole.

Next year, we will be getting leaks, concrete announcements, PR statements, pics and videos of upcoming projects and services, flame wars and showcases for next-gen. When the next-gen wheels start moving and rolling, how are you as a gamer approaching the latest chapter? How does your mentality differ from the start of the current cycle? Would you do anything differently the next time around?


Personally, I learned to be more patient. I don't get hyped by initial news anymore. I get hyped if a project's showcases are constantly impressive and so my hype builds up gradually. I miss that 'childish' part of me that gets hype and buys a game or system on a whim, but I have been disappointed enough times to make me at least a little more cautious making my decisions. I also do not buy new games or hardware day one without at least doing a quick check to see there are no nasty surprises like frustrating DRM, hardware malfunctions or software major bugs. I don't check the games as much as the hardware, though. I only take a quick peep for major software launches that have a higher risk of being buggy like huge open world games, or major games from relatively smaller teams that would suggest a higher bug risk.

I've also been far, far more selective regarding my software purchases. One of the things I'll change next gen is be more adventurous regarding software genres. Also, I want to lower the bar a little for the genres I do like just to get to experience something slightly different, even if a package as a whole isn't as good as my first choice. All this is aimed at experiencing less frustration and more enjoyment.

Yourself?

[Jawmuncher]

I realized im more into the game culture than I am into gaming itself.
I can tell people just about any news they need when it comes to games, but playig them as much as I try, I just haven't had as much time as I used.

Which is one of the reasons why i've really gravitated towards more linear games which focus highly on the story. Not to mention I really prefer my games to be no longer than 12 hours.

[Sheroking]

I weirdly started to complete every game.

That used to be a rarity.

[Tarrasque]

I appreciate PC games, especially indie efforts a lot more. I'd rather throw my money towards them than studios cranking out infinite sequels, at least they're taking creative risks and constantly cranking out new IP's.

[iamvin22]

i stopped playing online games and played more co-op based games. i am a total netflixs whore now because of the app on consoles but its the only app i use. all the other apps are ass on console.

[Yagharek]

I learned that build quality of hardware is an issue.
I have no more love for AAA hype cycles
Classic gaming is my preference
Humour is important
Story is not
Media blackouts are essential to preserving surprise
Ignore the mainstream opinion, and even the loudest voices of the core.
Always try something new

[ShineALight]

I realized im more into the game culture than I am into gaming itself.

This is a good one. I had some friends in high school that would check ESPN.com daily but I rarely saw them watch and definitely never play sports. That's how I feel towards games sometimes but I get on binges where I actually play, I've been on one lately.

Last gen moving in with a girl really pushed me away from consoles and more toward handheld and PC gaming. She is a TV addict so I can join her on the couch and get in some handheld time or go in the computer room and catch up on my Steam backlog.

I'm still interested in console gaming, it's just more of something that I have to make a point of doing than in the past. If you can play Wii U games entirely on the pad it'll probably end up being my most played console in a while just for that reason. Also I like the post above me.

[AzaK]

I got more into handheld and downloadable titles simply because I don't have the time nowadays. With 2 children having arrived this generation it also means my wife does a bit more vegeing out at night and watching TV cause she's exhausted.

I'm actually thinking that Wii U with it's "away from TV" gaming will give me a LOT more opportunity to play console level games.

[mr_nothin]

After this gen, I'm wanting more of a hardcore experience. I want a challenge. I dont want health regen, I dont want any hand holding (except during tutorials or tutorial sections). I hate being treated like an idiot. I want cat & mouse type 1-on-1 battles in multiplayer that low-health games dont allow. I want to be able to get a feel for my opponents strategy and what he likes to do in each situation....Well to end this rant and sum this up...I want to be treated as an intelligent gamer that has been playing games since he was 4. There's such a contrast between me playing Metroid on NES with passwords and beating it at the age of 6 vs playing games today with the "take a breather to heal your bullet wound" mentality. I hate it!

I also dont want any more freaking ADHD games that cater to people who dont have any kind of patience. I'm sick of super fast/instantaneous respawns.
And for these reasons, I can relate to the 1st reply when he says he's more into gaming culture vs actual gaming. I used to game all day non-stop but everything is too easy and I get bored with it too quick.

EDIT:
And just as soon as I leave this thread and read up on the "Tank Superiority" mode in BF3...I get hit in my gaming gut yet again!
So I'm reading and everything is sounding pretty good and I'm imagining how the mode will play out and thinking about how cool it'll be trying to come up with diff strategies.

As I'm reading, I happen upon this line

To make sure there is plenty of opportunity for epic tank battles, respawn times for the vehicles are almost instantaneous. If you spawn at your home base and don’t see a tank, there is usually no reason to start legging it towards the front. A few seconds later, a new tank will appear for you and your team mates.

WTF man. This is the shit I'm talking about.

[Greenhowse]

I realized im more into the game culture than I am into gaming itself.

Bravo, well said. I'm not at this level, but I could see this happening to me in the future. I take more seriously the operation of the industry and the mentalities of different kinds of gamers than I used to. It's jarring to see some of the pronounced differences I've had with friends and family members on these issues. I still like gaming, but it's still possible there will come a day for me in the future where there's nothing that appeals to my tastes, before I've decided I don't care for the hobby anymore.

On an aesthetic note, as a kid I used to desire ultra-realism, now I find it easier to appreciate tons of color. I desire a great story more than I used to, but I can't remember the last time I found something that satisfied that.

[Thoraxes]

I never buy games at full price anymore.
I'm always sure to not buy games that have horrible DRM schemes on PC, if it doesn't benefit the game in any way.
I'm always sure to never support the notion of DLC, ever.
I always make sure to never buy games if they have day-1 DLC.
I like handhelds more than home consoles because they offer me a different experience than I can get on my PC.

PC gaming is where the real fun is to be had, and i'll continue to purchase all third-party efforts on PC, and not a console.

I mostly enjoy niche Japanese titles more than Western efforts as I feel they give me immensely more content for my one-time purchase, and are much more likely to have less/no DLC.

[Zornica]

I have changed from playing pc/consols to handhelds, because all the genres I loved during the snes/n64/ps1/ps2/gc days went their. And never went back.
And buying any digital contents is a no go.

[Red UFO]

Look into my purchases more, consider what I am getting on the disc and consider what DLC is already available and what is down the line, and decide whether the content I'm getting is truly worth the asking price.

[Bruiserk]

Media blackouts are essential to preserving surprise

For me it is this. I have ceased watching any trailer that is non-CGI. Sometimes I will watch the first trailer of a game that is released but none after that. This has rolled over to my movie experience as well.

Also, how well a good OST can compliment a game. A bad OST can't break a game, but it sure can make it that much more special.

[Bumhead]

I realized im more into the game culture than I am into gaming itself. I can tell people just about any news they need when it comes to games, but playig them as much as I try, I just haven't had as much time as I used. Which is one of the reasons why i've really gravitated towards more linear games which focus highly on the story. Not to mention I really prefer my games to be no longer than 12 hours.

Definitely this, and also I never pay full price £40 for a game anymore.

I'm also a much bigger fan of Nintendo coming out of this generation than I was going into it.

[Canis lupus]

I weirdly started to complete every game. That used to be a rarity.

Trophies changed how I looked at games. I definetly play my games a lot more now.

[iamvin22]

I learned that build quality of hardware is an issue. I have no more love for AAA hype cycles Classic gaming is my preference Humour is important Story is not Media blackouts are essential to preserving surprise Ignore the mainstream opinion, and even the loudest voices of the core. Always try something new

[Nibel]

- Be patient
- Be patient

[Ventilaator]

I learned how much everything actually sucks and how good hype, marketing, and opinion of others is at diverting attention away from it.

[JustAnotherOtaku]

The only things that have changed for me this gen are my love of the industry as a whole, which has increased, and the fact that I buy slightly less games day one, given how often they drop in price in the UK.

[dead monkey uk]

Story and atmosphere have become the most important thing for me. This generation stand outs for me are Fallout 3, Alan Wake, Bioshock and Mass Effect. All of which have great game worlds to explore.

Have moved away from competitive multiplayer modes (probably as I am not very good) and enjoy much more coop experiences like Gears, Left 4 Dead and recently Mass Effect multiplayer.

[Jawmuncher]

This is a good one. I had some friends in high school that would check ESPN.com daily but I rarely saw them watch and definitely never play sports. That's how I feel towards games sometimes but I get on binges where I actually play, I've been on one lately. Last gen moving in with a girl really pushed me away from consoles and more toward handheld and PC gaming. She is a TV addict so I can join her on the couch and get in some handheld time or go in the computer room and catch up on my Steam backlog. I'm still interested in console gaming, it's just more of something that I have to make a point of doing than in the past. If you can play Wii U games entirely on the pad it'll probably end up being my most played console in a while just for that reason. Also I like the post above me.

I've noticed that as well, i am much more into Handheld gaming than on consoles.
Since obviously you can play a handheld anywhere so it's much easier to fit game time on that than having to be home on my couch and playing on the TV.

[Foshy]

I started the gen as a full-blown Nintendo fanboy and I'm coming out of it as a Sony fanboy.

[Typhoon_Ex]

I learned to be selective and patient. I don't need to buy games on release day, they will always be available from multiple sources.

[Guiz]

I'm more interested in Arcade type game because it's always a lot of fun in a short amount of time.
Indie game was to me the best surprise of this gen, and I'm more hyped by these games than major IP.
Innovative gameplay will always be important.
Innovative game controllers will never be part of hardcore gaming.
The game industrie is now as important as video games themselves.

And the most important to me, 2D will never die.

[Krappadizzle]

Me personally, I've learned the joys of PC. Growing up we never had much money. So NES with pack in game and the occasional rental, Genesis was same deal. PSX same deal. PS2 and Xbox was when I started working but my focus at the time was mostly women, so guess where my money went?

When I turned 20 I got a real job and have done fairly well for myself and that's when 360 and PS3 were out and hitting hard and now have more than 50 games for 360 and about 15 for PS3. Now I feel that consoles have become somewhat stagnant and I just hit PC gaming hard(i7 OC'd to 3.8 and GTX 680) in the last 6 mos. or so and have been playing and discovering games that I never had the PC to play. Not even newer titles but older ones(Thief, Grim Fandango, Half-Life 1, 2, Morrowind, etc) and it has dawned on me, damn PC is the shit. Before PC I never thought mods were that important. Now? It adds so much life and fresh air to games that you'd never think we're possible. The Cry of Fear mod for Half Life 1 is insane, how a mod that comes out for a game over a decade old and just graphically still holds up to this day has opened my eyes to the possibilities.

Edit: Also have learned this generation that playing on Hard difficulty is a much more rewarding experience. I do get frustrated sometimes, but without challenge I feel I've wasted my money on a game.

[MrT-Tar]

In 2007/8 I became interested in non-Pokemon RPGs, they are now by far my favourite genre and make a plurality of my library

[Myriadis]

In previous gens, most games I played were made by Japanese Companies. This gen, I enjoyed many games by Western Companies. I really like that.
I also bought a lot more games than I did before. In my 15 years of gaming, around 60 of the 110 games I have were bought in the last three years. In fact, I always have around 20 games for every console so far, and it seems that I'll get far more games for the 360.
Previously, I only had Nintendo consoles and handhelds. Now I at least have a PS2 and a 360.
It has been great so far.

[SparkTR]

Going into this gen I was excited as a kid. I had a great time with my PS2 and Gamecube last generation and was completely taken in by the hype machine. I had no reason to doubt the future, the graphics were mind-blowing, the online wasn't a clusterfuck, Rare was making their comeback (lol) and all those new IPs looked great.

This time around I'm extremely cynical. Publisher's and retailers are screwing me over in regards to pricing (a regional thing). My interest is waning as other demographics are becoming more central to the platform holders. I've found more fun in independent and small games than full AAA releases in the past few years. I entered this generation as a huge console fanboy of varying machines (embarrassingly huge, it was so juvenile) and I'm coming out of it as a primarily PC gamer. The corporate side of gaming has become way too prominent in the console space, though I don't know if that's because I'm just getting older and noticing it more, or the never-ending hunt for more revenue due to increasing costs is emphasizing it these days.

[Sethos]

I've become a bitter man. I've come to loathe the industry, the dwindling passion for the games and the raising passion for quick money and treating gamers like cows that need to be milked all the time. I once loved a lot of titles and genres but that has slowly become a love for niche games and companies that aren't under the influence of money hungry publishers and streamlined business decisions. Even begun hating the new generation of gamers that sprout up everywhere, after having played some awful game that was developed in an afternoon, it's a 4 hour long corridor shooter with the worst mechanics known to man then you can go online and see these people scream "GOTY, better than <insert an actual good game>" and "I bought all the DLC, I will support the dev!".

- Fuck DLC
- Fuck Clockwork sequels
- Fuck Hand-holding
- Fuck QTEs
- Fuck iWin buttons
- Fuck Large publishers turning games into robot build money makers
- Fuck Treating PC users like peasants
- Fuck Streamlining and watering down
- Fuck Client-hosted matchmaking
- Fuck Brown filters
- Fuck Call of Duty success and the subsequent influx on everything
- Fuck Slow console generation change that stagnates other platforms
- Fuck This entire generation.

[StarEye]

I've become a PC gamer more and more. I used to only by very few select games for my PC, like point'n'click adventures and Civ. With the introduction of GOG.com, I started getting into games that I missed out on, due to me going directly from being a mainly Amiga gamer to a Playstation gamer. Now I'm keeping a close eye on Steam's daily deals and other sales, buy all multiplatform games on PC, and using a wireless Xbox controller and HDMI cable to play on my TV from the couch.

I bought all the console in a generation cycle in the PS2 era, and in this era. I'm not so sure this will repeat with the next generation of consoles. I'll most likely settle with the next Playstation and a Wii U... there are hardly any reasons to own an X360 for me now, and I don't see any reasons for me to buy the next one either. But we'll see... I'm a sucker for new consoles.

[Phife Dawg]

Thanks to the UK economy I've become a true cheap arse.

I also came to realize that being a multi-platform owner doesn't pay off for me. I'll be going PCU next gen.

[Ken]

Stopped trying to consume every bit of media for a game I'm interested. Big difference in the number of videos I watched for Halo Reach leading up to release versus Halo 4.

I also stopped buying CoD games and have a new interest in fighting games.

[Corky]

I've become a bitter man. I've come to loathe the industry, the dwindling passion for the games and the raising passion for quick money and treating gamers like cows that need to be milked all the time. I once loved a lot of titles and genres but that has slowly become a love for niche games and companies that aren't under the influence of money hungry publishers and streamlined business decisions. Even begun hating the new generation of gamers that sprout up everywhere, after having played some awful game that was developed in an afternoon, it's a 4 hour long corridor shooter with the worst mechanics known to man then you can go online and see these people scream "GOTY, better than <insert an actual good game>" and "I bought all the DLC, I will support the dev!". - Fuck DLC - Fuck Clockwork sequels - Fuck Hand-holding - Fuck QTEs - Fuck iWin buttons - Fuck Large publishers turning games into robot build money makers - Fuck Treating PC users like peasants - Fuck Streamlining and watering down - Fuck Client-hosted matchmaking - Fuck Brown filters - Fuck Call of Duty success and the subsequent influx on everything - Fuck Slow console generation change that stagnates other platforms - Fuck This entire generation.

Hey... get out of my head.

[sp3000]

I've become a bitter man. I've come to loathe the industry, the dwindling passion for the games and the raising passion for quick money and treating gamers like cows that need to be milked all the time. I once loved a lot of titles and genres but that has slowly become a love for niche games and companies that aren't under the influence of money hungry publishers and streamlined business decisions. Even begun hating the new generation of gamers that sprout up everywhere, after having played some awful game that was developed in an afternoon, it's a 4 hour long corridor shooter with the worst mechanics known to man then you can go online and see these people scream "GOTY, better than <insert an actual good game>" and "I bought all the DLC, I will support the dev!". - Fuck DLC - Fuck Clockwork sequels - Fuck Hand-holding - Fuck QTEs - Fuck iWin buttons - Fuck Large publishers turning games into robot build money makers - Fuck Treating PC users like peasants - Fuck Streamlining and watering down - Fuck Client-hosted matchmaking - Fuck Brown filters - Fuck Call of Duty success and the subsequent influx on everything - Fuck Slow console generation change that stagnates other platforms - Fuck This entire generation.

Best post in this thread.

Preach it brother.

[Nugg]

- Fuck DLC - Fuck Clockwork sequels - Fuck Hand-holding - Fuck QTEs - Fuck iWin buttons - Fuck Large publishers turning games into robot build money makers - Fuck Treating PC users like peasants - Fuck Streamlining and watering down - Fuck Client-hosted matchmaking - Fuck Brown filters - Fuck Call of Duty success and the subsequent influx on everything - Fuck Slow console generation change that stagnates other platforms - Fuck This entire generation.

I agree with every single point, and I'm adding one:

- Fuck preorder bonuses

[Net_Wrecker]

I've become a bitter man. I've come to loathe the industry, the dwindling passion for the games and the raising passion for quick money and treating gamers like cows that need to be milked all the time. I once loved a lot of titles and genres but that has slowly become a love for niche games and companies that aren't under the influence of money hungry publishers and streamlined business decisions. Even begun hating the new generation of gamers that sprout up everywhere, after having played some awful game that was developed in an afternoon, it's a 4 hour long corridor shooter with the worst mechanics known to man then you can go online and see these people scream "GOTY, better than <insert an actual good game>" and "I bought all the DLC, I will support the dev!". - Fuck DLC - Fuck Clockwork sequels - Fuck Hand-holding - Fuck QTEs - Fuck iWin buttons - Fuck Large publishers turning games into robot build money makers - Fuck Treating PC users like peasants - Fuck Streamlining and watering down - Fuck Client-hosted matchmaking - Fuck Brown filters - Fuck Call of Duty success and the subsequent influx on everything - Fuck Slow console generation change that stagnates other platforms - Fuck This entire generation.

Wow, how'd my post get in here before I did?

All of this is how I feel. I've been disliking the industry trends more and more since 2007.

[Nugg]

Sethos
Fuck this entire generation
(Today, 11:13 AM)

[Incendiary]

I've started playing games on harder difficulties to give myself more of a challenge...I used to always play on Normal. Granted, part of that was because of achievements/trophies but I enjoy being challenged now just as much as I enjoy playing.

I've also learned that I only need to buy a few games Day One at full price. Games drop in price quickly enough that even a few weeks after release there's usually a sale where I can get them for $30-$40 even if I'm not patient enough to wait a year and get them for $20.

Finally, I've learned that I love quick games based on gameplay more than bloated, 50 hour games with tons of sidequests I'll never finished. Super Meat Boy, Binding of Isaac, Trials Evolution, Spelunky, all sorts of puzzle games I got on Steam sales...I play and replay those way more often than I've played any RPG or shooter that I've purchased in the last year or two. $10 for an indie XBLA that I play and replay for forty hours is much more worth it to me personally than $40-$60 for an AAA retail game that I play once for forty hours and finish because I feel obligated to since I've spent forty hours on it, and then shelving it and never playing it again because it's exhausting in length.

[Buckethead]

Before this generation started I was afraid that everyone would make realistic games instead of awesome fantasy sci-fi stuff like Jak And Daxter.

Sadly, I was right.

I think the whoring of DLC and ads and not listening to the consumer will only get worse before it gets better.

[Krappadizzle]

I've become a bitter man. I've come to loathe the industry, the dwindling passion for the games and the raising passion for quick money and treating gamers like cows that need to be milked all the time. I once loved a lot of titles and genres but that has slowly become a love for niche games and companies that aren't under the influence of money hungry publishers and streamlined business decisions. Even begun hating the new generation of gamers that sprout up everywhere, after having played some awful game that was developed in an afternoon, it's a 4 hour long corridor shooter with the worst mechanics known to man then you can go online and see these people scream "GOTY, better than <insert an actual good game>" and "I bought all the DLC, I will support the dev!". - Fuck DLC - Fuck Clockwork sequels - Fuck Hand-holding - Fuck QTEs - Fuck iWin buttons - Fuck Large publishers turning games into robot build money makers - Fuck Treating PC users like peasants - Fuck Streamlining and watering down - Fuck Client-hosted matchmaking - Fuck Brown filters - Fuck Call of Duty success and the subsequent influx on everything - Fuck Slow console generation change that stagnates other platforms - Fuck This entire generation.

I literally read this entire post in my head in Max Payne voice to match the first thing I saw, your avatar.

[televator]

- PC gaming, where have you been all my life?

- Trading in good games and consoles for the next best shinny game is unthinkable. Why not have it all?

- I REALLY can like western action RPGs...I thought I hated all RPGs, but Fallout 3 blew my freakin mind.

- DLC and DRM are shyte.

- The reality of motion controls is not what I expected at the beginning. Very disappointed.

[SolarPowered]

-Shooters were awesome around Halo 2's time, but they are a dime a dozen now. Moved on to fighters
-Never buy a new current gen game above $40 unless it's a good fighter, a Nintendo title(an exceptional one at that) or it has some extreme bonuses(Portal 2 for PS3 having a steam key for example)
-Never buy an old current game gen above $20
-Never buy an HD collection above $30
-Never buy a shooter above $30 unless it's a really unique standalone title
-I'll always try to get something new instead of used. I like trying to give devs money even if it's a late purchase
-Buy used(or not at all) if a certain game sets a bad precedent(SFxT is a mess with gems and Persona 4 Arena is first region locked game on PS3 iirc)
-Avoid games full of quick time events
-Avoid big budget game releases that contain a five hour campaign
-Ignore metacritic, rely on GAF communities and my own instinct when looking for games
-Avoid any shooter with an unnecessarily long campaign *looks at Dead Space 2*
-Always wait for Steam sales. I have more chances to support a wider array of devs thanks to the sales. It's not just about my wallet
-Steam is my best PC friend

I stumbled upon PC gaming this generation and I'm having a blast. Console games used to get tons of my money, but I barely buy a handful per year now. Shooters were my shit, but there are like two million of them out there and I don't like moving from one thing to the next every three months like my friends do. I like supporting good games and good devs, but my money is limited so Steam sales help me throw out a wider net of cash than I would as a console only gamer.

[Enco]

I realized im more into the game culture than I am into gaming itself. I can tell people just about any news they need when it comes to games, but playig them as much as I try, I just haven't had as much time as I used. Which is one of the reasons why i've really gravitated towards more linear games which focus highly on the story. Not to mention I really prefer my games to be no longer than 12 hours.

If a game is story based I want it to be around 10 hours. Anything less and I feel cheated. Anything more and I can get bored.

Open world games are completely different. I'm more than happy to spend a long time playing and messing around. GTA IV, Skyrim and Just Cause 2 are the best examples.

[CecilRousso]

Being a PC gamer I'm really satisfued abiut the state if this part of the market during this timespan. What has changed me is the ammount of quality games I know own and want to play and replay.

Since I actually dont need new games just for the sake of it I have no patience for
- bad stories no matter what genre
- filler missions
- grind
- action focused games without any kind of character building
- RPG's without good exploration and/or choices and consequences.

Nextgen for me is because of that only interesting if it provides an enviroment where developers can afford to take greater risks. I guess what has really changed for me during this generation is my belief in what better specs actually would bring to the table.

[Robso]

I've become much more knowledgeable about gaming. I was a casual gamer last gen. I only bought FIFA and maybe the odd other title. I missed out on all the great games the PS2 had.

This gen whilst I wouldn't deem myself hardcore, more in the middle of that and casual, I have played a lot of the best games this gen.

I know what E3 is also, now. Unlike last gen when if you'd asked me i'd of had no idea. :P

[KSai]

I became more frivolous with my money. I never thought I'd be keeping up with all the mainstream games before.

[2+2=5]

I became a handled gamer...

[Black-Wind]

I kinda just gave up on gaming now :/

Nintendo, JPN Studios, Western Studios, Sony, MS ... they all just dropped something this gen.

So yeah ... I learned to stop caring and to just wait for Pokemon to see if GF fucks me over again or does something new.

[Acidote]

I'm turning into an "angry gamer" burnt with all the anti-consumer policies they've been executing lately, playing less and less on consoles every day and foreseeing the same trend for PC gaming if things keep going in that direction. DRM, pre-order bullshit, release date dlc...

Those things are really driving me away from this hobby and I'm sad about it.