I know this is going against the grain here on gaf, but i really really enjoy GAAS games.
I think it can be implemented successfully, but that seems to be the exception rather than the rule.
I've been enjoying Crusader Kings 2 for like 5 years now. The experience has been kept constantly fresh as Paradox has released 2 or 3 major expansions every year since launch. It's culminated into an incredibly expansive platform and an amazing experience overall.
Same can be said for other legacy franchises like Train Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator. Devs keeping the base games vibrant and alive by adding new maps & vehicles for years post launch.
Either way, I'm happy to see that some devs/pubs have cracked the code. And I'll continue to endorse their consumer-friendly practices.
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Now on the flip side, I'm also happy to see the meltdowns over Loot Boxes, endless grinding only solved through Micro-transactions, et al.
The AAA space has a real, legitimate problem with budgeting and it feels as though the $60 price point is no longer enough to recoup development budgets let alone make a profit, bar gang-buster outliers like Rockstar.
I hope the industry can find a way to adjust pricing models beyond the slim profit margins already in place. I don't claim to have the answer, but I feel that predatory practices such as loot boxes are not the ultimate solution.
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Tangential bottom line. I'm glad to have little to no interest in AAA gaming anymore. Still got a couple franchises in my back pocket, but as for the rest I'm glad to have moved on.
The modern $20 and below market is so much more vibrant, original and diverse. It feels like a true revolution in risk-taking possibility. It's unequivocally the best place to experience the medium right now.
I couldn't be happier with the State of Gaming today thanks to mid-low budget offerings.
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The line for line rebuttal debating on specific opinions over the past few pages is lame as F.
I get follow-up comments. Fine. But the "enthusiasm" in arguing with a microscope the validity of some random opinion has me questioning if I'm looking at the right thread.
This thread is a glorious collection of the good, bad & ugly and I wish its light-hearted intent were honored without hyper-sensitive posters getting so ruffled when there golden calf inevitably falls into the line of fire.
It's okay if your fave is skewered. Even if it doesn't make sense to you.
Seriously. You'll be alright. As will your favorite game.