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Pachter: I don't consider [indie] games, to be GOTY worthy, they're like snacks

I dunno, stuff like Bioshock Infinite felt more like snack than stuff like Guacamelee and Hotline Miami to me.
 
Obviously to him unless the game cost multi-millions it's unworthy of praise and accolades even if it out performs every single AAA title around it.

Patcher says the darnedest things.
 
I kind of agree. I've always agreed there is a difference in expectations between a $15 indie game that a handful of people worked on and a massive AAA game that hundreds of people worked on.

They should be split into separate categories for GOTY awards
 
I dunno, stuff like Bioshock Infinite felt more like snack than stuff like Guacamelee and Hotline Miami to me.

Beyond the main point that GOTY are subjective as fuck, this. I've played many great indie games that have more content than some that were considered GOTY.

I mean, I see where he's coming from. We shouldn't give high-class awards to games that didn't dump most of their budget on adverts. That wouldn't be fair to the publishers!
 
Journey is not really an indie game though

Yeah, it is. I know people are gonna say but it was published by Sony but it's analogous to a film being funded by Disney through Miramax or Fox through Searchlight. It's still indie.

I dunno, stuff like Bioshock Infinite felt more like snack than stuff like Guacamelee and Hotline Miami to me.

This! I consider most AAA games to be the equivalent of junk food.
 
It seems that he still hasn't digested that hat he ate because of The Walking Dead GOTY VGA award. hehe In the sphere that he moves and works a indie game is considered peanuts, so revenue, money spent, million of sales are factors he uses to select a GOTY game. Maybe Minecraft he would consider GOTY worthy?
 
A bit misleading, he does go on to say that indie games are still great and that they're not "inferior" to AAA as much as they are different.

And I don't really disagree, GOTY is a dumb title when you consider minor indie titles often are good in a different way then AAA are good and that it often simplifies large variances in mechanics to just "this one is the best".
 
He's not alone in that thinking. I bet over 50% of the console player base feels the same as he does.

It's changing though. More and more people are holding indie titles in higher regard.
 
Can't watch the video at the moment, but I have to disagree with that quote. Guacamelee was on of my top games of 2013, sandwiched nicely between The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls. It was one of the first games in a while that had me playing for hours on end rather than in short sessions.

I'll have to watch the video when I get the chance to get the full context of the quote, but for now I wholeheartedly disagree.

A bit misleading, he does go on to say that indie games are still great and that they're not "inferior" to AAA as much as they are different.

And I don't really disagree, GOTY is a dumb title when you consider minor indie titles often are good in a different way then AAA are good and that it often simplifies large variances in mechanics to just "this one is the best".

Thanks for the added context. Glad to see he's not just dismissing indie titles.
 
Seriously... why is he given a platform again?
I just will never understand it. He can have his opinions. But why does the gaming media treat it like his are important?
 
I kind of agree. I've always agreed there is a difference in expectations between a $15 indie game that a handful of people worked on and a massive AAA game that hundreds of people worked on.

They should be split into separate categories for GOTY awards

But what if the best $15 game that comes out in a year happens to be better than the best $60 game? What use is there is arbitrarily dividing games up by their price or by their budget?
 
1. Say something dumb
2. Someone posts a topic about it
3. Get more exposure
4. More people listen to what you say
5. Profit
 
Almost every game that did anything interesting last year was either indie or low budget. I can hardly remember the last triple A game I was exited about. And there certainly are none that would qualify for game of the year.
 
I kind of agree. I've always agreed there is a difference in expectations between a $15 indie game that a handful of people worked on and a massive AAA game that hundreds of people worked on.

They should be split into separate categories for GOTY awards

Nah, don't agree at all. Regardless of budget and expectations my top 10 list for 2013 was mostly indie and my top 3 certainly were from the top of my head anyway.
 
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