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Gaming as I knew it is dying

BigBooper

Member
Stalker 2
Far Cry 6
Elden Ring
Jurassic World Evolution 2
Metal Slug Tactics
Painkiller
King's Bounty 2
Shadow Warrior 3
Outer Worlds 2
Age of Empires 4
A Plague Tale 2
Diablo 2
Starfield
Dying Light 2
Halo Infinite


Just to name some of the ones I know who also have a single player focus. Just be up front. Which specific game were you looking for?
I Love Lucy What GIF by Paramount+


Then you bring a list of genres that weren't represented, or are dead. I think you might be one of those gamers who just loves negativity.
 
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kurisu_1974

is on perm warning for being a low level troll
I'm deep in my forties, gaming since 1983 or something, and I don't like most Western AAA titles either. Indie games also are completely off my radar.

I still enjoy the B and C tier from Japan tho. Finished Captain Tsubasa and Disaster Report 4 last week, started Daemon x Machina, looking forward to some recent VN games like Root Film and the Famicom Detective games, can't wait for Scarlet Nexus which will only be my third PS5 games after Demon's Souls and RE8.

There's still interesting stuff out there, but just like the best movies aren't coming from Hollywood, you sometimes have to look a bit farther.
 

lachesis

Member
The demographic they target is much younger than I am, so I am feeling a bit too old school for some of the recent ones... so it's not just the fault of the devs.
However as the market is getting bigger, getting more matured - there are still games that fit my own taste. I just had given up on those types of games that I like being the mainstream a long long time ago.
 

Excess

Member
I'm about your age, but I see things differently.

When I was a teenager I always expected this industry to progress, better graphics, more immersive worlds, better gameplay, better stories. But now I am seeing that we are going on the opposite direction.
In comparison to what, exactly? If we're comparing the graphics of Resident Evil 2 to the Remake, I'm not sure how you could even begin to have that thought.

Immersive worlds, gameplay and storytelling: Are we comparing games like GTA III with RDR2? A better point of reference would be helpful.

But other than first party devs and a few select third parties, it seems that no one tries to create campaign based single player games anymore.
Almost all of Sony's exclusives cater to this style of game, if not for the other third-party games such as Control, Red Dead Redemption 2, Witcher 3, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Resident Evil Village.

There are also genres that are not being catered at all, survival horror, car combat, arcade racing, inmersive sims, character action games and more, genres that were the cornerstone of gaming in past generations.
Survival Horror: Resident Evil Village, The Medium
Arcade Racing: The Horizon series is arguably an arcade racer, if not for the NFS series still being in existence.
Immersive Sims: MS Flight Simulator, or how about the plethora of sims such from Car Mechanic Simulator to Cities: Skylines?
Character action games: Already mentioned some previously.

Also if a game looks like a proper modern 3D game, chances are its Co Op or MMO
This has more to do with revenue schemes, and not your distaste for gaming with age. I would argue that subscription models will make it more feasible to develop single-player experiences because there's at least a guarantee that the developer will earn residuals on the product for the long-term.

Also what's about games being so colourful and having that horrendous Fortnitey artstyle?
I hate this, too, but it isn't prevalent everywhere. It's generally an aesthetic commonly associated with MMORPG's, fighting games, and FPS games that attract kids in the 13 to 16 year-old demographic. I'm sure there's also some psychology behind it, too. But don't want to play Fortnite? Play Warzone.

Are single player story based games not popular anymore unless they have best in class production values?
Again, this is all just risk/reward. I would argue there's much more choice now. You just need to look harder. I'm about to try out Plague's Tale Innocence, and that was developed by a relatively low-key studio in France that was more known for making kids games, Asobo.
 
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It's true that the pixel art 8 bit thing needs to go back to the 80's where I already played it.
Weird to see blocky pixel art in a modern game with complex animation and great music and sounds. Thats just so wrong.
I feel bad for the musician that has a great sound track wasted on a pixel 'art' game.
If your going to have blocky graphics then you better have simple sound effects to match.
 

buenoblue

Member
I'm 45, and I just think like me you've become a little jaded that's all. When I was young just the simple act of controlling a sprite on screen was a thrill, even magical. But 40 years later after playing hundreds of games, plus really diving in to the details on graphics tech and how games are made, the curtain has been pulled back and I can see the old man pulling the leavers underneath. Movies have become the same too, nothing really suprises or astounds me anymore cause I've seen it all before.

That being said I still love gaming. Playing Ratchet and clank on ps5 in 4k HDR pretty great. I imagine if Ratchet was my first videogame all those years ago, it would have blew mind. One thing I've noticed with ps5 ratchet and miles morales is the lack of loading screens (or hidden loading corridors) is that it's so much more immersive. Going from cutscen to set piece to gameplay seemlesly allows you to really appreciate the story and atmosphere so much more.
 

Mozzarella

Member
I disagree, there is a lot of junk recently that is true, a lot of rehashes and a lot of games that try to cash in at the expense of the biggest fad in gaming. However in every year there is some quality titles, 2019 was amazing, 2017 was one of the best years in gaming. There is a number of good games every year, its that a lot of junk has increased its releases so it feels like there is so much trash too.
 

Phase

Member
Fellow 35 year old here and I agree. Unlike some hardcore gamers, I actually don't find myself becoming more cynical as time goes on as it relates to gaming. I've played and seen so much that most things don't surprise me and even when something is really good I still may not care enough to play it. Basically, been there and done that.

For example, I've lost all interest in competitive shooters. I don't hope for one to come around and make me jump in again. I've simply let that aspect of gaming for myself go.
I'm struggling with this. My favorite games of all time were competitive shooters, and I've had this unfulfilled feeling for almost a decade now that I want gone. Letting those go may be the smartest thing I could do, but boy is it weirdly hard.
 
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Stalker 2 - Another radioactive Soviet wasteland game
Far Cry 6- Another Far Cry (never like the others)
Elden Ring- looks like It should've come out in 2016 (probably RR Marties' fault)
Jurassic World Evolution 2- a sim
Metal Slug Tactics- nostalgic, but front page? Really? Must have nothing better to show.
Painkiller- Who cares
King's Bounty 2- KB 1 was niche
Shadow Warrior 3- meh
Outer Worlds 2- I couldn't play one with the characters' faces
Age of Empires 4- Sim
A Plague Tale 2- For the girls
Diablo 2- Cool
Starfield- Too long to wait
Dying Light 2- Another zombie game
Halo Infinite- Too basic to be interesting, no innovation
 
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When you go to GameStop and see dozens of games on the shelves, just because Fortnite, GTAv, COD, and Minecraft are in the front of the shelves, does not mean all the games behind them on the shelf are only those games.
 

hyperbertha

Member
Gamings level of quality has always been the same. 80 percent trash, 20 percent good. The only thing different is corporations thease days are trying to shift your tastes into long form gaas titles so they can milk you slowly for longer, rather than one and done affairs.

The homogeneity in western games these days is largely due to this. Gaas format leaves little room for creativity or single player depth. Modern Assassin's creed is a great example for a single player MTX filled game. Gaasy damage spongey gameplay, with leveling up and tons of weapons/armors to sell in game to overcome the damage sponginess.
 
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I keep seeing or hearing this on this forum, and I can't disagree more. Got my first console in 89, played tons of PC and console games through the 90's and early 2000's, and I look around at what we've got right now and I can't believe how blessed we are with variety and quality both. 10,000 games released on Steam just last year, there are over 5,000 different console games on the PS4, PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo consoles. There are so many games for every type of player and every taste in gaming.

I do understand that its easy to fall in a rut and get bummed out by games, as I've gone through phases like that before. For a while in the mid 2010's I stopped playing because I was burned out. I had somehow gotten into the mindset that "had" to complete or finish games, even if I wasn't enjoying the game.

I challenge you to subscribe to Gamepass, even just for a month, and just keep trying new games until you find one that grabs you, play through it and then go seek similar experiences. I guarantee you'll find games that will blow your mind, or at least will remind you of why you like gaming.
 
I challenge you to subscribe to Gamepass, even just for a month, and just keep trying new games until you find one that grabs you, play through it and then go seek similar experiences. I guarantee you'll find games that will blow your mind, or at least will remind you of why you like gaming.
finally! i can't believe it took this long to mention this extraordinarily wonderful and sexy service. get with it guys!
 

Liljagare

Member
I first played a computer game in 1977, the gaming world has just exploded since then.. And every year, it keeps on doing so.

I'd say, the biggest issue is that there are too many games coming out, so it takes a bit to find your new favourites.
 

Impotaku

Member
Been gaming since the first generation, i'm 44 and i don't feel pushed out of anything. People seem to love shitting on indie games but i will take lower budget games anytime over the bloated overhyped one & done AAA shit. AAA has become stale as fuck, aimed at the lowest hanging fruits that are easily swayed by pretty graphics & shallow gameplay.

After playing thousands of games i now look for stuff that's fun, stuff that's silly or quirky. Indie is where the future of gaming resides as it sure isn't in a AAA enviroment where budgets get higher and games release more broken than ever (cough) cybershit (cough)
 

Azelover

Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was.
Gaming peaked with Chrono Trigger, as far as I'm concerned. But I can't speak for anyone else.
 

junguler

Banned
i used to sample a lot of games and enjoy many of them somewhat but now i exactly know my taste and play very few of them and enjoy them alot, it's an age thing and that's fine.
 
I'm struggling with this. My favorite games of all time were competitive shooters, and I've had this unfulfilled feeling for almost a decade now that I want gone. Letting those go may be the smartest thing I could do, but boy is it weirdly hard.
I started off with Unreal and moved to Counter Strike the day 1.5 came out. Played so much I became a server admin. Great memories. In fact, the best competitive multi-player experience I've ever had. Battlefield, COD4, Gears of War, and Half-Life deathmatch just to name a few.

Overwatch is what finally did me in. Maybe it was a combination of age and not wanting to deal with people who would scream bloody murder when they lost a match in quick play. I dunno. I just so thoroughly ran myself through the competitive shooter genre over the years that I felt as if there's nothing else to mine here. I'm okay with that. Part of me misses true dedicated servers, though.
 
Yes you’re getting older, I’m sure you noticed popular music and movies are also not made for you anymore
I don't think it's like that so much for movies not being made for you, as much as it is you've seen it all and nothing surprises you. Music probably falls more in line with age, though.
 
It’s all about preference. For me, the 16 bit era was the pinnacle of gaming. Unlike people suggesting nostalgia here, I go back and play these games regularly. Why? I do because the combination of artwork, controls, length, and IP are more aligned with my interests. For me, the LRG E3 show was the best so far. I don’t care for modern cinematic games, I’d rather watch a movie. I sure don’t care for western RPGs or open world games either. The ability to play old games on modern consoles is nice, but the selection is still limited. That’s why I’m grateful to own such a large vintage collection.

People keep bringing up getting older, but I have no problem enjoying modern and a diverse range of movies. To me it’s the content. I really no longer have interest in MP games as my time is limited, I don’t like games that last 100+ hrs for the same reason, and I’m not interested in cinematic games. I’d much rather have accessible games with tight controls and simple, but beautiful artwork. I loved SoR4 for that reason.
 

Diablos

Member
People said the same thing at the old version of this forum in the early 2000’s in the context of one’s perceived woes of the day as they pertained to gaming. I’m not kidding. I was there.

It’s not dying. It will change in some ways, but it’s not even close to dying.
 
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Keihart

Member
The contrary, i would say that now a ton of games are targeted at 30 year olds with disposable income instead of kids as it used to be. It's happening with movies and series too.
 

whyman

Member
Sony are not at E3 this year. Nintendo is coming up today. Just because MS and some third party is trash doesn't mean gaming is dying. I expect to see amazing single player experiences coming up. Just now playing ratchet and wow! It's a generation ahead of everything else! (Except for humor, hire comedians Insomniac!)
 

rofif

Can’t Git Gud
Yeah I agree.
We get only few worthy games per year. The peak was in early(up to 2011) era of 360. We got multiple interesting games each month.
Aaa comes out very rarely. AA even less so and everything else is 4coop or indie. And not this amazing indie like fez, super meat boy, binding of Isaac, Obra dinn... But this pixel or comic looking crap.
Then on top of this microtransactions and political correctness removing all the edginess.
There are still amazing games each year. We got death stranding, uc4, tlou2, souls games etc. There are still great games. Just less often
 
Gaming has evolved into some sick perversion of corporate greed but there are so many more fantastic games out there. Literally something for everyone now. Expand your horizons, try new games or get a new hobby
 

Durask

Member
I am interested perhaps in 1% of games and it still leaves me with a huge backlog.

Right now I am
-slowly slogging through the Trails of Cold Steel series
-playing a bit of Guilty Gear Strive

On my backlog
-Ys 9
-Trials of Mana
-Metro Exodus
-13 Sentinels Aegis Rim
-Dragons Crown Pro
-still have to play Gravity Rush and Gravity Rush 2
-a bunch of indie platformers on Steam that I plan to get back to, played each for a couple of hours

Plan to play FF7 when I finally get a PS5

Heck as long as Falcom keeps putting out games that I like, that will be enough for me.
 
Couple of background details: I have been gaming since 1993, been out of the hobby for some years in the 00's. Had a NES, SNES, PS1, PS2, Gaming PCs, Nintendo Wii so I have played (just like most of you) a ton of games through the years. I try to always be optimistic about the hobby, didn't say anything about last year gaming shows, but this... this is already a recurring theme and it has nothing to do with the pandemic.

Maybe the gaming industry is slowly pushing us folks in our 30s away from it? I am seeing game reveal after game reveal, and barring a few exceptions it seems like the games I am seeing do not target me at all. When I was a teenager I always expected this industry to progress, better graphics, more immersive worlds, better gameplay, better stories. But now I am seeing that we are going on the opposite direction.

I know that there are quite a few games to look forward to: Avowed, TES VI, Halo Infinite, Starfield, FH5, BoTW2, Prime 4, Bayo 3, Horizon 2, God of War Ragnarok, GT7, Elden Ring and more. But other than first party devs and a few select third parties, it seems that no one tries to create campaign based single player games anymore. There are also genres that are not being catered at all, survival horror, car combat, arcade racing, inmersive sims, character action games and more, genres that were the cornerstone of gaming in past generations.

Seeing how Arkane had to restort to co op trash because Prey and Dishonored 2 didn't set the world on fire is so dissapointing. Maybe their first game after MS acquisition will be a return to form. Also what's about games being so colourful and having that horrendous Fortnitey artstyle? The Pimkin/Animal Crossing Great Value editions? And don't get me started on the eternal hard on indie devs have for 8bit styled games. Also if a game looks like a proper modern 3D game, chances are its Co Op or MMO... Maybe the backlash against games of the sixth/seventh gen, the grey/brown era was too overblown.

Honestly if most indie devs keep resorting to 8bit or 16 bit throwback games, they have no chance competing against a Retropie or a chinese handheld with Retroarch on it.

Where are the indie devs trying to top Silent Hill, Fatal Frame, Project Gotham Racing, Vagrant Story, Legacy of Kain, SF Alpha III, Twisted Metal, Slyphon Filter, Devil May Cry and many more?

Sorry for the long rant but I had to get this off my chest. Maybe someone in their teens can weigh in to put some perspective? Are single player story based games not popular anymore unless they have best in class production values?

I had a similar outlook as you, mate. I think you're looking in the wrong places. We can't really rely on AAA to cater specifically to us any longer.

I personally rediscovered some appeal in output from mid tier publishers like THQ Nordic, Focus interactive, Microids, Soedesco a.o. . They seem to try appease us of old. Besides we got a wealth of thousands of older retro games to browse through should nothing quench the thirst.

Regarding the 7th generation...

I'll stand up for the 7th generation at any given time and say the dislike for it is and was fucking overblown. That generation is full of underappreciated games people didn't give a proper chance or wrote them off by some shallow judgement. As a matter of fact, theres a good chunk of games from the 7th generation even got ported to the 8th which people seem to completely gloss over.

A heap of games from that era got some really undeserved scores/reviews based on ill qualified assessment by the gaming media, whom have really shown their true "competence" in the recent decade. Some seem to use that to justify their criticism regarding that generation.

People who keep bitching about how the 7th generation was "terrible" or only "brown and bloom" didn't look further than their own noses. It diverged from the 6th for sure, but it was by no means as bad as some people like to portray it. I'm gonna out right claim it'll actually mature pretty well with a wealth of cult hits that were taken for granted.
 
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rofif

Can’t Git Gud
also, for me it just slowed down after amazing 2011 year.
Saints row 3, Dark Souls, Skyrim. All same month in 2011 killed gamind :D
 
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TheGrat1

Member


Dying? You mean changing from what it used to be? Good. A stagnant industry is a dead industry.
Where are the indie devs trying to top ... Slyphon Filter?
afro-shaking-head-no.gif

When was the last time you played Syphon Filter, op? That game looks rough. And you named all of those games as though they themselves were made by indies. Those were big titles by big publishers at the time, why would you expect Indies to be able to top them, relatively speaking?
 
I can actually relate to the OP and had similar thoughts when I really analyzed E3 and the Summerfest. Yes, gaming to me is still definitely good and fun, but something is missing I feel. I guess I feel we don’t quite have the risk-taking, imaginative and special talent that we once had and many companies are chasing after trends or manufacturing “safe” games instead of trying to create unique experiences and art that really push the envelope.

I see gaming drifting further into a direction that I really dread. GAAS, homogenized character designs and games, Battle Royale clones, predatory practices, too much DLC, season passes, less single player focus, certain genres get low budgets while the same ones get the big budgets with the attention, marketing etc.

Of course there are still games that come out that I will continue to support and enjoy and I will continue playing games as long as there are games that interest me, but I see the writing in the wall. Got a Switch recently and I’m certainly finding some gems on it and I’m looking forward to more. I see why Nintendo marches to the beat of their own drum.
 
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UnNamed

Banned
Stalker 2
Far Cry 6
Elden Ring
Jurassic World Evolution 2
Metal Slug Tactics
Painkiller
King's Bounty 2
Shadow Warrior 3
Outer Worlds 2
Age of Empires 4
A Plague Tale 2
Diablo 2
Starfield
Dying Light 2
Halo Infinite
The problem with this lists is there are too games from the same genres, same franchise and too similar. If you don't like them, you have barely no game to play.
Stalker, Farcry, Halo, Dying Light are cinematic fps where you have to spend 30hr to complete the game, a genre I personally don't like too much. Starfield and OW2 are born from the same root, too similar. At this point, I don't have interest in almost half of these games. And if I like racing games, I would probably play only FH5 and maybe another racing game for a year.

Back in the day when games were cheaper to produce, the offer was wider and you could eventually find a game you like. Now with less and less games, with the same franchises made to play safe, you have few games to play if you don't like some genres. That's why lately you can read often PS/XBOX have no games.
 
Couple of background details: I have been gaming since 1993, been out of the hobby for some years in the 00's. Had a NES, SNES, PS1, PS2, Gaming PCs, Nintendo Wii so I have played (just like most of you) a ton of games through the years. I try to always be optimistic about the hobby, didn't say anything about last year gaming shows, but this... this is already a recurring theme and it has nothing to do with the pandemic.

Maybe the gaming industry is slowly pushing us folks in our 30s away from it? I am seeing game reveal after game reveal, and barring a few exceptions it seems like the games I am seeing do not target me at all. When I was a teenager I always expected this industry to progress, better graphics, more immersive worlds, better gameplay, better stories. But now I am seeing that we are going on the opposite direction.

I know that there are quite a few games to look forward to: Avowed, TES VI, Halo Infinite, Starfield, FH5, BoTW2, Prime 4, Bayo 3, Horizon 2, God of War Ragnarok, GT7, Elden Ring and more. But other than first party devs and a few select third parties, it seems that no one tries to create campaign based single player games anymore. There are also genres that are not being catered at all, survival horror, car combat, arcade racing, inmersive sims, character action games and more, genres that were the cornerstone of gaming in past generations.

Seeing how Arkane had to restort to co op trash because Prey and Dishonored 2 didn't set the world on fire is so dissapointing. Maybe their first game after MS acquisition will be a return to form. Also what's about games being so colourful and having that horrendous Fortnitey artstyle? The Pimkin/Animal Crossing Great Value editions? And don't get me started on the eternal hard on indie devs have for 8bit styled games. Also if a game looks like a proper modern 3D game, chances are its Co Op or MMO... Maybe the backlash against games of the sixth/seventh gen, the grey/brown era was too overblown.

Honestly if most indie devs keep resorting to 8bit or 16 bit throwback games, they have no chance competing against a Retropie or a chinese handheld with Retroarch on it.

Where are the indie devs trying to top Silent Hill, Fatal Frame, Project Gotham Racing, Vagrant Story, Legacy of Kain, SF Alpha III, Twisted Metal, Slyphon Filter, Devil May Cry and many more?

Sorry for the long rant but I had to get this off my chest. Maybe someone in their teens can weigh in to put some perspective? Are single player story based games not popular anymore unless they have best in class production values?
I agree to an extent. I don’t like how it seems like every new game announcement is just another online shooter or Fortnite clone. Everyone is trying to be the next big thing. I was bummed that the new battlefield is online only too, but there are plenty of games on the Horizon ;-) that cater to me perfectly. Also, Ratchet and Clank is amazing and it’s honestly a fresh breath of air.
 

Alan Wake

Member
Mid 30s here. Getting older and don't have as much free time as before. We've developed our gaming tastes on what we prefer. We've seen alot so we're not always as wowed from reveals compared to when we were younger. But that's ok. There's always great stuff coming out and there's always that unexpected Indie darling that pops up every now and then.

This describes what it's about for many of us. Gaming is bigger, better and more diverse than ever. But being close to 40 and gaming since the early 90s we've seen a lot before. Graphics alone isn't enough to impress.

I think this partly goes for new consoles too. I bought the Series X a few weeks ago and for the first time I failed to have that exciting next-gen feeling in my stomach when unboxing and plugging it in. PS5 isn't that exciting either. I'll enjoy my time with both for years to come, but I sort of miss being so excited about new games and hardware.
 

Alan Wake

Member
Take your pick "it's better than ever crowd":

4 Player MP Shooter, Fantasy RPG from Japan, Fantasy RPG from the West, Open World Racing Game, Battle Royale Game, First Party Exclusive with an Agenda, First Party Exclusive focused on Nostalgia, New IP focusing on XYZ Mythology based on the future or the past, Fighting Games with the same tired Tropes, 2D Hard as Fuck Side Scroller, Repackaged Puzzle Game, Time Sinking MOBA's, Time Sinking MMORPG, Walking Simulators, Rehashed RTS. Looks like in my midlife the Millenial Nihilism is hitting me with full force. Zoomers aren't ruining games, it's just the desire of gaming right now. Let's look back circa 2008-2011 where everything was Bloom, FPS and washed out colors.

Everything is focused on Guns and Swords. Like fuck... damn.

Last time I literally had fun playing a game was Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and it was 4 hours long the first time.

You didn't even like Inside?
 

Thirty7ven

Banned
Gaming these days is about twitch streamers, professional fanboys who don’t even play many games, and you can’t swing a dead cat around without hitting a quirky multiplayer co op shooter.

It’s garbo
 

Camaway2

Member
I have been gaming since Space Invaders was all the rage in the arcades. Each era had its pros and cons but today there's such a variety it's truly a golden age of gaming, as long as you don't stick to the AAA borefests. Look at the massive indie catalogues, so many gems in term of playability and creativity!
 

Radical_3d

Member
Bad news: it is already dead. But if you stoped at the Wii you killed it sooner than you have. Buy a PS3 and enjoy the last ride until the PS4 wastelands.
 

Durask

Member
The problem with this lists is there are too games from the same genres, same franchise and too similar. If you don't like them, you have barely no game to play.
Stalker, Farcry, Halo, Dying Light are cinematic fps where you have to spend 30hr to complete the game, a genre I personally don't like too much. Starfield and OW2 are born from the same root, too similar. At this point, I don't have interest in almost half of these games. And if I like racing games, I would probably play only FH5 and maybe another racing game for a year.

Back in the day when games were cheaper to produce, the offer was wider and you could eventually find a game you like. Now with less and less games, with the same franchises made to play safe, you have few games to play if you don't like some genres. That's why lately you can read often PS/XBOX have no games.

What kind of games are you looking for?
IMHO there are just so many games out there from different generations that I think it is almost impossible not to find something to your liking.
 

G Boaty

Banned
If you're opinion of indies is that they're all (or mostly) metroidvania/roguelikes with an 8bit/16bit art style then you're not honestly looking into the range of indies that are available.
 
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