Death of the hardcore gamer

"Recent maneuvering by big players in the gaming arena looks like the hard-core gamer may soon be left out in the cold. Big gaming business is turning its focus to the casual and easily accessible demographic."

iTWire's Mike Bantick writes about how complex, hardcore PC games are becoming a niche market as game makers now favor simple, accessible pick-up-and-play titles that cater to the masses.

[wh0am1]

I don't think so.
When big companies can still milk their franchises for $60 per game.
I think the hardcore gamers are safe.

Though I admit i am a bit worried...just a little bit.

[BrianC6234]

I didn't bother reading the whole thing but that part about Sony even going more to casual gamers because they made the 40GB model PS3 with no backwards compatibility made no sense. That is the opposite in fact. It means they won't sell casual PS2 games to those people. Only PS3 games.

I disagree with all this casual gamer crap though. Casual gamers won't be enough to support the gaming industry. They won't buy many games. Hardcore gamers are the ones who keep the gaming industry going. We're the ones who buy a lot of games. There's room for casual games but it will end up a niche market for developers who don't want to spend millions to make a game.

[DrPirate]

God of War 3, Infamous, Metal Gear Solid 4, Gears of War 2, Alan Wake, Killzone 2, Grand Theft Auto 4, Socom: Confrontation, Half-Life Episode 3, any others I'm missing? (Yes, I know most of these are Sony titles, but believe me, I'm not trying to push the system, if you know any 360/PC games coming out that are "HardCore", feel free to name them.)

The hardcore gamer has nothing to worry about for at least another year.

Where it goes after all the great franchises are terminated is anyone's guess.

[MySwordIsHeavenly]

You're missing the most BA title!

DEVIL MAY CRY 4!!!

You can NOT miss this game!

[IntelligentAj]

I don't think this is true one bit. Also it wouldn't benefit the Developers either. Casual gamers play only so often and as such won't spend much money on games while hardcore gamers will spring for the games they want to play stockpiling them, therefore making the Dev's more money.

[Proxy]

LOL, I agree, I'm not playing 60$ to get hangman on my cell phone. :(

Infact, any non-hardcore game isn't worth anything IMO, as you can get free games on the internet that are usually better if not the same as these "casual games."

[BrianC6234]

Have you played Everyday Shooter on the PS3? IF not, it's a great game and is a casual game. It was really cheap too. It is worth what it costs. I agree most casual games aren't worth anything but some are. Casual games has a place but they won't replace the big games. If they do the gaming industry will die.

[Daxx]

I'm not dead yet.

[Niclas]

Arvv .. it sucks .. suddenly we'll find ourselfs playing RE without blood effects, and Call of Mario 4: Modern Mushroms.. ;P

Jokes aside.. its going the wrong way, and it sucks..

[MySwordIsHeavenly]

Bubbles, man...BUBBLES!

[level 360]

True, everything's become mainstream. Just look at the gamers from South Korea, it's all big bucks part of a conglomeration thing.
The internet ( and with it gaming ) just made the world a smaller place.
Only thing that's still hardcore is the sex industry.

[MySwordIsHeavenly]

Ohkay, as NON-HARDCORE as Little Big Planet and PAIN are...I think they definitely appeal to all gamers.

Whereas, MGS4, Mass Effect, FFXIII, and DMC4 appeal to the more hardcore gamers.

If we're using legistics here, hardcore games will have grabbed a bigger percent of the market.

This isn't a DS vs. everything else war here. Hardcore gaming will NOT go away as long as poor, lazy, welfare-check-baring parents want to please their poor, lazy, ignorant children. And thus...the 360 is in the lead.

*bows*

[hotrider12]

be careful what you say on these sites you dont want to offend anyone
who maybe less able to have what you have in life. saying people are poor and lazy is not cool. all we know you might be on welfare.
this page is about "death of hard core gamers" not the national veiw of who's poor,lazy and who's on welfare live in trailer trash homes
Im 30 and white

[hotrider12]

i love casual games about time!!! maybe nintendo will bring back contra or gradius,r-type shooter,metal slug, gun star hero. and bring back some of the classic games.. up graded

[LGFreedom]

It's like this guy is living in 2006. Hey the wii is popular??? Well, then I guess I'll write this dumb non-factual article...
EA made more money on the 360 than all other consoles combined. 360 is commonly referred to as the hardcore gamer's console, like the ps3 and the wii is the "casual" gamer's choice. the problem is that casual gamers don't buy games. The evidence is out there, too bad this guy didn't bother to look.

Hey, 2006 is calling and it want's you to stop writing.