THE POPULARITY EFFECT!

A DISCUSSION BETWEEN HULK AND CLAY

C: In this weeks podcast we talked a lot about Square Enix , and a lot of other titles that just have not been successful.

H: HULK FIND IT IRONIC HOW THE TITLE THAT ONCE SHINED GREATLY IN THE GAMING WORLD HAVE BECOME A CONTINUOUS DISAPPOINTMENT!

C: Some of the problem comes from the fact that many members of the team that were originally at these studios are now elsewhere, or just retired. Another huge problem was when company merged. Some great talent walked out the door because management put virtually no effort into keeping them.



H: THE POPULARITY EFFECT

C: These studios were generally acknowledged and accepted by us; the gamer. In their fame they expanded doors, hired new people, and bought out any difficult competition ( if they could).

In this highlight of their life a large percentage of the developers began to experiment with the weird, and sometimes insane. An interests in sequels, dlc, and episodic systems became the norm.

Instead of searching for the next great character, great storyline, or great mechanic. It became an arms race of who would announce their game in quarter 4 first, and who had the most impressive tech backing up their system.



H: IT BECAME A WORLD OF CRYSTAL SKULLS, AND TREES THAT NEVER GREW!

C: Now these studios turned "publishers" in their hollowed glory have all these other studios they own, and very little to show from it. They began laying people off, scratching projects they believe could not support their operation, and began a desperate search for weaponized nostalgia.



H: WHEN A PUBLISHER TAKES A COMPANY INTO ITS FOLD.... THEY SHOULD PROTECT THEM! MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A FUTURE! NOT LIQUIDATE ASSETS, AND KICK THEIR A** OUT THE DOOR!

FURTHERMORE, THE DEVELOPER HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO IT'S PUBLISHER , AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THEIR ART FORM! THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WASTE 15 YEARS!


C: I want to do something to fix this problem that should have never existed. One of the most consistently existing themes in our industry is a strive to grow, a strive to never give up, a strive push beyond what we are now...... and yet I very rarely see this in reality.


H: HULK WILL ALWAYS SMASH!

WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO DO?


C: Maybe the followers can answer this one.