Industry Growth
Please note that the following was written over a year ago, when I had first started taking classes in Full Sail. I might consider writing an updated version of this in the near future.
The gaming industry has had many ups and downs lately. On the negative side, there seems to be a lot of companies taking advantage of gamers. Balance breaking microtransactions, unfinished/broken games launches, on-disc DLC, and manipulating addictions seems to be far too common lately. But on the positive side, just as many other companies are focusing on giving the gaming community what they deserve. Developers that are being transparent about their games, the ability to crowdfund indie titles, and new methods of consuming games are some fine examples of this.
In the next five to ten years however, the biggest changes I see happening will be in those new methods of consuming games. The industry will continue pushing digital distribution, as well as offering free DLC that's made possible through cosmetic-only microtransactions. New methods of spectating other gamers will come into play, with the rising popularity of Esports, Twitch, and YouTube gaming channels. Developers will push the boundaries in open world gaming, random generation, and player customization. And more games will start to become platforms themselves that are continuously supported, as seen in games such as skylanders and disney infinity.
But the truly exciting developments in those upcoming years is on the hardware side of things. Virtual reality, something that I always used to imagine as the pinnacle of immersion, has been the latest industry craze. Seeing the popularity of the Oculus Rift, many other companies have decided to jump on the VR bandwagon. There are also innovations being made in augmented reality, which can be seen in Microsoft's upcoming HoloLens. These abilities to transport ourselves into the worlds of video games, or transport the games into our own world, have the potential to be revolutionary in the industry. Even more so if they are eventually combined.
But if they want to still be around twenty five years from now, they will have to be careful about how they handle these innovations. And while Nintendo isn't currently trying their hand at VR, I think that many lessons can be learned from them. For starters, as with the Wii's motion controls, these technologies will be just another dying fad if they are only used in gimmicky ways that add nothing to the games. Second, while motion controls didn't last through this generation, they should try finding a good middle ground between them and traditional controllers, as both have plenty to offer to these technologies. And finally, I think that VR will work best if it's instead used as a second screen in the same vein as the Wii U's gamepad. If not, the technology will become very situational and lose longevity, as couch co-op would no longer be possible, and it would be uncomfortable wearing the visor for extended play sessions.
As for my place in this industry, my main goals are simply to make games that I would be proud of, and to respect the people who play my games. I strive to be one of the people in the industry that aims to give players what they deserve, and not just treat them as a source of money. Having been a gamer my entire life, I want to be a positive influence on the gaming industry and gaming communities. I also want to make games that are unlike anything people have seen before, while also rooted in the styles of games that I grew up with.
Ideally, I would like to do all of this from where I'm living now, as my family is very important to me. However, since there aren't any gaming companies in my state, that would mean that I would either have to work remotely or be an indie developer. But if that doesn't work out, I would also enjoy working for Bethesda, Behemoth, Nintendo, or Rooster Teeth (now that they've been creating games).
I'd say that in 5 years, I'll likely still be finding my place in this industry, which I've come to learn isn't a bad thing. 10 years from now, I'd like to at least be working on some fun games, and bringing my own style into them. And in 15 years, I'd love to be working on games of my own design, as a lead designer.
In order to achieve these goals, I will need to show my worth as a designer to the industry. To start, I will finish my degree in game design at Full Sail. While at Full Sail, I intend to create games to prove my skills. I will then make a career working on games in the industry to get my name out there. But the most important step is to do what I enjoy, enjoy what I do, and create games that I am proud of.
