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Big video game releases kinda don't feel like events anymore

dex3108

dex3108

Member
Oct 26, 2017
22,994
Last few years I noticed that I kinda don't feel hype and buzz around big video game releases like I did before. And that is despite social networks being more prominent than before. I feel like there were more games before that had that big hype building around them and their releases caused a lot more talking.

These days that is reserved for just a few of them like Elden Ring or Rockstar games. Before even though dev time was shorter and games were released quicker we got excitement building around more games including some yearly sequels.

Classic example I would say is CoD, where For example run between CoD4MW to CoD BO2 hype was through the roof for basically each release. These days even though CoD still sells there is way less buzz around it.

Star Wars games where just a demo of 1313 caused hype to go through the roof these days with Jedi series and Outlaws there is kinda just mid excitement for them.

And with dev cycles way longer these day that kinda shouldn't be a case because we are waiting long times to get games from our favorite developers.

Am I the only one that feels this way?
 
Raigor

Raigor

Member
May 14, 2020
15,241
We grew up, GTA 6 is going to be the last "gaming event" until ES6 is released
 
Pingal Pratyush

Pingal Pratyush

Member
Dec 11, 2017
515
India
Nothing feels exciting anymore anyway.

When Deadpool 2 was teased, I couldn't wait.

But even though I was excited about Deadpool and Wolverine, I didn't watch the trailer till a few days later.

My reaction after finishing it was: Oh, great.
 

Zej

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
951
From my perspective at least, I feel like it's "gamers" are getting older and our perspective isn't as narrow/focused on gaming any more.
 
Anno

Anno

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,026
Columbus, Ohio
Probably just a factor of there being so many more these days and some of the biggest releases not being new games but a new Fortnite update or whatever. Just not enough oxygen for them all to really flare up.
 
OneThirtyEight

OneThirtyEight

Avenger
Oct 28, 2017
5,717
The lack of video game stores(in my area) sure makes it feel less like events. No promotinal signs or standees, demo kiosks, trailers playing on the tv in thw stores, people talking in the store about the game they are about to get.
 

Vic20

Member
Nov 10, 2019
3,449
Elden Ring felt like a big event.

So did Zelda.

but yeah, I don't care for most AAA games nowadays
 
Banamy

Banamy

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,486
I only get extremely hyped for my beloved IPs. Like I still do midnight launches for pokemon, as do a lot of people. Still have crowds when I go to my dead gamestop.
 
copelandmaster

copelandmaster

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,960
Being marketed to in this manner is in part what has created a generation of now adult fanboys and toxic idiocy. It's ok that this has dropped off with time. Especially now that gen z/alpha, after watching their favorite streamers play either nintendo or live service pc games primarily, care way less about sony vs xbox console war garbage. Good riddance to e3.
 
OP
OP
dex3108

dex3108

Member
Oct 26, 2017
22,994
Raigor said:
We grew up, GTA 6 is going to be the last "gaming event" until ES6 is released
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Zukkoyaki said:
Brother, you're just getting older.
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That is a factor but even younger audience is not excited. And despite getting older I should get excited for releases of some of games from my favorite series but nope, that is still rare. Games like Elden Ring caused so much talk everywhere. And before we got way more releases like that.
 
joeblow

joeblow

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,963
Laker Nation
Even when games release, they are significantly unfinished compared to the final product after a year+ of patches. I never play games right away as a result.

"Please be excited."
 
NeoRaider

NeoRaider

Member
Feb 7, 2018
7,468
I agree. And i don't think that it's just "you are getting older". It's other factors too for sure.
 
Orayn

Orayn

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,182
You're just getting older, it's fine.

Also video game hype cycles are unhealthy in the first place. Getting pumped up to consume a product is bad.
 
diablogg

diablogg

Member
Oct 31, 2017
3,402
I'd say a bit of the magic has been lost since the good old E3 days but certain games still feel like big events to me. Basically any FromSoft joint, Final Fantasy, all Capcoms stuff. Gaming still has the hype juice for me, it's just a bit less than it used to be and losing the spectacle of E3 also has hurt that aspect of it a bit.
 
Pai Pai Master

Pai Pai Master

Member
Oct 25, 2017
33,048
Atlanta GA
dex3108 said:
That is a factor but even younger audience is not excited. And despite getting older I should get excited for releases of some of games from my favorite series but nope, that is still rare. Games like Elden Ring caused so much talk everywhere. And before we got way more releases like that.
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younger people are just excited for different types of games than we are.
 
AaronMT

AaronMT

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,648
Toronto
3dV05hP.png
 
Faceless_Caesar

Faceless_Caesar

Member
Jul 1, 2020
6,971
I don't think there will ever be anything like the Halo 3 launch ever again. Games being mainly distributed digitally is a big factor. Why go to the store at midnight when you can just pre-download the game to your console and start playing at midnight instead.
 
Rosebud

Rosebud

Two Pieces
Member
Apr 16, 2018
44,314
dex3108 said:
That is a factor but even younger audience is not excited. And despite getting older I should get excited for releases of some of games from my favorite series but nope, that is still rare. Games like Elden Ring caused so much talk everywhere. And before we got way more releases like that.
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They are excited for updates on their favorite GAAS
 
Manmademan

Manmademan

Election Thread Watcher
Member
Aug 6, 2018
16,287
dex3108 said:
Last few years I noticed that I kinda don't feel hype and buzz around big video game releases like I did before. And that is despite social networks being more prominent than before. I feel like there were more games before that had that big hype building around them and their releases caused a lot more talking.

These days that is reserved for just a few of them like Elden Ring or Rockstar games. Before even though dev time was shorter and games were released quicker we got excitement building around more games including some yearly sequels.

Classic example I would say is CoD, where For example run between CoD4MW to CoD BO2 hype was through the roof for basically each release. These days even though CoD still sells there is way less buzz around it.

Star Wars games where just a demo of 1313 caused hype to go through the roof these days with Jedi series and Outlaws there is kinda just mid excitement for them.

And with dev cycles way longer these day that kinda shouldn't be a case because we are waiting long times to get games from our favorite developers.

Am I the only one that feels this way?
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You get less impressionable as you get older. Happens to everyone.
 
Kyuuji

Kyuuji

The Favonius Fox
Member
Nov 8, 2017
32,833
I still get excited for releases I'm looking forward to and people on OTs here seem to. That's all I really need tbh, wider hype is fun but I prefer the community excitement more.
 
xendless

xendless

Teyvat Traveler
Member
Jan 23, 2019
11,000
It's age and having stuff to do
Stuff will just sneak up on you if you're busy
 
brinstar

brinstar

User requested ban
Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,429
Good games release constantly now. Every once in a while something comes along that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up like the old days (Dragon's Dogma II and Unicorn Overlord, recently, for me) but otherwise it feels like I'm being drowned in media constantly, so it all kind of blends together.
 
t67443

t67443

Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,944
The market, the world and you have all changed.

Games are sold differently. GameStop (and most retail) is a shell of its former self. Marketing a release cycles have changed, between early access, streaming and everything else.

People don't need to camp outside stores trying to get a chance to buy a game anymore they can just boot up their system, go to the store and click download.
 
NaDannMaGoGo

NaDannMaGoGo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,011
Besides getting older... I feel like there's plenty of release hype.

Maybe not that much for the typical cinematic AAA, but Baldur's Gate, Helldiver 2, Palworld, and co. feel like bigger global events than your Call of Duties ever were. In a more positive manner, too. A bit less "10/10 review" hype and more extremely strong word of mouth by a wider audience doing its thing.

Good games get plenty good publicity. Shadow of the Erdtree's gonna be huge, no question.
 
thediamondage

thediamondage

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,629
marketing has gotten too clever and smart and tries to make everything memeable and big and fails usually. It was nice getting Barbenheimer last year but I don't think we'll see anything comparable in gaming until maybe GTA 6 and the switch 2 (and the games that launch there).

None of the games coming out this year feel like big events really. Not even the movies honestly, Deadpool 3 is cool but at this point I just hope its good and a good theatrical experience, I don't really have any expectation of it starting something new and big.

There have also been so many incredible games the past few years that most people haven't been able to get to them all, and so you have a LOT of options including going back to stuff thats hitting hard now like Fallout. Its hard to get hyped for something this year if you still havent played Baldurs Gate 3, Xenoblade 3, Alan Wake 2, Cyberpunk 2077, etc etc
 
Dead Man Typing

Dead Man Typing

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,025
You don't have to leave your house.

There was something crazy about going to a store to pick up a game at midnight and seeing so many people queuing up.

For the last 10 years my consoles have arrived on launch day at my door.

Release dates are publicised less because you risk delays. Special editions with 3 days early access reduce the specialness of release day.

It's a combination of changing real world dynamics. Plus we're all just getting older.
 
Fawz

Fawz

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,702
Montreal
I think in part it's because games come out broken making planning to play Day 1, especially if there's an online component, a foolhardy effort. There's also Advanced Access periods that muddy when a game truly releases, and we still get staggered released for some Platforms/SKUs/Physical so it doesn't always feel like a unified date.
 
Nkcell

Nkcell

Member
Jun 24, 2020
771
They are there, just fewer and further between because new genres are rares and tech transitions are less noticeable. Like it's hard to have the hype of MGS as the first stealth game ever or FF7 going to 3D graphics. It's just really difficult be the first to do something anymore.

The hype was completely out of control for Elden Ring in a good way. Especially with the journalists tweeting previews that it was the best game of all time like 1-2 days before it launched. It reminded me of the big releases of childhood like FF7.
 
Lowblood

Lowblood

Member
Oct 30, 2017
5,309
OneThirtyEight said:
The lack of video game stores(in my area) sure makes it feel less like events. No promotinal signs or standees, demo kiosks, trailers playing on the tv in thw stores, people talking in the store about the game they are about to get.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yeah, there's a variety of reasons for this, but the biggest is probably the lack of a third place for game releases. What we had in the early 2000s or so is entirely gone.

They still happen, of course, they're just different. Nowadays the equivalent is having every third topic on a message board be about BG3 (when that came out) or tons of stuff on social media.
 
Coolluck

Coolluck

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,513
dex3108 said:
That is a factor but even younger audience is not excited. And despite getting older I should get excited for releases of some of games from my favorite series but nope, that is still rare. Games like Elden Ring caused so much talk everywhere. And before we got way more releases like that.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

How would you know about the younger audience? My niece gets crazy hyped just to watch old footage of Mario Kart 8.
 
skeezx

skeezx

Member
Oct 27, 2017
20,441
too many games. and i think the general "enthusiast" demo is skewing older

like beside Elder Scrolls 6 i can't think of anything i'll be on the edge of my seat on like back in the day
 
klastical

klastical

Member
Oct 29, 2017
4,727
It's by design. Best way to keep prices up is to pretend like it's just as valuable as the day it released. Same reason Nintendo promotes the way it does.
 
Maple

Maple

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,884
Disagree. The big releases are still pretty exciting and it's fun to take part in.
 
cjelly

cjelly

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,475
It feels like there are just far too many games releasing these days.

Back in the 360 days, you'd have 1 or 2 Arcade games a week, then 2 or 3 boxed releases a week, if that.
 
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