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Why do many publishers refer to games as “titles”?

Phendrift

Phendrift

Member
Oct 25, 2017
32,293
This has kinda struck me as weird for a while.

I mean I guess it makes sense, but it's just another word for "games." And it doesn't seem like something that could be used to ONLY refer to games, yet I never see films or books referred to as titles.

Yet in press releases or the like, you see "we have plenty of new titles coming this year," or "we are planning a new title in this popular franchise." I guess I'm just wondering where did it come from and why is it used specifically in this industry? Or am I missing stuff and it's used plenty in other industries?
 
7threst

7threst

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,297
Netherlands
Isn't game a little to general? When you say 'title', you refer to a specific game without having to name that specific game by its title constantly.
 
OP
OP
Phendrift

Phendrift

Member
Oct 25, 2017
32,293
7threst said:
Isn't game a little to general? When you say 'title', you refer to a specific game without having to name that specific game by its title constantly.
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How is "we have plenty of games planned for this year" any different from "we have plenty of titles planned for this year" though
 
hydruxo

hydruxo

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,409
Probably just sounds more official and business-like. Sort of like saying films instead of movies.
 
Strings

Strings

Member
Oct 27, 2017
31,384
Meh, it's just a synonym. Whenever I'm typing a comment and see that I've already used 'game' in the preceding sentence, I'll use 'title' in the following one because I hate repeating words.
 
FlintSpace

FlintSpace

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
2,817
Just a force of habit to sound more corporaty (isthataword?).

Similarly how we say IPs which also struck me as odd.
 
nsilvias

nsilvias

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,722
to distance themselves from the association with games and children because they know consumers are insecure
 
Sabretooth

Sabretooth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,052
India
I don't know about publishers, but writers and journalists do it to avoid making text sound too repetitive, which is what you'd get if you just used "the game" over and over.
 

rawhide

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,003
It's a Japan-ism that stuck.

The widespread adoption of "IP" by laypeople is way more on the nose.
 
Gelf

Gelf

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,295
It's just a synonym. Much prefer to use "title" over "IP" that's for sure. I certainly use it to avoid saying game too repetitively.
 
Kneefoil

Kneefoil

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,447
Could be a prestige thing. Back in the day games we're looked down upon, so calling them something else would've made their games seem something "better" than just children's toys.
 
Hilarious_Bearious

Hilarious_Bearious

Member
Nov 4, 2017
7,359
I don't think IP is as bad if used correctly. Like I'd refer to a multi-platform thing like Pokemon or Marvel as an IP, since they span so many fields and products.
 
Pyro

Pyro

God help us the mods are making weekend threads
Member
Jul 30, 2018
14,505
United States
It is kinda dumb, but I also kinda like it? Sounds more fancy.

tenor.gif
 
ChrisP8Three

ChrisP8Three

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,006
Leeds
its because they don't own the content of the game, only its naming rights


/s

reality, it sounds more professional than 'games' which is associated with childish things still by the majority of asshats society
 
Veeboy

Veeboy

Member
Oct 31, 2017
242
Phendrift said:
This has kinda struck me as weird for a while.

I mean I guess it makes sense, but it's just another word for "games." And it doesn't seem like something that could be used to ONLY refer to games, yet I never see films or books referred to as titles.

Yet in press releases or the like, you see "we have plenty of new titles coming this year," or "we are planning a new title in this popular franchise." I guess I'm just wondering where did it come from and why is it used specifically in this industry? Or am I missing stuff and it's used plenty in other industries?
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Not sure if its super relevant to the gaming, but I am a librarian and we use the word title for books (and occasionally films) all the time. More specifically we usually use it as an abstraction between the actual physical item (the book) and the work itself (the content of the book). For example, we have multiple copies of the title Redefining Realness by Janet Mock. Each individual copy would be referred to as a book, but when speaking of the title we are referring to the content which could be contained in any given individual copy of the book whether it be an audiobook, ebook, hardback, paperback, etc.

IDK if that might have any relevance to the discussion but I thought I'd add it on.
 
kvetcha

kvetcha

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,835
Veeboy said:
Not sure if its super relevant to the gaming, but I am a librarian and we use the word title for books (and occasionally films) all the time. More specifically we usually use it as an abstraction between the actual physical item (the book) and the work itself (the content of the book). For example, we have multiple copies of the title Redefining Realness by Janet Mock. Each individual copy would be referred to as a book, but when speaking of the title we are referring to the content which could be contained in any given individual copy of the book whether it be an audiobook, ebook, hardback, paperback, etc.

IDK if that might have any relevance to the discussion but I thought I'd add it on.
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I'm guessing this has at least something to do with it.
 
BowieZ

BowieZ

Member
Nov 7, 2017
3,972
"Title" has a slight connotation of a "publication" in a business sense that distinguishes it from "game" which can have multiple meanings to multiple parties.
It's similar to "platform" being a synonym for "game console".

In other words, a game is released on a video game console, whereas a gaming title is published on a gaming platform.
Futhermore, a developer develops a game, whereas a publisher markets the title.

And finally, a single title may include multiple games. For example, New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U (Switch) is a single "title" (or SKU) but contains two games. This distinction is very helpful for industry professionals.
 
Efejota

Efejota

Member
Mar 13, 2018
3,750
nsilvias said:
to distance themselves from the association with games and children because they know consumers are insecure
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Kneefoil said:
Could be a prestige thing. Back in the day games we're looked down upon, so calling them something else would've made their games seem something "better" than just children's toys.
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JoJoBae said:
Sounds more respectable. That's why books get referred to as novels, movies as films, and albums as records.
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Never thought about it, but yeah. It's the same way for comics now being called graphic novels because the former sounds childish to many people. Society is a bit too insecure, specially with products aimed at men.
 
kvetcha

kvetcha

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,835
Efejota said:
Never thought about it, but yeah. It's the same way for comics now being called graphic novels because the former sounds childish to many people. Society is a bit too insecure, specially with products aimed at men.
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Yeah, this isn't it at all. The practice predates video games.
 
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