Ten trends of this generation of gaming are for remembered be

The PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii make up the current generation of consoles.  The next generation, though glimmering on the horizon, is distant.   We’re firmly entrenched in this era and what it will be known for is becoming increasingly clear. What follows are ten trends that this era of gaming will be remembered for.

"You Got Nothin' On Me, Gramps!!"

It’s more than a buzzword. While console manufacturers, publishers and developers in previous generations were more than satisfied with the profits acquired from those who identified as traditional gamers, the current generation has been entirely different. Families and non-gamers have become, often to the chagrin of self-identified traditionalists, a serious market. What Nintendo started with the Wii gained the attention of Microsoft and Sony, who are presently spending huge amounts of money advertising and promoting their products to people who’ve never touched video game consoles.  It is likely that future consoles will continue this trend, with both manufacturers and developers working more and more to make their products attractive to this lucrative market.

Actual Achievements May Vary

Take a pat on the back and enjoy it. Achievements and trophies have changed how we all play games. Doing something awesome in a game and getting a virtual commendation for it is validating.  We’ve all gone out of our way and done something tedious in order to acquire some precious achievement or trophy.  Achievements have changed the way we play games – we look at environments and characters differently and we try to imagine what might get us that extra commendation.  Hell, even the World of Warcraft rewards you with nerd points.  As if people needed more ways to waste away their lives in Azeroth?

Bobby Says: "It Takes Money To Make Money"

Games are becoming increasingly expensive to make, and it shows. Say what you want about military shooters, but they’re looking amazing. The Los Angeles Times reports that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 cost between $40 and $50 million to create, and it’s easy to see why.  Games of all genres are looking better and sounding better.  (Even though Black Ops sounds like shit)  Teams of animators and professional voice actors are damn near required for nearly every project.  Costs are going up and up for big name publishers.

Bigger Isn't Always Better

As costs rise at the big studios, many developers are finding success releasing digitally-distributed games at lower prices.  Perhaps it’s fitting that I’m writing this article during the middle of Steam’s Winter Sale?  Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, Wii Shop and other distribution platforms are giving independent studios a chance at making huge profits.  Some of the very best games of this generation have been distributed exclusively digitally, and in particular,  2010 has been a banner year for independent studios with the release of games like Limbo and Super Meat Boy.

I Can Has Dee El See?

Thanks to every console shipping with sizable internal memory and being internet-ready, developers have been able to deliver downloadable content to gamers – packs of extra goodies to expand the life of games.  While DLC sometimes seems abusive and leaves players complaining that they’re paying for something that should have been in the game in the first place – some DLC entries truly manage  to significantly improve and extend our gaming experience.  This generation also marks the first where console games are being regularly updated through post-release patches.

"I Don't Even Have To Press F5!!"

I’ve played a lot of games in the last few months from years gone by and several times, I’ve forgotten that I have to save.  We have become spoiled by checkpoints and autosaves.  While some moan and groan that we’re becoming too soft from all this hand-holding, I think games are much more enjoyable when we don’t have to be constantly responsible for saving our games.

"We're On Your Big Screen Now, Baby!!"

What started out as a genre dominated by PC’s has become the bread-and-butter of consoles for this generation. Call of Duty is one of the most recognizable gaming brands ever produced and continued controversy keeps the games in the spotlight.  With technological leaps, each game is becoming bigger and bolder in terms of presentation.  And of course, non-gaming media still equates gaming with first person shooters.  While the last generation had Halo, a much larger number of shooter franchises have found success on home consoles during this generation and said genre is showing no signs of slowing down.

Exhibit B. Serious Business

You might scoff at it, but your aunt playing Farmville is putting more time into her games than you are into yours.  Her and her friends are engaging in a form of multiplayer gameplay that we might not understand or approve of, but they’re significantly changing the industry.  They have their own set of complaints about the games and their own desires and they’re pushing development studios to do new things.  Companies like Zynga are making millions off their games and the bigger publishers are taking notice.  New releases on store shelves are becoming more interactive with social networking tools and some are even encouraging interaction by rewarding players with achievements just for doing so (lookin’ at you, Blur)  With social networking sites becoming profitable advertising platforms, it’s very likely that this trend with continue.

Great Things Come In Threes . . . Sometimes

Good things come in threes.  Every major series of this generation is a planned trilogy, or had been rumored to be at some point during development.  In between releases, developers will release side-stories (Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Halo 3: ODST) and prequels (Halo: Reach), but it’s still a trilogy! With games like Mass Effect, it works because the series has been successful, but sometimes, players have been burned (just ask those Too Human fans). Considering the risks associated with developing new franchises, it seems likely that more and more games will continue this trend.

Let The Battle Begin - Again

Sony won the last generation, but it’s safe to say that Sony is no longer the market leader.  Nintendo has sold the most units, capitalizing by appealing to families.  Microsoft has made the greatest dent in the traditional market and has made Xbox Live a service that almost every 360 owner can’t be without.  Both Nintendo and Microsoft have been buoyed by solid game design, with Nintendo benefitting from their impressive first-party studios and Microsoft capitalizing on the 360's early entry into the market and successful third-party releases.  Additionally, Western developers have made a significant impact on the market, becoming the chief bread-winners in an industry once dominated by Japanese game developers.  Sony has recently gained ground however, and the next generation of gaming will surely see fierce competition in the console market.

What will the next generation bring?  The end of used game sales perhaps? Contraction of the major development studios and a greater shift toward digital releases? What else will this generation be known for?  Only time will tell.

What do you think this generation of games will be known for?  What trends do you think will carry over into the next generation?

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