Video games are dying out, but not for the reason you think – Reader Feature

In recent weeks, we've published a reader feature that argues that traditional console-style video games are now only for older fans, and that only younger people with more time on their hands can enjoy them. We have published a special feature that suggests what has become. Both companies are reacting to the events of the past few months, with both Microsoft and Sony seeming to signal a move away from consoles for multi-format releases, or at least not making consoles the main focus as usual. It looked like

No one knows what they are actually planning. Because they certainly don't tell us, but it's clear that something has changed. It's clear that the cost of producing games is part of it, but it's been increasing slowly for decades and isn't enough to cause such a sudden, panic-seeming change in approach.

Both previous articles touched on real issues, but I think they were wrong. The problem is that kids don't like home video games as much as previous generations did.

Before everyone writes in saying their child has a gaming console and loves it, obviously not everyone is the same. And while the Nintendo stuff is especially popular with younger kids, as they get into their teens and beyond, they start enjoying Roblox and Minecraft, then move on to Fortnite, and eventually GTA Online, and other free online shooters. .

None of these are what most people would consider traditional console games, even if they can be played on a console. However, it is clear that more and more young gamers continue to use only their mobile phone and their PC, but the problem is not really the format.

The problem is that they've only played two or three different games so far and don't seem interested in playing traditional single-player games, or of course paying for them. That's all up to older gamers, and once they're gone, I don't think there's any evidence that today's young people will suddenly become single-player fans when they turn 30.

For people growing up today, video games are Fortnite and Roblox. Whereas we used to argue about Nintendo vs. Sega or PlayStation vs. Xbox, that's an irrelevant question for them. They're just interested in meeting friends on their social platform of choice (which also happens to be a video game).

They are not interested in buying the latest new game that has good reviews, they just want to play the latest new fan-made game on Roblox or buy a new skin on Fortnite. Both of these are much more than just one game and are essentially platforms in their own right. There are far more people playing Roblox and Fortnite than owning a gaming console, and we're talking about the future, not the PlayStation 6 or later.

Even if you're interested in single-player games, you're far more likely to watch other people play them on Twitch or YouTube than try them yourself. It's an idea that no longer occurs to them.

And it's not just the kids. We see it in adult gamers as well. GTA Online has been one of the most popular games in the world for over a decade, with a wide variety of games ranging from shooters to racers. Or there's Rainbow Six Siege, which is just one game but is so popular that the developers say they'll never make a sequel. And even that pales in comparison to free PC games like Counter-Strike and League Of Legends.

There will still be people making games like us (likely people reading this article), whether it's indie developers or the odd premium product from a major publisher, but they're becoming fewer and fewer each year, and the final In reality, that number will decrease. A complete niche.

Perhaps one of the big live service games will become unpopular or be replaced by a new game, but the overall situation will remain the same. Most young gamers will continue to play the same few games forever with no interest in anything else. More than that.

Microsoft and Sony are already aware of this, and I think that explains their recent actions. But I don't think they'll be able to compensate for this big change in the way people play games, and I think things will only get tougher for traditional games going forward.

Reader Written by Ashton Marley