This is a response to an editorial by John Dvorak, which can be found at the following URL:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1784975,00.asp
Mr. Dvorak, your article entitled “ Doom 4: End of the Game Industry? ” is wrong for so many reasons that I found myself laughing by the time I had finished reading it. I can see how you might have derived your opinion after talking with Satoru Iwata, because if any large gaming company were to fold, it would be Nintendo. In their time to shine at this year's E3, we got to see a small black box codenamed “revolution.” I can't seem to hide my excitement. While Microsoft and Sony gave specific details on their next-gen consoles, Nintendo hid in the bushes holding up a sign saying “Don't worry, Legend of Zelda.” Despite this, Nintendo will still hold great appeal for a segment of gamers so don't push your luck on shorting NTDOY.PK.
If you compare video games with other forms of entertainment, you have to acknowledge that there are about as many gaming genres as there are genres of movies and books, and they've been around for quite a long time. In fact, there are more than the four or five categories you described. Do you want me to spell them out? Well, here I go: Adventure, Action, Role-Playing, Horror, Strategy, Shooters, Massive Multiplayer Online Games, Mystery, Simulation, Sports, Arcade, Racing Games and, of course, combinations of the categories listed. You could think of the genres in a big pyramid with the categories you listed at the top. There are so many adventure variations, shooter variations, etc., that they almost come off as completely separate genres and have their own fan bases.
I don't know why you randomly chose to rip apart “Starship Troopers”. I have never seen it myself, but I'd probably agree with you. If you think that gamers don't realize that game-to-movie conversions have a history of being bad movies, you are mistaken. Many of us realize it and don't like it. You can really almost break down gamers into different maturity levels depending on what system they are using. Nintendo always seems to draw a younger player base, while Xbox, Playstation, and especially the PC tend to have a much more mature audience.
If you're looking for a good storyline, try looking into some of the adventure games for the PC; it might completely change your viewpoint. The entire Myst series has a very in-depth storyline that is both mysterious and intriguing. Even the Max Payne series, a set of third person shooter games, has a satisfying storyline. Max Payne comes with an M rating, though, so it might not be something you'll want your kids playing.
As far as the game with the pet dog is concerned, the reason it's being brought to the U.S. is because it is apparently so popular in Japan . I really can't see it doing well here, but you never know with these types of ideas. So I don't disagree with you about this point in your article. Maybe your generation would appreciate a pet rock game; you should talk to some developers about that one.
The industry is “doomed?” Not quite, Mr. Dvorak. In fact, it's on an upward slope and the future looks promising for this industry. In my opinion, it's the print industry that you should be concerned about, because it looks like it could die in the near future. Last time I checked, all the information that PC Magazine publishes is also available on the internet, and for free. If I were you, I'd be especially worried about the paper-thin LCD screens that are supposedly just around the corner. PC Magazine could always offer a digital version, but it might be hard to get people to continue to pay the subscription fee.
What's next after photorealistic games, you ask? Well, if you've ever seen the X-Files episode “FPS,” I believe it's a perfect example: real people physically running around in large arenas that have been transformed into a virtual world. Physical landmarks in maps will be set up in buildings or outdoors, and gamers will gear up with the same equipment the characters in the games use—with the addition of virtual reality headsets. It will turn gamers into athletes and will be an exhilarating experience for anyone. Why read about World War II when you could virtually be there, fighting alongside some of our greatest heroes? This concept may still be a ways off, but it's what I think is coming next. Simply put, the games industry isn't going to die; it's far from it. I suggest you steer clear of gaming and write about another subject next time.
