Prestige games: For our industry's pride |
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This next article is about prestige games. While we were quite sure already what point we would like to drive at, we wanted to be sure. So we went to our mini library, picked up a Webster's and looked up the meaning of the word.Prestige: reputation or influence arising from success, achievement, rank, or other favorable attributes; distinction or reputation attaching to a person or thing and thus possessing a cachet for others or for the public.
Before we proceed, pardon us first this bit of explanation: In the movie industry, prestige films are those that are not expected to do blockbuster numbers but brings pride to those who are part of it. They are funded by various studios and actors are asked to accept lower rates. Book publishers likewise, also support books that are award-worthy but not necessarily top sellers. Both of these art forms gained prestige, so to speak, because of their favorable attributes (read: content).
Now, here comes the serious question: Why are there no prestige titles? The problem, unfortunately, lies in the big companies' metric of success. For them, a game is successful whenever it brings high revenues.
Reviews are important only before and during a game's first weeks in the market. In the event that sales wouldn't pick up, they abandon the title. Abandon, in the sense that they try to distance themselves from it. You don't believe us? Look at these:- Capcom dissolves Clover Studios because of disappointing sales for their last project. The latter's last project happened to be Okami, a title that received high reviews and commendations across the industry.
- Last year, Microsoft dropped Psychonauts because of being unpopular. The game was then picked up by a much smaller company, Majesco.
- UbiSoft released Beyond Good and Evil. It was supposed to be a series. But because of disappointing sales, the planned series was dropped all together.
The solution, as easy and as naive as it sounds, lies in inner values. Until the day publishers and developers take pride in content rather than revenues, things wouldn't change. And until the day the triumvirate (giants Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft ) takes the industry into this direction, it would remain an unpaved and crooked road for prestige titles.
Via Costik
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Comments [refresh]
I'm Number First
Godhand was Clover Studios last game, not Okami.
And they didn't dissolve them because of poor sales either.
Clover wasn't exactly dissolved, more like it was absorbed by capcom HQ again.
I dislike the lack of mentioning Shenmue. One of the greatest, if not the greatest dreamcast game and creation by Yu Suzuki. After disappointing sales ont he dying dreamcast and lack of fanbase on the xbox, the release of the long awaited Shenmue 3 has been fluttering in limbo.
What will happen to Viewtiful Joe?!!?
ico, rez
Advent Rising?
Poor sales, bad reviews, slow framerate (on XBOX) and glitchy...
But I LOVED IT!!! I was so absorbed in the plot, fighting hand to hand or with the guns and the special power moves... :( It's on hold indefinitely... I thought I was promised a trilogy... why...... :(