Just A Thought: Celebrate Video Game Diversity

The modern market is in a bizarre state, a diverse state. Indie games share the same platforms as Triple A releases, unfinished games are put on sale months (if not years) before they’re set to be complete. Elements of games that were once unlocked by playing, are now sold as ‘downloadable content’. This is the most diverse the industry has ever been, a wild west of physical and digital releases, all begging for your attention across a number of platforms.

This diversity is something to celebrate, as it reflects the diversity of the modern consumer. No matter who you are, where you are, or what you like, there’s a game out there for you. Heck, even the free to play market has became a glowing base of diversity, with some genuinely fantastic options out there. It’s a good time to be into, or getting into, video games, regardless of what some snooty publications may say.

Of course there’s the growing issue of toxic business practices from the likes of Warner Brothers (to name a few), but this is easily avoidably as long as you don’t fall victim to the pre-order hype machines. It’s a beautiful thing to have so many options open to you, on any given system. Boot up your PS4, dive into Planetside 2, Warframe or War Thunder. Your Xbox One offers one of the finest free to play MMORPG’s in the shape of Neverwinter. The Wii-U has become the home of engaging, low cost, retail releases. The budget consumer has never had it so good across consoles.

In a culture of doom and gloom, and seemingly constant negativity, we should revel in the open state of today’s market. One genre does not dominate the space, interesting ideas and concepts are oozing out from around the industry. Multiplayer experiences are becoming much more tangible on consoles. While the PC still leads the way in video game diversity, consoles are finally starting to ‘get it’.

Crowd Funding is a major player in how varied the market has become. While there’s a debate to be had over the pros/cons of crowd funding, it’s undoubtedly shaking up the industry even further. New ideas can emerge, industry icons can fulfill their visions, it’s a whole new world of development. Crowd funding, in part, has seen the revival of old-school RPGs such as Wasteland 2 and Divinity: Original Sin, introducing a whole new genre to the current generation of consumers.

Appreciating the good is just as important as critiquing the bad. For every shoddy move by a developer/publisher, there’s often a fresh game to raise a smile. The diversity of the modern market is truly something worthy of praise and appreciation, sit back and soak it in.