Does the gaming industry focus too much on shooters?

Yeah, I think so. There are WAY too many FPS games out now. There are some truly stand-out titles among them (Goldeneye, Half-Life, Halo), but mostly it's the same rehashed stuff we've seen over and over.

Personally I'd like to see some more decent 3D brawlers ala God Hand. One of those with multiplayer/co-op would be pretty awesome, especially if it had online support. More games like killer7 would be even better, original stories like that are always welcome.

yes, i think so, especially FPS. Sure there are some great FPS games (Halo, Half-Life, Doom) but imo 90% of the FPS games out there are garbagedante_123456

No FPS's are awesome. It's just that only on the PC, every single console FPS has sucked. There's only been 1 good one *Goldeneye* and 2 decent ones *Halo 1, Halo 2* IMHO anyway. *Note that I've never played Perfect Dark before :(* What's sad though is that these genres are getting attention when genres with much potential such as platformers, epic adventures, and fighting games are being left in the dust.

IMHO consoles have been going down here after the 16-bit era. IMHO all the quality games are all on handhelds *which IMHO is bringing out the best in gaming*.

It's the west who makes mostly shooters. You can say the same argument with Japan and RPGs.

These genres flood their own market respectively.

mmo's are getting pretty over-done too imo.bugtrip

No.  Find out what people want and will buy, then give it to them.

What's sad though is that these genres are getting attention when genres with much potential such as platformers, epic adventures, and fighting games are being left in the dust.

I couldn't agree more. We haven't gotten any truly great platformers since the N64.

What's sad though is that these genres are getting attention when genres with much potential such as platformers, epic adventures, and fighting games are being left in the dust.

I couldn't agree more. We haven't gotten any truly great platformers since the N64.

Richrach

We haven't even gotten a platformer since the N64:lol:

Well unless you count 3D sidescrollers or action games as platformers:? 

Lack of innovation and variety is a direct result of gaming becoming a big money business.Alaris83

Agreed. Gaming is about money now more then ever. 

[QUOTE="Alaris83"]Lack of innovation and variety is a direct result of gaming becoming a big money business.Dencore

Agreed. Gaming is about money now more then ever.

I third that  

[QUOTE="Dencore"]

[QUOTE="Alaris83"]Lack of innovation and variety is a direct result of gaming becoming a big money business.oscar530

Agreed. Gaming is about money now more then ever.

I third that

Ugh, why oh why did gaming have to go mainstream?

Well at least I still have my "niche" anime. :) 

Things always shift one way or another. Remember there was the trend where everyone had to have a platformer mascot or else they were doomed? Then there was the battle of 2D fighters. There was even a time when the 2D space shooters were all the rage. FPS is just another genre that is really big right now. I can't say that it gets too much attention. Perhaps it will soon fade away. Many genres eventually fall down and become more niche and at the same time another genre rises and becomes the popular one of the time.Nifty_Shark

Agreed. 

Yes because there a way to many WWII Shooters out therePelicans

A lot of people would be offended if they made an Iraq shooter. Imagine if someone in your family died in Iraq. Would you really approve of developers turning it into a game for entertainment? They should let time heal the wound before they make a shooter about today's war.

Although I agree that World War II shooters are WAY overdone. Call of Duty is going modern now, so maybe the developers are finally figuring this out. 

Gamers focus too much on shooters....the industry just feeds into that.

There are plenty of upcoming games that are non-shooters being made from talented and proven developers that people brush off cause they aren't full of explosions, guns, and fancy graphics.....in fact, just the other day in another thread I said I personally think Spore has the potential to be the best and most unique game of the year due to its content creation, how the community can contribute to it, and how its a variety of genre's rolled into one....immediately I got replies brushing it off as nothing special, even though Will Wright is regarded as one of the most talented developers in the business and has made AAA games before.

I always find it funny how people will complain about how the gaming industry focuses too much on shooters.....yet the absolutely most hyped console game coming this year (Halo 3) and even the most hyped upcoming PC game (Crysis), happens to be an FPS......and the most hyped game last year (Gears of War), was also a shooter.

I always find it funny how people will complain about how the gaming industry focuses too much on shooters.....yet the absolutely most hyped console game coming this year (Halo 3) and even the most hyped upcoming PC game (Crysis), happens to be an FPS......and the most hyped game last year (Gears of War), was also a shooter.

Robnyc22

Action games will remain a favorite for many years I predict. Technolgy has reached the point that we no longer have to settle for floods of platformers or fighters.

That and the fact that the genre is just plain at the top of the mountain right now. Always a great action gun game coming out.

[QUOTE="Richrach"]

What's sad though is that these genres are getting attention when genres with much potential such as platformers, epic adventures, and fighting games are being left in the dust.

I couldn't agree more. We haven't gotten any truly great platformers since the N64.

Dencore

We haven't even gotten a platformer since the N64:lol:

Well unless you count 3D sidescrollers or action games as platformers:? 

I thought Psychnauts & Rayman were platformers, but I get your pont about it being really a 3D sidescroller

Yes, absolutely, I didn't like shooters before, I tried several but the first one I finished is Halo. Now I play shooters from time to time, but even though I actually like them I think there are too many.

The reason may be that PS3 and Wii are starting actually, so the "dominant" platforms (PC and Xbox360) have a big impact, and both have many shooters.

I thought Psychnauts & Rayman were platformers, but I get your pont about it being really a 3D sidescroller

HiResDes

Platformers are a dead genre :( Well was until the Wii with NiGHTS, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Dewey's Adventure, and of course Super Mario Galaxy :)

Anyway the reason why you see this so much is because this is American culture. Look how many movies involve guns or TV Shows. Guns are a part of American culture so people love to make games about them. It's the same thing with the Japanese. The Japanese love anime and love fighthing, so that's why JRPG's are huge there and every game they make involves some sword wielding stud. Was this point I just made subjective? Very. But it does drive my point at home I think. :) 

But then again this FPS craze could just be a phase. Remember how HUGE fighting games were in Japan? Now it's no more then just a niche. 

But then again this FPS craze could just be a phase.Dencore

I wouldn't call a 14-year long period a phase. :wink:

First-person shooters have been rediculously huge on PC since...well...Doom - and it never stopped. Since console technology advanced to a point where FPS were possible and PC developers started to spread, FPSs have been the top genre on consoles as well. I expect their popularity only to grow. But I agree with Rob, there's still plenty of non-shooter games to choose from, you just have to open your eyes.

[QUOTE="Dencore"]But then again this FPS craze could just be a phase.UpInFlames

I wouldn't call a 14-year long period a phase. :wink:

First-person shooters have been rediculously huge on PC since...well...Doom - and it never stopped. Since console technology advanced to a point where FPS were possible and PC developers started to spread, FPSs have been the top genre on consoles as well. I expect their popularity only to grow. But I agree with Rob, there's still plenty of non-shooter games to choose from, you just have to open your eyes.

I was talking about consoles. This could all just be a phase for consoles. Remember the whole fighting game fiasco in Japan *actually the West as well?* Now tell me how many fighting games are created now a days for consoels? Will FPS's as a genre die? No, of course not. But will it shrink in consoles over-time? Probably. For PC's however I wouldn't be surprised if the genre finally dies when PC's die *aka the end of the human race :P* FPS's is one of the genre's that ties to PC's that define it. It's similar to fighting games or shoot-em-ups with the arcades.

[QUOTE="UpInFlames"]

[QUOTE="Dencore"]But then again this FPS craze could just be a phase.Dencore

I wouldn't call a 14-year long period a phase. :wink:

First-person shooters have been rediculously huge on PC since...well...Doom - and it never stopped. Since console technology advanced to a point where FPS were possible and PC developers started to spread, FPSs have been the top genre on consoles as well. I expect their popularity only to grow. But I agree with Rob, there's still plenty of non-shooter games to choose from, you just have to open your eyes.

I was talking about consoles. This could all just be a phase for consoles. Remember the whole fighting game fiasco in Japan *actually the West as well?* Now tell me how many fighting games are created now a days for consoels? Will FPS's as a genre die? No, of course not. But will it shrink in consoles over-time? Probably. For PC's however I wouldn't be surprised if the genre finally dies when PC's die *aka the end of the human race :P* FPS's is one of the genre's that ties to PC's that define it. It's similar to fighting games or shoot-em-ups with the arcades.

Why would console gamers get sick of FPS's? They just finally got a taste of what PC gaming was like with Halo, and they obviously loved what they tasted. Theyr'e just beginning to learn what the genre is capable of.

I don´t think they are focussing too much on them.There are a lot Games comin out thatcould be called Shooters,that´s right,but the time between the releases is pretty long.In the between-time there are a lot other games comin out.

The focus of most magazines is just on shooters because it´s pretty easy to make them graphical impressive.At least ,more then many other genres.A RPG for example needs much more development-time,and sports-games are not changing only a bit in 3-4 years.

Yes, there is too much of a focus on shooters regardless of the genre of the shooters. I'd love to see more RPGs released than I am seeing recently. Games like The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion are well received but the developers don't seem to notice that fact.

OK, lets just get some basic terminology straight, here:

Shooter

FPS

I wish there was a lot of shooters on the market, but they're few and far between these days. Plenty of FPS's, out there, though.

OK, lets just get some basic terminology straight, here:

Shooter

FPS

I wish there was a lot of shooters on the market, but they're few and far between these days. Plenty of FPS's, out there, though.

Shifty_Pete

Ever since RE4 became a hit, many upcoming shooters are pretty much copying its style with the parrot-view or over-the-shoulder view and it seems like there are a bunch of Third Person Shooters coming....so in terms of upcoming games that seems to be the new big thing for now for action shooters.

But First-Person view doesnt necessarily mean "FPS".....Bioshock is a First Person action game that can hardly be pigeonholed into "FPS"....same thing with the Metroid Prime series. GTA series can also technically be called a shooter, but because it goes beyond just a shooter its regarded as more.

I enjoy action games and games that involve shooting.....I just think that with the technology that is now available, both on PC and Console, developers should look for ways to expand their game themes beyond just shooting things.....even within the shooter genre......like Bioshock is trying to do, or like System Shock, Deus Ex, Metroid Prime, RE4 and even HL2 did by incorporating RPG, Adventure, and Puzzle elements.

What I was saying earlier is Gamers focus too much on the superficial, and the industry just feeds into that, hence the reason we see so many shooters and FPS games that really dont bring anything new to the table that hasnt already been done in the genre......I mean, all you have to show is a trailer with lots of explosions and things blowing up, or a cutscene with a futuristic soldier walking through a desert-scene holding a big gun....an immediately people go "ohh.....GOTY!"....even before we've seen any actual gameplay. I remember when people acted like Black would be this awesome game cause of the trailer that showed everything exploded....in the end it didnt turn out all that great at all.

Ever since RE4 became a hit, many upcoming shooters are pretty much copying its style with the parrot-view or over-the-shoulder view and it seems like there are a bunch of Third Person Shooters coming....so in terms of upcoming games that seems to be the new big thing for now for action shooters.

Robnyc22