More and more, I find the average gamer willing to forgo on what is considered "cutting edge" in graphics and gameplay in order to find a gaming experience to satiate their appetite. One friend, for example, is more than content with playing Zelda: A Link to the Past rather than the new Zelda, which she thought was garbage. As gaming finds itself hitting incredible heights with photorealism and interactivity, more and more games are suffering tremendous commercial defeats, because gamers don't want a tech demo, but rather a solid game to enjoy. An article I read some time ago had an executive from one of the big companies, I believe it was Nintendo, stating that the production time and values for video games are reaching such astronomical values that it is quickly becoming impossible for a company to produce a top quality product without unheard of levels of investment. While the gaming community can always expect games of Halo, Crysis, or Final Fantasy quality, third parties are most likely going to adapt to what their base appreciates best. A recent example, a game named Ship was reviewed by Gamespot, recieving an 8.3, and admirable score. This effort was compounded by the fact that the game is a third party development with no past experience, and that the price tag is 20 dollars. The apotheosis of the game is a murder mystery, with people not only searching for their target, but also trying to keep from being murdered themselves. The full review can be found on the site, but the idea is so refreshing and inventive that it became the highlight of my week. Finding a fresh idea that makes you say "now why didn't anybody else think of that" is a rarity in this commercialized business industry, but will most likely become a staple of the surviving companies. The saturated gaming market today is, in my "expert" opinion, going to encounter a mass exodus of companies folding and a consolidation of resources and talent in order to survive. Certainly games like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo will be around for some time, but it's the third party games that are going to dominate these consoles. Personally I look forward to seeing the future of gaming focusing more on innovation and creativity rather than the creation of a commercially succesful product. If what I predict comes to pass, then we will all be better off. Counter-Strike will no longer have a place on hard drives.