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FunTranscript
00:00Hello? Anyone in there?
00:02Ah! Ah! Oh god, you look te- um, good. Looking good actually.
00:07Remember back when gaming was fun?
00:09When you'd get a new game, plan the next few days around it and nothing else,
00:13and just have the best time making memories with your friends
00:16or enjoying some quality alone time exploring a new world?
00:19I can't be the only one who's noticed the change.
00:21We have more games than ever to play, but something's missing.
00:25They're just not fun anymore.
00:27Now, that's not to say we don't still get some bangers.
00:30Games focused on giving you nothing more than a good time,
00:33a distraction from everyday life,
00:35some with systems and mechanics so deep you can lose yourself in them
00:38for dozens or hundreds of hours.
00:40But what happened to the simpler escapism of gaming?
00:44The games you can beat in a weekend that give you the complete experience in one go.
00:48Is that right?
00:50Welcome back to the army, soldier.
00:52Shit.
00:53Welcome to Mojo Plays,
00:54and the best days of our favorite hobby might truly be behind us forever.
00:59Just be warned, this may come off very much as a
01:02back in my day type of essay,
01:04but that's also kind of the point,
01:06showing how quickly and drastically everything has changed for the worse
01:10in the last 20 years of gaming.
01:22Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
01:25and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
01:31Modern gaming just feels different.
01:34It's hard to pinpoint what it is, but something feels off.
01:38We have access to more games than ever, more genres, and ways to play,
01:42but it just doesn't feel the same.
01:45Gaming used to be an escape from real-world stresses,
01:48but now it's a second job.
01:50Whether it's the grind of constantly updated live service games,
01:53or even just simply trying to keep up with every new release,
01:57gaming just doesn't feel fun anymore.
01:59It feels like work.
02:00I love video games.
02:03Almost everything I do is based around video games.
02:07Whether it's playing, watching, reading, or scheduling time off
02:10around the next big release,
02:12I live and breathe video games.
02:15But for as much as I love them,
02:17I'm just not as excited about them anymore.
02:19Every new release these days just feels hollow,
02:22like it's the same game over and over again.
02:25And that's because, well, it is.
02:28Modern gaming is more expensive than it's ever been,
02:31either from the price of the game itself,
02:33or the ever-ballooning development cost
02:35that publishers could never hope to recover.
02:37Gaming is slowly pricing itself out of its core demographic, gamers.
02:42For the majority of gamers, this is a hobby,
02:45a pastime they use to unwind or play and connect with friends.
02:49But recently, and especially this generation,
02:51game studios have lost sight of the fact that first and foremost,
02:55games were designed to be fun.
02:58This wasn't always the case, however.
03:00Only a couple decades ago,
03:02gaming was still seen as a niche hobby
03:04and didn't receive the mainstream attention it does today.
03:07Because of this, gaming could be cheaper,
03:09games were produced faster,
03:11and development teams were significantly smaller.
03:14There's a reason gamers are so nostalgic
03:16for the PS2 and Xbox 360 eras,
03:19and it's because, quite simply,
03:20they were better games.
03:22While the PS1 and N64 got the ball rolling
03:25with bigger, more creative games,
03:26the PS2 generation, all the way through the 360,
03:30was where gaming as entertainment peaked.
03:32Again, I'm not saying there aren't great games today,
03:35just a lot less of them.
03:37Back during the PS2 and the 360 generation,
03:40we would get entire video game trilogies
03:42within the same console cycle,
03:44rather than waiting almost a decade for a single sequel,
03:47and because the teams were smaller,
03:49most of the time,
03:50the games were built by gamers for gamers.
03:53And what's even crazier?
03:55The entire game was on the disc.
03:57Wild, I know.
03:58There is an entire generation of gamers
04:01who have no idea what it feels like
04:03to just put your game in the console
04:04and be able to play it
04:06without a deluge of updates or requests
04:08to purchase or download the next DLC pack.
04:10You bought a game,
04:12you owned the game,
04:13and you played the game.
04:14While the Xbox 360 and PS3
04:16would be the beginning of DLCs and patch updates,
04:19these weren't necessary to enjoy the game itself
04:22and rather offered improvements
04:24to an already complete experience.
04:26Except for Azura's Wrath.
04:28That was just some scummy bullshit, Capcom.
04:30Do you think you are?
04:32God.
04:34What's more is there was far more innovation
04:37only a couple generations ago as well.
04:39The vast majority of game mechanics
04:41that are considered standard today
04:43were created and iterated on
04:45back with the PS2 and 360 generations, respectively.
04:48Whereas today the industry is majority trend-chasing,
04:51previous generations were the innovators
04:53and were allowed far more creative freedom.
04:56While yes, there was a boom of third-person cover shooters
04:59after the success of Gears of War,
05:01at the very least,
05:02most of them attempted to put their own spin
05:04on the mechanic
05:05and offered a variety of experiences
05:07rather than today's copy-paste version of innovation.
05:11Experimental titles led to the game industry
05:13leading game mechanics,
05:15while others developed niche or cult followings
05:17that are still impacting games
05:19and developers today
05:20who grew up with these titles.
05:22The PS2 was especially influential
05:25and arguably had the most significant impact
05:27on the gaming industry.
05:29We had no shortage of games to play,
05:32but almost every one of them
05:33felt like an event.
05:35Big splash pages in gaming magazines,
05:37complete with new screenshots
05:38and information for fans to pore over.
05:41And if a game was delayed,
05:42there wasn't a big announcement about it
05:44and discourse tended to be more minimal
05:46as gamers just moved on to the next game
05:48until that one was finally released.
05:51If you're interested in an additional $60,
05:53flag down a test associate and let them know.
05:55You could walk out of here with 120
05:57weighing down your bindle
05:59if you let us take you apart,
06:00put some science stuff in you,
06:02then put you back together.
06:03Good as new.
06:04The lack of direct communication with fans
06:06was actually a benefit.
06:08Not only did it make the gaming experience
06:10more impactful and surprising,
06:12but not being flooded with a deluge of trailers
06:15and constant updates
06:16made the whole experience feel more special
06:19because everything felt new
06:20without every aspect of the game
06:22already having been explained
06:24or spelled out for you.
06:25This was a generation that trusted the player
06:28to find their own way
06:29without constant quest updates or markers
06:32and allowed players to lose themselves
06:34within the experience
06:35and explore and discover the game
06:36and its secrets all on their own.
06:38If you truly got stuck,
06:40there were of course online guides to help you
06:42and naturally schoolyard gossip,
06:44but the game didn't used to tell you
06:46the entire solution
06:47before you even had a chance
06:49to figure it out for yourself.
06:51There's a reason recent titles
06:52like Claire Obscure Expedition 33
06:54and the Oblivion Remaster
06:56resonated with gamers so much
06:59and it's because they let players
07:00uncover the game for themselves.
07:02You swore the oath.
07:04When one falls, we continue.
07:07Yes, I know.
07:08When one falls,
07:10when one falls,
07:12not if, when.
07:14We had so many amazing games to choose from,
07:18we didn't know how good we had it.
07:21Naturally, not every game was an award winner,
07:24but there was usually some redeeming quality
07:26that made it a fan favorite.
07:27This was the age of licensed games
07:30and yes, a lot of them were cheap cash grabs,
07:33but others have managed to not only stand the test of time,
07:36but also continue to influence their own series today.
07:39Looking at you, Spider-Man 2.
07:41Speaking of Spider-Man,
07:43we had so many different versions of Spider-Man games to play.
07:46There was a tie in games, of course,
07:48but also standalone titles such as Web of Shadows
07:51or Shattered Dimensions,
07:53and those games are still beloved today.
07:55These days, it seems like we're lucky
07:57if we get a decent superhero game every five years,
08:00simply because the licenses to do so
08:02have become so expensive.
08:04I mean, when was the last time
08:06we got an amazing Transformers game?
08:08We once had War for Cybertron
08:10and Fall of Cybertron,
08:11and now there's basically nothing.
08:25And we had so many Simpsons games,
08:28Spongebob 2,
08:29and they were all stupid fun for a weekend
08:32and gave us some of the best memories,
08:34especially The Simpsons Hit and Run.
08:36Why that game hasn't been re-released
08:38will forever be a mystery.
08:40Dad, your fans want you outside.
08:42Fans?
08:46Oh, those fans.
08:48We had an overabundance of games to choose from,
08:51and there was something for every kind of gamer.
08:54Love Racing?
08:55Here's Need for Speed, Burnout,
08:56Gran Turismo, and Midnight Club.
08:58Skateboarding?
08:59Tony Hawk.
09:00BMX?
09:01Matt Hoffman,
09:02Downhill Domination,
09:03or if you're feeling risque,
09:05BMXXXX.
09:06First Person Shooters?
09:08Medal of Honor,
09:08Call of Duty,
09:09TimeSplitters.
09:10Stealth?
09:11Metal Gear Solid,
09:12Splinter Cell,
09:13and Tenchu.
09:14RPGs?
09:14Do you want it turn-based or action?
09:16We've got both.
09:18What about Horror?
09:19Silent Hill,
09:20Resident Evil,
09:21Fatal Frame,
09:21and any number of similar titles.
09:23We got all manner of experimental games, too.
09:27Mr. Mosquito,
09:28Katamari Damacy,
09:29Okami,
09:30Shadow of the Colossus,
09:31and so, so, so many more.
09:34Gaming was at its creative peak during this time,
09:37and gamers were the ones who benefited the most.
09:40Even heading into the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation,
09:44this trend continued,
09:45but with more streamlined and accessible game mechanics,
09:48options,
09:49and controls.
09:50Video game releases also used to be huge events.
09:54Major releases came with midnight launches,
09:56and lines of fans waiting around the block waiting for their copy of a new console or game.
10:02The launch of the PS2 was nationally covered on the news,
10:05with dedicated fans camping out days before the console's launch.
10:09I wonder how many of these I can pick up before I max out my card.
10:12I've got it.
10:13You're gonna be able to play tonight?
10:15Oh, yeah.
10:15I'm not gonna sleep, so.
10:17You didn't pay $300 for a month to play today.
10:19Yeah.
10:20Halo 3 set records with its midnight launch,
10:23and many people created entire friendships and teams
10:26from people they met waiting in line for the newest release.
10:29In the modern age of digital, however, those days are long gone.
10:33No longer do you need to rush to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video
10:37just hoping the newest release hadn't already been checked out,
10:40or hoping your favorite game store wasn't sold out before you got there.
10:44I can remember specifically that Tuesdays used to be new video game day,
10:48and I would anxiously wait for those new titles if I had the money to buy it,
10:52or planning my whole weekend around renting the newest game I was looking forward to.
10:57Digital games are always at your fingertips,
11:00but there's something hollow about these releases.
11:03For a medium built around communities and bringing people together,
11:07modern gaming feels lonelier than ever.
11:09With access to more video games than ever, nothing truly feels special anymore.
11:14Gaming has become Netflixed.
11:16We're constantly bombarded with a deluge of high-profile releases and trailers,
11:21so much so that most of them are forgotten by the time they actually release.
11:25However, this wasn't always the case.
11:28Back on the PS2, and even on the 360,
11:31almost every release had its time in the spotlight, no matter how small.
11:36Some naturally got overlooked, but most gamers were at least aware of their release.
11:41With the rise of Xbox Live Arcade, smaller games had access to even more players,
11:46and games like Limbo and Braid became icons of the indie scene because of this,
11:50and paved the way for the thriving indie developers we love today.
11:54Beloved gaming franchises debuted during this time,
11:57and built their devoted fanbases that continue to follow the newest titles today.
12:02But these aren't the same games we fell in love with.
12:10Assassin's Creed has become the definition of copy and paste,
12:13with each new game barely feeling different from the last outside of the time period.
12:18Call of Duty used to be a gritty, violent, and realistic shooter franchise
12:22that has become fortnighted and is barely recognizable anymore.
12:31Even Grand Theft Auto isn't what it used to be.
12:34Back on the PS2, we got three absolutely stellar games almost annually,
12:40each offering unique experiences that vastly improved on their predecessor.
12:44And even GTA 4 had multiple DLCs to keep the experience going.
12:49But GTA Online changed all of that, and instead of focusing on creating new experiences,
12:55Rockstar chose to chase the money and have released only two games in a single decade.
13:00Admittedly, both are some of the best open world games ever created,
13:04but Rockstar used to offer so many different and unique experiences
13:08that it feels like we truly lost something after GTA Online exploded in popularity.
13:14That actually highlights another thing the PS2 and 360 eras did better.
13:19Games were developed faster and by much smaller teams.
13:23But you could feel the passion that went into them,
13:26the developers working hard to give players the best possible experience.
13:30I mentioned Expedition 33 before,
13:32and that team managed to develop one of arguably this generation's best games full stop,
13:37with a mere fraction of the typical development team working today.
13:41Most games these days have game credits longer than the Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Trilogy,
13:47and many staff don't even know the full story of the upcoming GTA 6
13:51because the team is so unbelievably large and bloated.
13:55I think you heard before.
13:57You might have.
13:58If game development tools have made game creation so much easier and streamlined
14:02that a single developer can create and release a game,
14:05why do they take hundreds, if not thousands of devs,
14:09millions upon millions of dollars,
14:11and entire console generations to release a single game?
14:14The problems don't stop there, however,
14:17with industry layoffs becoming nearly a daily news cycle,
14:20all while the industry itself continues to report record profits,
14:24and the heads of these studios who have nothing to do with the game's creation
14:28continue to rake in ludicrous salaries year over year.
14:31Most of these CEOs aren't gamers and don't even play the games they sell.
14:36You don't play a lot of them.
14:37Is it still rendered?
14:38I'm not a gamer.
14:38Gaming has become commercialized and has lost the passion and creative vision they used to have.
14:43Nowadays, everything revolves around shareholders and ridiculous sales expectations,
14:49which leads to less risk-taking and more and more safe games
14:52that continue to recycle franchises and game mechanics,
14:56all while trying to gaslight gamers into believing this is what they want.
15:00Gamers aren't viewed as customers anymore,
15:02and are instead only seen as endless cash flows for the corporate machine,
15:07transforming what was once a budding new art form into yet another soulless machine.
15:12While I naturally understand gaming is a business and needs to make money,
15:16the way modern gaming approaches the industry is night and day
15:20compared to the practices used to make it the entertainment juggernaut it is.
15:23Game companies and developers weren't focused on making sure players continue to play
15:28only their game for the next 10 years while they worked on a sequel,
15:31they innovated and continued to release games that developed loyal customers and fans.
15:36God of War, Ratchet & Clank, Assassin's Creed, and even Call of Duty continue to be successful today
15:42because of that fan loyalty,
15:44and players who grew up playing these games back when they were experimental ideas.
15:48There are some gamers today who weren't even alive when some of these franchises began,
15:54but through sheer popularity from the old school fans and name recognition,
15:58know about their history and continue to keep the franchises alive.
16:02Unfortunately, many of the studios who created some of the best games of the 2000s
16:07have either long since shut down,
16:09or been folded into larger developers to work on the biggest IPs.
16:14Signing with Activision is essentially a death sentence,
16:17as you will become assimilated into the COD machine one way or another eventually.
16:22Your years of service have shown you the importance of our work.
16:29Here, you'll witness the global scope of that mission in action.
16:33Gaming used to be so much fun, and I miss those times.
16:38Couch co-op, multiplayer weekends, and just talking games with my friends.
16:43Unfortunately, gaming isn't gaming anymore.
16:46It feels like we've lost a part of ourselves with each new console cycle,
16:50like there's less to play when we have more to play than ever.
16:53I remember scheduling my vacation days around the release of specific games.
16:58These days, new games like that are so few and far between,
17:02it's hard to really get excited about whatever new big AAA game happens to be coming,
17:07because the game won't be feature complete,
17:09or sometimes even playable until months after release and a myriad of updates.
17:14The golden age of gaming might be truly gone forever, but there is still some hope.
17:20The rise of AA developers alongside indie have been consistently outperforming many AAA releases
17:26by giving players exactly what they've been wanting,
17:29a solid and complete experience with interesting game mechanics or stories to tell.
17:34These are not only the types of games players want,
17:36but also the ones developers clearly want to make,
17:39with many developers leaving massive companies for smaller teams
17:43dedicated to delivering quality games and memorable experiences to an audience desperate for them.
17:48Older and retro games have routinely outsold modern AAA releases,
17:53and a large number of indie developers are crafting an entire sub-genre
17:57which recreates PS1, PS2, and Xbox 360-style video games
18:02with retro graphics and gameplay mechanics.
18:04We all longed for the days when gaming was something entirely different than what it is now.
18:09And that's not just me being nostalgic.
18:11I truly had more fun playing games on less powerful hardware
18:15that offered more linear experiences that I could replay multiple times
18:19than I do with most games released today.
18:22But wishes come at a price.
18:26To pursue one's wishes
18:28is to court one's doom.
18:30Claire Obscure Expedition 33 is the culmination of frustrated devs and gamers
18:36longing for the good old days of video games,
18:39and has become a rallying cry for gamers
18:41who are tired of the same games being repackaged as new year over year.
18:46There is hope for gaming to turn itself around,
18:49but it's absolutely going to be an uphill battle,
18:52and it's not only the devs that are fighting back.
18:54Continue to speak with your wallets
18:56and let publishers know we want fun, artistic, experimental,
19:00and memorable gaming experiences again.
19:03Or, even better, if you're able to,
19:05start creating your own game.
19:07The tools are all there for us to finally create the video games
19:10we've always wanted,
19:11and there's no better time than now to start.
19:14Tomorrow comes, and we lay the path for those who come after.
19:17We knew not all of us would make it,
19:20but we continue.
19:22As long as even one of us stands,
19:25our fight is not over.
19:27Do you think the best days of gaming are truly behind us forever,
19:30or is there hope for gaming to return to its glory days?
19:33Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
19:35Did you enjoy this video?
19:37Check out these other clips for Mojo Plays,
19:39and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell
19:41to be notified about our latest videos.
19:55We'll see you next time.
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