Arcade Spirits is a game about alternative math.
Is a video game a service, like coin-operated arcade games? Are video games a product, like a Rubix cube? Are video games an experience, like a DVD movie from blockbuster? The answer for video game companies is "They are whatever makes more money than they cost to produce."
I believe to call a video game a video game they have to be all three. Computer software is one of the first products that have to exist in three dimensions, each dimension supporting the other. That is a rough road.
A game has to be a service for a company to exist, arcade machines (wood cabinet, motherboard, screen, physical interface) cost hella money to produce. A game has to be a product for a company to justify that existence, for instance, a Rubix cube is a physically crafted puzzle with a defined win-state based on the users understanding of the puzzle. People paid to challenge themselves or stunt to their friends. A game has to be an experience like a film but with the added challenge of user-defined interaction. Like creating a theme park for ADD children.
If a game is just a service, it's as doomed as arcades. Because a game as a service cost hella money to make and never ends. Player investment is predicated on a lot of people continuing to invest money in a song that never ends. People remember arcades fondly but they were doomed to fail because the arcade business plans important assumption was that arcades were gonna exist forever and people were gonna love them forever because people love video games in general and no, just no.
If a game is just a product, it's gonna live in purgatory like the Rubix cube. The Rubix cube is a great product, legendary even, but sooner or later people are gonna get tired of feeling dumb or will get bored or it will become an old person pastime like horseshoes or math. But while a great product may not get evergreen positive YoY revenue growth, a great product will always have two things, respect, and an audience.
If a game is just an experience, well then it is just a movie. I dunno, seems like that one is pretty straightforward.
I don't know which dimension is most important to games, but I know which one is most detrimental. If games continue down the games as a service first road, then it will just be the arcade industry all over again. Whatever craze happening right now (its battle royale I think right?) ain't gonna save it and what is happening at Activision-Blizzard today is just gonna keep happening till the house of cards created by the inflated MMO and COD era sales numbers cone dipping back to reality because arcades were just never sustainable in the first place.
The games as a service model is a dark illusion, and I am sorry us working stiffs have to pay the price for c-level hubris. After years and years of getting fired, quitting, layoffs, folding, ripping, and tearing, I know how you all feel, but it ain't pity party time. Today is the day where you tell your partner you love em, cause they will be there when you get back up.
Oh, and arcade spirits is aight. It's a dating sim, which is pretty much in line with the main service for teens in arcades back then, next to the roller rink. Sticky. Stay up, info. rip TB rip TC rip Tall-T. Love is so-so-so-so much. Hate ain't really shit at all. Get out there and do great things we believe in you. Also Jerbz.
The Protoculture Mixtape : Issue : People: Polyphony
