A Brief Reflection on Gaming Trends and Personal Choices

No matter who you are, play is a part of life. This process, which begins in childhood, continues throughout life. Over time, just like our interest in the types of books we read, this distinction can be observed in games.

Of course, our tastes change over time. The games we played with our friends on the street, which allowed us to socialise, became part of us, as did all sorts of games that allowed us to express our imagination alone at home. Perhaps we grew tired of physical games and switched to digital ones, such as video games. On the other hand, the inability to play Dungeons & Dragons themed tabletop games may be due to a lack of friends or perhaps a difference in taste.

Photo by 2H Media on Unsplash

I’m a gaming enthusiast, but I don’t have as much time as I used to (blame it on my laptop). But even though I’m not that old-fashioned, I still enjoy the old-school style. At least I can’t immediately adapt to every game the new generation prefers. But times and tastes change. Different types of games come to the fore in each era, and some are highly praised. The game designers and the attitudes of the era also change. After all, they were once players themselves and may want to create games that reflect their own era.

Another genre I enjoy is real-time strategy (RTS) games. I have no problem playing older games that I used to play as a child and that evoke nostalgic feelings in me. In my opinion, game development — and any branch of production — involves a respectable amount of effort. Thinking about the difficulties of creating old-style games, and of course experiencing those difficulties while playing them, always gives me that feeling.

Games that force you to take notes with pen and paper, or “figure it out for yourself” games with no instructions or maps, do not require you to adjust the difficulty level. I enjoy the same feeling in old school and strategy games from this perspective. Of course, it would be more accurate to say real-time strategy games, as the strategy genre now has many sub-genres, and every game actually requires some form of strategy.

In today’s world, not many games are produced in the RTS genre. One of the reasons for this is that they are not very trendy. Yes, there are some games that come out now and then, but in my opinion, even among them, there are no games that really capture the old essence. The style of games on the agenda is determined not only by financial returns, but also by changes in the way people think.

Photo by Enrique Guzmán Egas on Unsplash

Another reason has to do with time again, but this time specifically with the generation gap. We know that the youngest and most dynamic generation today is Generation Z, so these young people are more active and numerous in the gaming world. That doesn’t mean that previous generations like us don’t play games. But they are the dominant generation and they are shaping the gaming landscape.

We all know that these young people are more lively, dynamic, impatient, competitive and ambitious. Their attention span is shorter, they want to absorb what is presented to them immediately and they are looking for rewards or feedback. Games that are able to adapt to their personality structures are undoubtedly invaluable opportunities for them. Because these games can reflect the characters or desires of the players.

Games that are fast-paced, that allow you to defeat enemies quickly, that allow you to take your time, that are action-oriented rather than story-driven, that have a more polished, higher-quality look and feel, and that don’t have long-term expectations are much more ideal for them. I’m sure you can think of many games in this genre. But none of them are RTS games. In fact, what is described above creates the identity of real-time strategy games.

It should be noted that what I mentioned may not hold the same validity for each individual, but the reflection of games that have long dominated the market can provide us with a general consensus.

Photo by Florian Olivo on Unsplash

There is another factor to consider. You may remember playing with your family members on the same console as a child, or watching while someone else played. Sometimes the feeling of being together, or making a comment to contribute to the flow of the game, created a different sensation, emphasising a sense of togetherness rather than individuality. People felt connected locally for the first time. Because when we played alone at home — especially when we didn’t have many options on the internet — we were all offline. In fact, information about games sometimes circulated like an urban legend.

I get excited just thinking about it. I believe that games should provide enjoyment, but easy-to-achieve enjoyment leaves only a fleeting taste. They should challenge you and make you think in order to be remembered. The moments when I couldn’t digest my failures in games were the times when I started swearing as a child. But those moments have become part of my nostalgia.

Now let’s come to the last point I’d like to discuss without straying from the subject: Online streaming. As you know, streaming is a very hot area and a medium that has created a new business that a lot of people want to try. I think it is a modernised version of the feeling of being online and playing together that I mentioned earlier. And that’s why it’s so successful. I am also one of the viewers, but my reason is different, I mentioned above who the culprit was.

Streamers of similar ages can understand each other and their sense of humour, which enables them to be successful. Streamers of the previous generation can also be like older siblings who understand this. In fact, at some point it goes beyond the subject of the game and can create a sense of communication with your sibling. This can further engage the viewer.

Imagine you are watching your favourite TV channel, the programme starts at random times without your knowledge and you can somehow communicate with the broadcaster. Haven’t people been glued to their televisions for years? Didn’t they feel happy when they finally heard their favourite song on the radio? It doesn’t seem illogical to feel sincere towards people who understand you, who have similar temperaments, who can critically analyse events and who share your tastes and preferences.

Photo by Sebastian Pandelache on Unsplash

Getting back to my own gaming preferences, I was talking about RTS games. Of course, I have enjoyed games from almost every genre, but I can say that this is my favourite. Unfortunately, it has become outdated, pushed to the bottom of the preference list and neglected as a genre. This is due to the reasons I mentioned above. The era, the players, the game developers, the trends, the generation and its characteristics, and the needs of this generation and the possibilities that these needs bring, are all changing or evolving in different directions.

We don’t know what the future holds, but change always occurs in every field. The question is whether it is important to force ourselves to adapt or to stick to our perceived preferences as traditions.