Dark Nights, Brighter Lights

The Year In Gaming

With gaming culture becoming a larger phenomenon of everyday life, normal culture has not only sipped into the gaming sphere, it has flooded in. More and more, art is imitating life rather than accentuating and elevating its various aspects. While ultimately inevitable, as evidenced by the film and television industry, the bastions that held the demons at bay seem to have given up the ghost. With no sense of a call of duty, video game developers and their partners feel free to comment on current day events and seem to gladly tie their products into their comments. The recent assassination in America was a grim reminder that developers are still human. For better or for worse. The ghoulish behaviour from some developers and others in the industry surrounding the event was indeed a dark stain in gaming history. A reminder that it is often good to separate the art from the artist and to not engage with them outside the medium.

While ultimately inevitable, the bastions that held the demons at bay seem to have given up the ghost.

In response to the cultural shift within gaming there has been a rise of many commentary channels on YouTube which predominantly focus on any and all “drama” in the gaming sphere. Very little focus on gaming and any of the good things within the industry but a hyper focus on perceived sleights. Dwelling in these dark caves has turned many a channel into outrage farms. Little analysis, less critique, much criticism. A low point as some channels seem to have lost their objectivity. There has been a spattering of wild fires here and there in the form of attempted boycotts but these have largely been unsuccessful. Titles have risen and fallen on their own merit. However, the melange of the cultural shift and reaction to it has left gaming off in a worse place.

In spite of challenges in the industry, there have been many highlights in the year. ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ has left a positive mark in the industry as many were introduced to turn based gaming mechanics with a unique take. In addition, it helped elevate gaming as a bonafide medium of art that often surpasses its film and television counterparts while incorporating many aspects of both. ‘Hollow Knight: Silk Song’ released to much acclaim as did ‘Hades II.’ ‘Dispatch’ brought back the roaring late 2010s with deeply narrative focused titles. Hopefully, not merely comets but shooting stars kindling many fires in their trail of stardust. With the many missteps of larger publishers Double A and Indie developers have had their moment to shine. Many casual gamers were introduced to different styles of games that usually aren’t a staple for mainstream audiences. ‘Megabonk,’ ‘Escape From Duckov,’ ‘Schedule 1’ to name but a few. Additionally, innovation and advancements in video game engines have led to better looking and more reactive video games. Purely from a technical perspective ‘Assassins Creed Shadows,’ ‘Ghost of Yotei’ and ‘Death Stranding 2’ have pushed the envelope on what is possible on current generation hardware.

A phoenix rising from someone else’s ashes and a bright light in the industry.

With the ongoing funeral procession of Microsoft’s Xbox brand it has been great to see the rise of handheld gaming and in particular Valve’s Steam Deck OLED. A phoenix rising from someone else’s ashes and a bright light in the industry. Valve’s unit still managed to punch way above its weight even though it has been on the market for a few years and in spite of being underpowered compared to its siblings. With more and more developers having their titles “Deck Verified” many gamers have been introduced to the world of PC gaming. The perpetual steam sales have also been a boon to many a video game backlog. The handheld providing a viable way to revisit older titles. As some of the newer titles have disappointed not only in sales but in player reception it has been a great year to clear through many games that had been put on the back burner.

As we sail forth into the uncharted waters of the near future, during this most wonderful time of the year it is good to pause and reflect on some of the lowlights and highlights of the industry. While the future is uncertain, the present is secure. There is still much to celebrate and more to look forward to.

Images in order of appearance:Image par OpenClipart-Vectors de Pixabay; Image par Gordon Johnson de Pixabay