If Business Is So Smart, How Do They Not Realize At Some Point Production Is Needed? - mcdowell31's Blog

mcdowell31's Blog

If Business Is So Smart, How Do They Not Realize At Some Point Production Is Needed?

Posted on January 7, 2024 at 02:21 PM.

Sunday morning routine: Sipping coffee, with ESPN NFL Gameday playing in the next room; no fantasy research or line-up finalization; my team got shook and took partly due to injuries, partly due to miscalculating QB free-fall during the dynasty draft; another story, another time.

Highlight music playing on NFL Gameday? That iconic ESPN football highlight music used in NFL 2K5 when Chris Berman would narrate halftime highlights. As I have watched modern companies over the years attempt to establish or grow their brand, it is amazing how they miss the free publicity the anchor of a well-made product provides. Like so many modern American basketball players who prefer hype over understanding and playing within team concepts, AAA game companies want to be paid on branding as opposed to the simple fundamentals of making a good game. So many games hype a multitude of features but usually do not do even a few things well. Baldur's Gate 3 is being lifted deservedly above the frey by realizing that making a great product is branding. Somehow that is working for their bottom line, investors, and users. Like so much business in the world, most game-business types do not see their product as stock and the user as an investor.

It will be twenty years soon that NFL 2K5 made its debut, and I hear ESPN's highlight music and think of that product. Meanwhile, many of us are familiar with the faux football product that is Madden. I stopped at Madden 19; there is nothing in that product I am anchored to or miss.

I spent most of the fall travailing through Bethesda's Starfield. Initially, it was new and exciting. The thing with Bethesda? They give their games an adult slant, but the logic, world-building, and game mechanics are suited for average middle schoolers. With all of their resources, I am baffled at how they either do not understand making a roleplaying game or do the minimum. After months away, I go back to Skyrim, trim a mod causing a crash from my load order, and I am having fun again. Skyrim had its problems, but at least they were problems of commission rather than omission. I think Bethesda has gotten too much into the branding weeds: Looks cool, but without basic game theory lacks fundamentals; wide as an ocean, deep as a puddle.

Amazing the lack of self-awareness the AAA game industry and business generally have. Much like putting the cart before the horse, it will not go. I would imagine there are parallels between what we are seeing and the dot-com industry before its crash.

Though topics have crossed my mind, I have not written here about NBA 2K24. I am having a blast in 1980s Eras. As usual, the 2K roster is bloated attribute-wise and has some fundamental flaws in how basketball works. But, the AI is making great decisions, especially with a couple of tweaks made to the 2K roster. I want to do my roster from top to bottom. ProScan is a boon to the product and makes the context deeper. Of course, the Player Lock camera would show this even more, and allow the user to make even better decisions that are wasted in Scrimmage Mode... that no one uses if you are reading 2K. Free the Player-Lock camera, please.

I guess this is more of a rant. I am not saying anything new. I do not have solutions, not that they would be followed. Branding produces profit, that is all that matters. It is hollow, much like thumping the chest and shouting "USA". And then, realizing despite all of our resources, we are in the thirties in math and science testing in the world; hopefully we are not dropping. But, hey... we look cool.