William BagleyThe Gamemonger '07 Review
December 31st 2007 12:02
There's just hours to go in the year ... wait a second, while am I still here! That aside, here's a quick wrap on the year that was in video games.
* Ownership means everything - Merging, takeovers, whatever you want to call it, there were plenty movers and shakers this year within the industry. Some will forever change the landscape, especially the more recent Activision/Vivendi merger. That move, in particular, shouldn't make much of a difference in terms of what's created, but it will change the shape of the industry itself.
It's no wonder, then, that Electronic Arts bought into a number of big name companies itself to ensure its share, outside of the sporting arena, is a solid one for the next few years. Picking up Bioware and Pandemic will certainly push the company into a broader area of development. Hopefully, though, that business purchase won't destroy an already healthy production cycle.
There's been a number of rumours this year, among the movement. Sega continues to ask the question of future acquisitions, but a merger hasn't been left out of the question either. Of course, fanboys have quickly jumped on the 'join Nintendo' bandwagon, but that's an unlikely event.
* Hate to say I told you so - For someone deeply interested in the industry, following the hardware sales over the course of the year was one of the more interesting stories of '07. Who would have thought a simple change in style would have shot Nintendo back to the top of the charts, and then some. The Nintendo Wii has been a powerhouse, slipping past Microsoft's 360 to sit atop the pile as the year comes to a close. It's unfortunate, though, that shortages continue to frustrate fans still waiting to grab a Wii remote, but if the demand continues to grow at its current rate well into 2008 ... well, let's just say the Wii isn't a one hit wonder.
* Quality, Quality, Quality - '07 will go down as one of the better years for gamers, if not the best in modern times. Three major consoles and two handhelds shared the limelight, and each and every one of them had a number of major releases that caught everyone's attention. I can't remember the last time there's been this many top quality titles, with such a broad sense of appeal to boot. Spoilt for choice certainly comes to mind, but I have to admit, it's nice to see so much healthy competition. The more the merrier.
* And the award goes to...
I can't go on without at least handing out a few congratulations, so here goes:
To Nintendo, for finally finding a market share and proving that they haven't lost any of the magic that made them so popular when I was a young one. Welcome back to the big time, kiddo. Super Mario Galaxy will go down as the pinnacle of a long and, at times, highly challenging career.
To Microsoft, for supporting the fans and listening to the complaints. There's been plenty to like about the 360 software wise this year, but it's the sense of community the team has been able to build up that has been most pleasing for me. Xbox Live is a God send among gamers, and although Halo 3 didn't blow the socks off as much as everyone hoped it would, there's no doubting its multiplayer pedigree.
To Sony. Ah yes, poor little Sony. You may have fallen far from the heights you once reached, but here you still are, pushing on despite the sudden drop in sales. The PS3 is a solid entertainment unit, no doubts there. Here's hoping, though, that the software that will prove it beyond any doubt will finally start to trickle in ... oh, and how about a price drop or two, yeah?
Thanks also go to SquareEnix, for releasing more Final Fantasy than even a fan can handle in one year. To Bioware, for ensuring that no merger or takeover will ever change an outlook on development ... oh, and yeah, for Mass Effect. To Valve and its Orange Box marvel, and that little puzzle game everyone keeps talking about; Portal. To Major Nelson for reminding all his fans that he is, indeed, only human. To Duke Nukem who, despite all the odds, has caught everyone by the 'who's your father' after all these years and proven us wrong ... well, almost. To Shigeru Miyamoto, not that he needed to prove he still had the magic. To Will Wright ... actually, no, I take that back until next year, but only if Spore is a hit.
And finally, and most importantly, to the gamers. Yes, even you, dear reader. For without gamers, without those devoted souls like I who pump millions into the industry each and every year, we wouldn't be sitting here hours before time ticks over (or, in some states, already has ticked over) reflecting on all those amazing hours spent spooked by Bioshock, stunned by Call of Duty 4 and Crysis or overcome with glee with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
So here's to 2007, I raise my glass to ye. And here's hoping, as another year sets sail, that the level of quality seen this season passes onto the next.
* Ownership means everything - Merging, takeovers, whatever you want to call it, there were plenty movers and shakers this year within the industry. Some will forever change the landscape, especially the more recent Activision/Vivendi merger. That move, in particular, shouldn't make much of a difference in terms of what's created, but it will change the shape of the industry itself.
It's no wonder, then, that Electronic Arts bought into a number of big name companies itself to ensure its share, outside of the sporting arena, is a solid one for the next few years. Picking up Bioware and Pandemic will certainly push the company into a broader area of development. Hopefully, though, that business purchase won't destroy an already healthy production cycle.
There's been a number of rumours this year, among the movement. Sega continues to ask the question of future acquisitions, but a merger hasn't been left out of the question either. Of course, fanboys have quickly jumped on the 'join Nintendo' bandwagon, but that's an unlikely event.
* Hate to say I told you so - For someone deeply interested in the industry, following the hardware sales over the course of the year was one of the more interesting stories of '07. Who would have thought a simple change in style would have shot Nintendo back to the top of the charts, and then some. The Nintendo Wii has been a powerhouse, slipping past Microsoft's 360 to sit atop the pile as the year comes to a close. It's unfortunate, though, that shortages continue to frustrate fans still waiting to grab a Wii remote, but if the demand continues to grow at its current rate well into 2008 ... well, let's just say the Wii isn't a one hit wonder.
* Quality, Quality, Quality - '07 will go down as one of the better years for gamers, if not the best in modern times. Three major consoles and two handhelds shared the limelight, and each and every one of them had a number of major releases that caught everyone's attention. I can't remember the last time there's been this many top quality titles, with such a broad sense of appeal to boot. Spoilt for choice certainly comes to mind, but I have to admit, it's nice to see so much healthy competition. The more the merrier.
* And the award goes to...
I can't go on without at least handing out a few congratulations, so here goes:
To Nintendo, for finally finding a market share and proving that they haven't lost any of the magic that made them so popular when I was a young one. Welcome back to the big time, kiddo. Super Mario Galaxy will go down as the pinnacle of a long and, at times, highly challenging career.
To Microsoft, for supporting the fans and listening to the complaints. There's been plenty to like about the 360 software wise this year, but it's the sense of community the team has been able to build up that has been most pleasing for me. Xbox Live is a God send among gamers, and although Halo 3 didn't blow the socks off as much as everyone hoped it would, there's no doubting its multiplayer pedigree.
To Sony. Ah yes, poor little Sony. You may have fallen far from the heights you once reached, but here you still are, pushing on despite the sudden drop in sales. The PS3 is a solid entertainment unit, no doubts there. Here's hoping, though, that the software that will prove it beyond any doubt will finally start to trickle in ... oh, and how about a price drop or two, yeah?
Thanks also go to SquareEnix, for releasing more Final Fantasy than even a fan can handle in one year. To Bioware, for ensuring that no merger or takeover will ever change an outlook on development ... oh, and yeah, for Mass Effect. To Valve and its Orange Box marvel, and that little puzzle game everyone keeps talking about; Portal. To Major Nelson for reminding all his fans that he is, indeed, only human. To Duke Nukem who, despite all the odds, has caught everyone by the 'who's your father' after all these years and proven us wrong ... well, almost. To Shigeru Miyamoto, not that he needed to prove he still had the magic. To Will Wright ... actually, no, I take that back until next year, but only if Spore is a hit.
And finally, and most importantly, to the gamers. Yes, even you, dear reader. For without gamers, without those devoted souls like I who pump millions into the industry each and every year, we wouldn't be sitting here hours before time ticks over (or, in some states, already has ticked over) reflecting on all those amazing hours spent spooked by Bioshock, stunned by Call of Duty 4 and Crysis or overcome with glee with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
So here's to 2007, I raise my glass to ye. And here's hoping, as another year sets sail, that the level of quality seen this season passes onto the next.
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