Drizzlehell
Banned
When you look at video games that were released in the triple-A space in the past decade or so, and specifically pay attention to the ones that are set in some sort of a fictional world, typically there are only two types of genres prevalent in that space: generic fantasy or generic sci-fi.
In fantasy you have: sword and sorcery, vaguely medieval or at least non-futuristic or non-contemporary settings, folklore or literature-inspired fantasy creatures and lore, etc.
In sci-fi it's typically either a contemporary, futuristic, or post-apocalyptic setting with high tech gadgetry and weapons, alien or mutated creatures, space or time travel, and so on... I would even count stuff like steampunk and dieselpunk into this category because they both essentially use the same, common sci-fi tropes with the only exception being that their technology is powered by known elements and there's like a distinct, anachronistic visual style associated with them.
Arguably the only successful triple-A game released in recent years that throws genre conventions out the window in favour of something surreal and out-of-the-box is this:
But other than that, what else is there?
Honestly, I see this as a question that extends way beyond contemporary gaming because as far back as I can remember, the most prevalent genres in games have always been either sci-fi or fantasy of the generic kind, with very little in terms of creativity and innovation. Even though other media such as movies, comic, and books have revelled in the weird and the uncanny for as long as those things existed. Every time I watch one of the annual games fests, and 90% of the games that are being presented are the most generic, blandest-looking thing possible, my eyes just roll to the back of my skull.
Do you think that it is just too risky to try and sell people on something that's not safe or predictable, or do game developers just lack the motivation and creativity to come up with something else?
In fantasy you have: sword and sorcery, vaguely medieval or at least non-futuristic or non-contemporary settings, folklore or literature-inspired fantasy creatures and lore, etc.
In sci-fi it's typically either a contemporary, futuristic, or post-apocalyptic setting with high tech gadgetry and weapons, alien or mutated creatures, space or time travel, and so on... I would even count stuff like steampunk and dieselpunk into this category because they both essentially use the same, common sci-fi tropes with the only exception being that their technology is powered by known elements and there's like a distinct, anachronistic visual style associated with them.
Arguably the only successful triple-A game released in recent years that throws genre conventions out the window in favour of something surreal and out-of-the-box is this:
But other than that, what else is there?
Honestly, I see this as a question that extends way beyond contemporary gaming because as far back as I can remember, the most prevalent genres in games have always been either sci-fi or fantasy of the generic kind, with very little in terms of creativity and innovation. Even though other media such as movies, comic, and books have revelled in the weird and the uncanny for as long as those things existed. Every time I watch one of the annual games fests, and 90% of the games that are being presented are the most generic, blandest-looking thing possible, my eyes just roll to the back of my skull.
Do you think that it is just too risky to try and sell people on something that's not safe or predictable, or do game developers just lack the motivation and creativity to come up with something else?
![L*][*N*K](/data/avatars/m/842/842515.jpg?1696510303){kind=avatar}
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