Yearly Blockbuster Gaming or Yearly Lackluster Gaming?

Blockbuster gaming is something that is as big, if not bigger than movies are at this day in age. It seems like every year gamers are getting spoiled by an abundance of great new titles. While the gaming industry continues to grow with more gamers, the industry demand more AAA titles at a higher rate than in the past. This may sound like the perfect storm however I think in time it will hurt the game industry due to lack of innovation. As a gamer I want to see more of my favorite titles more often, or at least I thought I did. Over the years I have lost the urge to play certain triple a titles, there are two titles that stand out for me that are developing this lack of innovation, some will agree with my opinion and most will not. Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty are the two blockbuster titles. Now please, do not start ranting and raving because I am talking about two of the biggest franchises in gaming, it is just how I feel and this is why.

Assassin’s Creed came out of the gates in 2007 as a solid franchise with a big future, however there was one big complaint that I agree with, the repetitive gameplay. Overall Assassin’s Creed was a well-developed game that left gamers all over including myself excited for a second installment in the series. Fast forward two years and you have Assassin’s Creed II.The Assassin’s Creed game that everyone wanted.  A new character is introduced named Ezio Aduitore, followed by this enormous new 15th century world filled with an unbelievable story and new ways to kill your enemies in creative ways. This was the true beginning of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. After the second installment from Ubisoft, the publisher has put out a new Assassin’s Creed title every year sometimes multiple. Mind you, the two games that came after Assassin’s Creed II were what seemed liked dragged out stories of Ezio Auditore. Looking at it today, it’s like Ubisoft decided to pull a Peter Jackson and stretch one game into three (Oh am I going to get some fun comments for that!). Here is a fun fact, Metacritic scores show the biggest spike in review scores was from the first installment to the second. The first scored an 81 while the second scored and 90. Quick math, that equals a……...9 point increase over the its predecessor.

Chart Displaying all the Metacritic scores

 A quick look at the chart gives us an idea of what extra time could do for not only developers but gamers alike. Also, the rest of the series hasn’t even scored in the 90’s since the second game. Is this because gamers and reviewers alike are getting bored with the series? Maybe, maybe not.I know from a money standpoint publishing companies say “Yes, make another one quick!”  I believe we buy these titles because we hope for a new experience, when in truth we are playing much of the same.

Unfortunately, Assassin’s Creed is not the only title that suffers from this yearly lack of innovation. I believe the biggest infection in the blockbuster gaming crisis is the Call of Duty series. Call of Duty used to be a game based on history, strong characters, and emotional stories about the sacrifices these soldiers make everyday to keep us free. Currently COD is like playing a Michael Bay film, It makes you want to throw your controller at a teleprompter and storm off stage(Ouch!) that’s how frustrating it can get. It is a true gaming Hollywood Blockbuster, and not in a good way. Massive explosions, boring stories, and the best part, minimalistic updates from year to year that the masses go crazy for! OMG!!! They added a dog….game-play is so much richer and more appealing! FALSE. COD took what Fallout 3 did right and ruined it by giving us the power to control a dog with a Wii U controller. How fun! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate COD completely, when you throw zombies in and you have a group of friends it can be enjoyable, but that’s every game with zombies, right?. The objective here is not to bash a game that makes billions of dollars, but to take a look at the big scope of gaming today and ask do we really need this title every year, or would a break build up some anticipation for a great game not just a good one?

Obviously, Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty are not the only victims of this pattern that the industry has started. We are starting to see more and more titles following this trend and will most likely continue to see it in future. Everything today from tech to gaming is produced at such a fast pace that we sometimes forget to take a step back to breath and enjoy what we just spent our hard-earned money on because the next great thing is already out. We get done with one aspect and want to move on to another, when in truth we should enjoy as much as we can about that particular game, tech, or whatever medium you enjoy. No matter your opinion on this matter just ask yourself this, What was going through Michael Bay’s mind when the teleprompter stopped working?