Comments on: Halo 3 tops $300 million in one week of sales http://www.kgadams.net/2007/10/06/halo-3-tops-300-million-in-one-week-of-sales Technology, computer games, MMOGs, science...and other nerdy stuff Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:07:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Kelly Adams http://www.kgadams.net/2007/10/06/halo-3-tops-300-million-in-one-week-of-sales#comment-13576 Kelly Adams Sun, 07 Oct 2007 20:08:16 +0000 http://www.kgadams.net/2007/10/06/halo-3-tops-300-million-in-one-week-of-sales/#comment-13576 Games have already succumbed to those ills: that's one of the reasons why games like Halo 3 and Civilization 4 exist. But it's kind of hard to see which came first- the blockbuster game, or the complexity and development cost that demands a blockbuster. High resolution "photo realistic" graphics, professional voice acting, glorious sound tracks...those things can't be done in a garage by a couple of geeks. So costs went up: a triple-A game title now costs in the tens of millions to produce. And of course, that means it has to make even more tens of millions in order to break even once you add in distribution costs, advertising, and the like. Regarding BF2- I had a server up and running for a while, but haven't kept it going. I'll give it some thought in order to hook up with you, though :) Games have already succumbed to those ills: that’s one of the reasons why games like Halo 3 and Civilization 4 exist.

But it’s kind of hard to see which came first- the blockbuster game, or the complexity and development cost that demands a blockbuster. High resolution “photo realistic” graphics, professional voice acting, glorious sound tracks…those things can’t be done in a garage by a couple of geeks. So costs went up: a triple-A game title now costs in the tens of millions to produce. And of course, that means it has to make even more tens of millions in order to break even once you add in distribution costs, advertising, and the like.

Regarding BF2- I had a server up and running for a while, but haven’t kept it going. I’ll give it some thought in order to hook up with you, though :)

]]> By: Chris http://www.kgadams.net/2007/10/06/halo-3-tops-300-million-in-one-week-of-sales#comment-13573 Chris Sun, 07 Oct 2007 17:05:42 +0000 http://www.kgadams.net/2007/10/06/halo-3-tops-300-million-in-one-week-of-sales/#comment-13573 I can see games falling prey to the same ills of the movies as well ... less and less workaday releases and fewer and fewer risks as everything is aimed at getting the "summer blockbuster" And then even those big releases becoming more formulaic and poorly edited. I am not one of those that looks down on commercial art, indeed, I think most of the best things ever done were done for commission ... but I do feel that there may be a point at which economics gets in the way of artistry. Anyway, when are you going to set things up so we can Battlefield 2 together? ;) I can see games falling prey to the same ills of the movies as well … less and less workaday releases and fewer and fewer risks as everything is aimed at getting the “summer blockbuster”

And then even those big releases becoming more formulaic and poorly edited.

I am not one of those that looks down on commercial art, indeed, I think most of the best things ever done were done for commission … but I do feel that there may be a point at which economics gets in the way of artistry.

Anyway, when are you going to set things up so we can Battlefield 2 together? ;)

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