Thanks to some terrible trends affecting industries, the 2020s have had quite the rough start. The gaming industry, in particular, seems like the least likable one right now, thanks to some awful gaming trends.
The funny thing is that most of these trends have helped the gaming industry reach the height that it’s at now. Granted that, they are still quite annoying to consumers, both externally and internally. And if left unchecked, they could lead to some diminishing returns further down the decade. So without further ado, here are five gaming trends that are ruining this fine industry.
Hardware shortages
A new console generation is here, but many gamers have yet to enjoy it due to highly congested supply chains. Whether it’s one of the shiny new consoles (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, or Switch) or a fancy new graphic card (AMD or Nvidia), the chances of getting anyone of them to seem like a pipe dream these days. This is due to several factors that include a pesky semiconductor shortage, nefarious scalpers, an ongoing pandemic, and an ever-growing demand worldwide.
Review bombing
This next trend is placed squarely over the gaming community. Not every great game deserves its review score. But even great games run the risk of garnering a truckload of negative reviews from upset naysayers. That's review bombing, and it's been around for quite some time. However, the practice seems to have undergone a meteoric rise in the 2020s. Like an angry mob, the groups involved don't have to be vindictive or even sensical with their agendas. Just heard.
Microtransactions in paid games
The game industry is currently at its most lucrative. Unfortunately, that’s due to increased monetization. It’s bad enough that some publishers have lumped microtransactions into their games despite already having price tags. It’s worse when they include built-in predatory systems hidden in plain sight. Electronic Arts, for example, had come under legal fire for utilizing schemes in some of its online multiplayer-driven games ranging from pay-to-win mechanics to pushing gambling.
Unfinished games
This trend isn’t anything new, but it has hit an all-time high in this current generation. Indeed, so many games are now being released undercooked these days. While not all are created equally, the usual suspects lack necessary features and are usually teeming with game-breaking bugs despite being sold at full price. Publishers are usually to blame as they know they can meet their quotas much quicker by relying on extremely loyal fanbases.
Worker abuse and exploitation
Games don’t grow on trees, it seems. They require actual people spending their days sweating in front of screens in order to make them. Unfortunately, they are part of an industry that has devalued them. Whichever major game publisher is out there, chances are it’s mistreating its own workforce whether it be wage theft, sexism, crunch, harassment, or all of the above. Consequently, these abuses have impacted games and it shows. Half-baked titles with microtransactions embedded ring any bells.
