Last time, we covered a list of 5 modern gaming trends running the industry. But that wasn't nearly enough given how problematic said industry has gotten over the years. Many trends have popped up over those years; some were good while others were downright horrible.
Game developers are facing wage theft and crunch. The games devolved into services with predatory microtransactions—blockchain technology integrating with digital distribution. The list goes on.
So what was missed out on the first list? Here are five more modern gaming trends that are ruining everything.
NFT integration
Lately, some key game companies have been integrating NFT (Non-fungible token) systems into their games with live services. If it doesn’t ring a bell, an NFT is a unique piece of data stored on a blockchain, much like cryptocurrency. But it can be anything else like a work of art, for example. It sounds great for gamers who want to make a living doing what they love. But it’s also unsafe since decentralized data is unregulated, which runs the risk of losses and theft.
In-game ads
What’s worse than being constantly bombarded by advertising in between one’s leisure? Having it directly embedded into it, of course. Nowadays, companies are so bold with their product placements that subliminal delivery seems obsolete. They’ve fully integrated them with their entertainment, and video games are no exception. Whether it’s a fast-paced game or just a slow and methodical adventure, ads are now plastered all over the experience.
Battle passes
Battle passes are a mainstay in the online multiplayer genre but aren’t welcome. This particular grind provides a ladder full of loot divided into two tiers: one containing free spoils and the other full of premium ones. Unfortunately, the freebies are usually scarce and mostly inferior compared to the latter, a deliberate ploy to lure players into pulling out their wallets. Worse, these battle passes also come with expiration dates. So when they’re gone, they’re gone.
Annual launches
This next trend has inadvertently turned the entire gaming market into the recycling industry. Some of the most popular franchises have grown into financial juggernauts overnight with yearly releases. However, these titles typically receive little innovation and improvements in between due to their sporadic development cycles. Worse, the short release schedules can quickly lead to franchise fatigue.
Pre-order bonuses
Modern games are jam-packed with microtransactions, DLC, and other add-ons as part of an aggressive live servicing trend. Yet game companies insist on pushing out pre-order bonuses as well. These have been around for a while, and although they’ve evolved from physical merch to full-on digital content, they can still be egregious if handled incorrectly. Cheap materials and useless cosmetics aren’t worth the extra money.
