Unlike the self-proclaimed "hardcore gamer", I enjoyed every second of Microsoft's E3 Press Conference.
Gone was the importance of visuals; gone was the belief that generations are defined by graphics.
Storylines, voice acting, plot? All missing.
Developers that want to be Hollywood stars? Nowhere to be found.
Instead we were treated to new types of gameplay. Not as innovative as the games we played in 2006 with Wii, but certainly more innovative than the regular FPS games we've played since 1992.
Now that MS, Sony and all 3rd party publishers are putting their money behind Nintendo's lead, the game industry is officially going in a new direction, answering for us several major questions:
Ludology vs. Narratology? Ludology wins. Ebert vs Game Journalists? Ebert wins. Hardcore vs Casual? Casual wins.
To be more precise, games are meant to be played, not watched. Games are meant to be fun, not art. Games are for everyone, not just shut-in nerds.
Just as sidescrollers disappeared after the 16-bit era, so will the gamepad-centric, wannabe-Hollywood games of yesteryear. Kinect will likely fail, as will Sony's Move, but as all consoles now follow its lead, Wii has proven to be disruptive technology. As the title of my blog states, "R.I.P. Hardcore Gamers."
