The State of Gaming - Why aren't games as fun anymore?

As the game industry grows older, I believe we, as a whole, are starting to run out of original ideas. Big time publishers are more willing to invest in sequels than new games because they know the name will sell. If you are looking to find great games, you have to dig through most of the Indie games. In general, most older games appeal to me because of the fact that they are generally more fun.

It's not even due to the fond memories. Developers didn't focus on shiny graphics or trying to create a story for immersion. They focused on fun gameplay first and foremost. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that having a better looking game isn't helpful, as it's what most people tend to notice first, but most games are spoonfed to people today. There's some obvious path to completion or direction. Many old games had very little to no direction, and they were still fantastic.

Due to the fact that the audience for gaming has expanded so much, the market now includes much more casual gamers; people who would not play games from ten or twenty years ago. This is not an attempt to lump people together into groups, as I know many casual gamers who just don't have the time to play anymore, but it is a generalization for the genre. Games are easier and, in general, less fun than they used to be. I honestly believe that MMORPGs have killed gaming for far too many people, but that's another point entirely.

Here's to the Indie developers who keep coming up with new, creative games and the publishers who give some ridiculous games a chance.