When I was a child playing games in the 90's, games were targeted around £40-50 (UK, not sure what the US price would equate to). Since I was at school, pocket money and saving was the only way I could buy games myself, or wait for birthdays and Christmas. So I deliberated a lot on what to buy, scouring reviews and opinions in magazines, thinking very carefully before I bought anything, because that was a significant investment to me at the time. And now we've come full circle, as a person who has a steady job and regular income, I still have to choose very carefully what to buy.
I think your point about mismanagement is correct though. Companies see a successful game and think they could replicate that, but then if everyone followed a trend then it dilutes everything. How many GTA clones could any one person reasonably play in their lifetime? If you're attached to one live service game, why would you give it up for another? This waste of time and money falls on the shoulders of management, yet they never accept the responsibility.
When I was a child playing games in the 90's, games were targeted around £40-50 (UK, not sure what the US price would equate to). Since I was at school, pocket money and saving was the only way I could buy games myself, or wait for birthdays and Christmas. So I deliberated a lot on what to buy, scouring reviews and opinions in magazines, thinking very carefully before I bought anything, because that was a significant investment to me at the time. And now we've come full circle, as a person who has a steady job and regular income, I still have to choose very carefully what to buy.
I think your point about mismanagement is correct though. Companies see a successful game and think they could replicate that, but then if everyone followed a trend then it dilutes everything. How many GTA clones could any one person reasonably play in their lifetime? If you're attached to one live service game, why would you give it up for another? This waste of time and money falls on the shoulders of management, yet they never accept the responsibility.