Recently famous video game developer Naughty Dog (Jak & Daxter) re-released their huge success “The Last of Us” on PlayStation 4 (PS4) for gamers everywhere to indulge in their favorite post-apocalyptic world with updated graphics and added features. Now this seems great for gamers everywhere due to the success of the PlayStation 3 (PS3) classic. However, the $50 price tag raised some eyebrows.
Now, let me give everyone a little background. Before the PS4 hit the market, gamers were promised being able to transfer games from PS3 to PS4 for only $10. This promise was satisfied and all was well in the world. The problem here is not the ability to transfer games, but rather the large markup  of price(equivalent nearly to that of a brand new game) of not only an old game, but a game that should be able to be transferred.

This example shows the problem in the video gaming industry today and how good developers (such as Naughty Dog) are starting to ditch their integrity in order to gain a quick buck.

Gamers, by and far, are being robbed of their money. This happens are nearly a week by week basis for the same games they’ve played before.

While Naughty Dog seems to have committed a forgivable sin, many more developers have jumped on this boat long ago and have already bled the market dry. A good example would be the redundant first-person shooters regurgitated year after year such as “Call of Duty” and “Battlefield.”

So why can developers get away with these games that are not only poorly made, but sometimes are even contain textures, models, and even cutscenes used in previous games? The answer lies within our culture and what we’ve evolved into. WIth the large mass that is the internet, there are no secrets in any form of entertainment. Media covering all forms of entertainment are sent out before games, movies, etc. are even released. This kills all mystery surrounding games.

The corporate giants sitting in their large offices cannot conceive doing anything but what was successful in the past because the risk is simply too large. The wonder from any coverage on video games is dead, and we don’t want to put our money down on anything that isn’t largely covered.

This is an easy problem to fix. People need to stop fitting into a cubby with all forms entertainment, and start embracing the idea of people thinking outside of the box. Developers like Yacht Club Games, Number Numb Inc, and Galactic Cafe already embraced this idea. Giving developers the ability to make games that people are so starved for. They want to help, people just need to let them.