It’s that time of year again, gamers! Yes, the annual flood of games you want to play is here again. I think I’ve figured it out. You see, we get a small taste of it in August with games like Soul Calibur IV and Too Human (yes, I said Too Human). Then September hits and ok… I’m still playing Too Human, but Star Wars The Force Unleashed is staring at me with an innocent smile. Wait, there’s Rock Band 2! I gotta get that one! and look! Spore! I’ve been waiting three years for that game. We’re not done yet! Here comes the good part. Ah, the leaves are turning colors, there’s a slight chill in the air… and then there is Fallout 3 on the shelves and Dead Space right next to it. Don’t forget Little Big Planet and Fable 2. Not to mention, the PS3 version of Bioshock or Guitar Hero: World Tour. Then when it can’t get any worse November slaps us in the face with Gears of War 2 and Resistance: Fall of Man 2. Don’t even get me started on December.
What I’ve done in the previous paragraph, besides give you the list of must haves according to me?, is explain what happens every single year in video game releases. Every year, gamers get bombarded with well anticipated games in the span of a few months. After the middle of October I have to find a second job just to pay my car payment. Well you could be saying, “Fury, why don’t you just wait and buy the games later when you have the money?” I’ll answer that with another question: “Why doesn’t the publisher of these wonderful games release them at a different date instead of having them all come out during the holidays?”
Get your milk and cookies. I have a little story to tell you.
Remember back in 2007? There was a little game called Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions that came out on the Xbox 360. It sold remarkably well at the time. It wasn’t because of the reviews or the price it was because the game was released in the middle of January. Some game companies may ask, “But, wait, why would someone buy a game in January?” Gamers are just finishing up on the last flood of games from October and November and now they want something new. Let me ask you this, If Lost Planet had come out in November of the previous year, going up against games such as Gears of War or Call of Duty 3 (we didn’t know it was bad at the time), would it still have been the success that it was? Honestly, they’re making a movie about it!
Basically, what I’m saying is this: Gamers do buy games at the beginning of the year and even in the summer. Publishers must still think most gamers are middle and high school students that rely on Mom and Dad for games when Christmas rolls around. Do the consumer a favor, spread out your releases. It may actually help the sales of your games. I know it helps out our wallets.
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