In the early 2000s, the PlayStation 2 was arguably the best video game console, with astronomical sales. Given the rapid technological growth of that period, it’s understandable why video games gained so much attention. However, this isn’t a blog about the greatness of video games or their history. It’s about the alarming decline of video games today.

I booted up my PlayStation 5 to play video games after a while. I’ve been playing one game, but I became uninterested quickly. As I navigated through season passes, micro transactions, and ads disguised as upgrades, I realized video games have lost their charm. They’re now in a weird place of monetization, with oversaturated upsells. With the increased exposure of season passes, Downloadable Content (DLC), and in game currency, it all boils down to one thing, MONEY!

Gaming franchises have become increasingly lazy in their pursuit of producing high-quality games with compelling stories, well-written narratives, and impressive graphics. The rise of multiplayer gaming has significantly impacted the popularity of story-driven games, although this may not be immediately apparent from the fact that story-driven games have won Game of the Year awards in the past five years. The point of my argument is that the surge in online multiplayer has led to a decline in the quality of games being released, as developers prioritize profit over quality.

Years ago, I shared my thoughts with a friend that video games are primarily marketed to platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and others. These platforms provide free marketing opportunities for streamers, who in turn offer “fake” reviews to entice gamers to purchase the games. This is frustrating because owners are trying to experiment with more exploitive ways to make money from their consumers. With the rumors of Grand Theft Auto 6 being a subscription base, it leaves me wondering if that’s the direction they will go. Even with the INSANE price of the Switch 2 and the reason why they have the increase, which they confirmed that it has nothing to do with the tariffs, is just leaving me and many people in the state of grief. It doesn’t help that those who can afford it will simply purchase it so that throws the idea of any real change out the window.

There’s a solution to all this, but it’ll be challenging if everyone’s not on the same page. As consumers, we’re the ones who enable companies to make money. If we’re all united, it’ll make it easier to compel companies to change and revert to creating quality games. Simply boycotting won’t work if everyone, and I mean everyone, isn’t willing to do that. In this case, the best approach to addressing a problem is to start from the outside in.

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, check out my gaming podcast episode where I discuss video games from your favorite games with one of my best friends. https://youtu.be/UDdAR7rDUDQ