Modern Games Aren't Getting Worse, You Just Grew Up

With how massive and expensive the gaming industry can be today, there's often some discourse about whether the price of admission is still worth it. Games can be released in a shoddy state or disappoint fans at launch, but this is hardly a new sensation; gamers just become more discerning with age.

Gaming Is More Diverse Than Ever

In the era of modern gaming, there is no shortage of games or platforms to play them on. As new genres abound and grow in popularity, old ones continue to thrive, causing the industry to grow bigger and more diverse than ever before.

Some genres may fall out of style for a while, such as the crash of the rhythm game market when Guitar Hero and Rockband dominated (and oversaturated) the space, but they almost always come back in some form. Genres will evolve with the market as developers are forced to experiment, and even the old formulas will return with time.

A huge sect of AAA gaming is dominated by narrative-driven single-player titles, usually with a focus on cinematic storytelling, a trend that has led many to feel that they have become somewhat formulaic. Those that don't follow this formula can often be marred with microtransactions or take on live-service models, which can be divisive.

Within these somewhat formulaic experiences, though, still exists a wide array of diverse protagonists of all genders and backgrounds as developers continue to try and break the mold.

All of this makes no mention of indie games, which have continued to thrive with new ideas that push the gaming landscape forward. With so much access to so many different experiences, there's no reason you can't find something to enjoy, regardless of taste.

Games Are Bigger, but Are They That Much Longer?

Another major argument from within the gaming community is that modern games are becoming much longer and requiring a much bigger time commitment to finish.

While it is true that a lot of games are bigger, more ambitious, and more expensive to create than ever, games that take a long time to beat are nothing new. A lot of old RPGs like Morrowind or JRPGs in the Final Fantasy series are known for being huge time investments that feature open worlds with a wide array of things to explore.

The issue is not the amount of time it takes to finish these games, but the fact that adulthood brings more responsibilities that cut into time that could be spent gaming. That, combined with how much bigger the industry is (leading to fears of falling behind on new releases) can make finishing an 80-hour RPG feel much more daunting.

At the same time, there are still plenty of smaller-scale games coming out that don't require nearly as much time to finish. Whether it's a survival horror game like Silent Hill 2 with a short runtime and multiple endings, or a lower-budget indie or AA title, finding games that fit a busy schedule is just a matter of broadening the search.

Gaming Is a Huge Financial Commitment Now

When you're young, it's easy to see gaming as a cheap and simple hobby since you're likely to receive some help footing the bill for your consoles and games. When you grow older, and the financial responsibility falls onto your own shoulders, it can start to feel like a much bigger financial ask to keep up with the latest releases.

Meanwhile, the market for retro and used games and consoles has blown up as well, with a lot of "investors" buying up old games and driving the prices up massively. Combined with the rise of digital gaming, physical releases are becoming less of a universal standard, making cheaper used games less common.

It used to be that you could go to any rental store or online service like Redbox or Gamefly and check out a game for a weekend for a few dollars a day until you finished it. This offered a lot of insurance if a game didn't meet your expectations since you wouldn't lose much money if you didn't like it.

Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock.com

As these services faded with the advent of digital gaming, it's become a lot harder to find ways to play games without forking over the full price at launch. As an adult with more financial independence, it can feel like a much bigger risk to pay $70 for something you're not sure you'll enjoy.

There are some solutions to this quandary. Some public libraries have begun loaning games for free and sharing games among friends is always an option. Subscription services are also a decent alternative, as things like PlayStation Plus and Game Pass offer free trials and full games for one monthly payment.

Standards Grow With Age

With youth often comes ignorance of quality standards and what makes a "good" video game, or any piece of media for that matter. As such, it's harder to be disappointed when you're a kid playing something for the first time, especially when the burden of paying for it is not on your shoulders.

robtek/Shutterstock.com

As you mature emotionally, though, you become more discerning as to what you expect from all forms of media, gaming included. You start to develop a specific taste and learn more about what makes things fun and engaging for you, which might make you pickier when it comes to the games you choose to spend time with.

If you've ever revisited a game from your childhood and found it to be less fun than you remember, it probably means you've developed a more refined taste. It might be a good idea to replay some old favorites and see how they hold up to help you determine what it was you liked about them and to find games that scratch the same itch.

Don't Fall for the Nostalgia Trap

It's easy to look at the games you used to play when you were younger in a more positive light because of the circumstances in which you played them. It may not be because the games were really that great, but rather a product of your nostalgia associating them with a time when you didn't have to pay taxes or work a day job.

You might look back on previous generations and think they felt a lot more unique, but the modern gaming industry is just as experimental in so many ways. Much of the "uniqueness" in older games is the result of developers trying to figure things out for the first time, which still continues to this day.

Capcom

New technology and upgraded hardware such as virtual reality are always popping up, providing all-new avenues for game development. The difference is that you're likely to have easier access to them now as you grow financially independent, which can often make them feel less novel and more like a gimmick that's not worth your time.

Now that you don't have to wait for the next new thing and have the ability and responsibility to make your own decisions about which games you buy, it can make the experience feel a lot less special.

Adulthood can sometimes take the novelty out of the games you once enjoyed, but that isn't the fault of the industry itself. Rather, it's an incentive to break out of your comfort zone and find new things to experience in genres you might not have even known about and rediscover why you fell in love with gaming to begin with.