Has classic gaming gone stale?

[Fort Apocalypse]

Ok, I'm sure to incite with that title, but here is what I'm worried about...

 

Several years ago when classicgaming.com started up, lots of people were just starting to play around seriously with MAME, and even a classic arcade (a real arcade) opened up locally, I felt like classic gaming was really taking off. Not long after the classic arcade fell on hard times and had to close. Then people went through the whole "build your own MAME cabinet" phase, and of course, then there were all of the plug-n-plays. However, now it's like we're in a period of stagnation, perhaps even people in-general have become tired of classic gaming because no one is really innovating. I don't think it is the economy, or anything like that. I think people have just lost interest. I haven't personally, but outside of the AtariAge forums, I'm just not seeing much action. What is up with that? Is there anything new coming up related to classic gaming that is just going to make it take off or spur new interest that I'm missing? Why isn't there more news on classicgaming.com (just for example of a classic gaming related site that has news items, other than AtariAge), slashdot, wired, etc. on it? Is it old hat? What is going to have to happen to get it back on everyone's radar?

[Fort Apocalypse]

Here is a theory- maybe the generation of us that would typically be innovating (writing new applications, coming up with products and technologies) stuff that might get people into classic gaming are all having babies/families and are too busy to do anything. If that is the case, does it mean that those who are a little older and whose kids are older and may have more time are too "mature" to spend time playing around innovating things related to classic gaming/retrogaming?

[Pixelboy]

There's no question that classic gaming as we know it today is a fad that will never completely go out of style, mostly because of its historical value. Can you imagine a world without video games today? Most of us here can actually say we were alive when video games really took off (with the Atari 2600, although we know there were a few other video game systems before it), and the nostalgia will always be a part of us. But as we all grow older, this nostalgia will become less and less relevant, and future generations will look at the era we call "classic gaming" or "retro gaming" and see it as "prehistoric gaming". Nothing wrong with that really, many people love dinosaurs. They actually devote entire museums to their bones!

 

So you feel retro gaming is stagnating? You're probably right. People who were heavily into it are beginning to show signs of fatigue, and the worst part is they're all feeling it simultaneously, so it does feel like a sort of recession is taking place. It was to be expected, IHMO. It couldn't keep growing forever. People were bound to loose interest at some point. Even homebrewers are moving on.

 

The silver lining around this dark cloud is that classic gaming will never completely die, it will simply be more quiet, less "mainstream".

[Ross PK]

Well, I'm still really enjoying it. Only recently has my Atari 8-bit become the main system that I play on, after it being the PS2 for many years.

[RJ]

Not for me either. I went almost strictly retro a few yrs back (save for the Wii) & love Virtual Console. I can hardly wait the few yrs 'til my kids can enjoy the simplicity, ease, & overall fun of retrogaming.

 

I'll also add that cost & time are now also factors for me. Money goes (& will go) toward necessities now before fun stuff. I wont buy the latest system for $x, when I can get a classic system & several games for that price. Why spend $90(!!!) on the latest lightgun/game when that $ can buy an NES Zapper & all its games, at least twice over?

 

Also, life interferes now- I dont have hrs at a time to play. Retro & VC games satisfy me w/ a few quick games, I dont have to reach the next checkpoint or pass the next mission, hoping I dont die, making the past hr a waste of time. The player is rarely sent back in retro games.

Edited July 22, 2008 by RJ

[Atari5200]

i'm really enjoying it too. I think now that I am married and have a family, I'm into it even more. I finally own my own home, so I have room to do with what I will, though I'm pretty much out of room because I have to much stuff. I've started collecting cabs, which I have 4 now, but still have tons of fun with all the new stuff I acquire, like my Turbo Express. I never had one or even played a TG-16 until a month ago and I love it.

 

I hope the scene goes stagnate, that will mean more for me!!! I know I have at least one competitor when it comes to collecting in my area, and after this weekend, I think I have maybe a couple more, so I hope they do lose interest..lol.

[Recycled]

Well, the Classic Gaming and Computing expo in my area keeps drawing more people every year.

[so_tough!]

I don't think its gone stale. I actually think it might be getting more popular (surely Nintendo's virtual console proves this?). It doesn't bother me anyway, I'm not looking for new products or innovations. I'm looking for the old ones

 

[Lord Helmet]

I don't think its gone stale. I actually think it might be getting more popular (surely Nintendo's virtual console proves this?).

 

I agree. I think its just evolved. Instead of plug n plays, we get VC games etc. Rather than just being able to get arcade plug n plays, we get NES SNES and Genesis games.

[Reaperman]

I really like the way the on-a-chip systems have continued to evolve. I believe that this is one area where we're still evolving.

 

Sure we won't see any c64-OACs again for a while (core ownership issue), and I've all but given up on more flashback systems, but genesis and snes on a chips are great (heck the new GOAC's are more compatible than genesis3 hardware). And nes/famicom on a chips have really evolved into something--though the sound's still not quite right. Really, looking at the 'super joy 60-pin happy game' systems of 5-10 years ago--we all wanted that to evolve into retro duo, and it finally happened.

 

I also think the independant films are drumming up support where there was none before. Hollywood movies have become (in general) pretty awful compared with where they have been, and I think it's increasing the audience at the landmark/independant theaters where these movies are shown. I don't know when I'll get to see chasing ghosts, but the king of kong was excellent.

 

though you're right, retro has lost a bit of steam. I have noticed fewer retrogaming belt buckles at the hot topic in the mall. The fad portion is dead. Who needed those kids anyway--retrogames are for men who wear tweed. or maybe the kids just grew up and bought old-man clothes. (and I don't want to leave the women out, but statistically they're a 'slight' minority among retrogamers so generalizing doesn't work as well)

Edited July 21, 2008 by Reaperman

[godslabrat]

This isn't an incindiary topic at all... I've seen it brought up on other forums. No big deal.

 

I don't think classic gaming has gotten stale. What you're seeing is it ceasing to be fashionable. From somewhere between 2001-2004, classic gaming was the "in" thing, people wore Atari logos like gang symbols and classic compilations were being thrown together a lot more often than before. Yes, there was a LOT going on in the way of reproducing arcade games and hardware. Now, some of that is dying down.

 

Personally, I think what is dying down are the excesses. We're losing the people who never really understood the hobby in the first place, they just thought it looked cool. We've lost the people who picked up a controller to play Pac-Man, wondering what they missed, and thought "Not much. That sucked."

[mos6507]

When the classic gaming stuff hit it big, we were all in our 20s and the dot com boom was in full swing. Generation X had inherited the world and oil was $10 a barrel. We were single, had newfound wealth, and no responsibilities to anyone but ourselves. So why not raise up the joystick on the pedestal as our generation's proud symbol?

 

Now we're in our 30s, many of us married with kids, big responsibilities, and living in a world that is being hit with one crisis after another. Dot com crash, 9/11, Iraq, housing crash, global warming, Katrina, oil crisis. So videogames are still there, but they take a back seat to actively navigating through the game of life.

[Christophero Sly]

Gone stale!?! Seems like the complete opposite to me.

[jboypacman]

Its not stale at all its just not a "hot" thing any more like it was a few years back with all the classic game collections,Plug-N-Play units,ect.

 

But it will always be there and it goes in cycles like all things and look at the Virtual Console/WiiWare and Xbox Live old and new versions of classics like Megaman and Gradius.

[kevincal]

Ebay seems to have screwed things up. Maybe 5 years ago it was great on Ebay. Yet I've noticed it getting worse and worse as far as prices going sky high for everything classic game related. It makes me want to drive around and go thrifting instead, but then gas costs a fortune and good chance all I'll find is junk.

[segasaturn]

NEVER. End of story.

[Lord Thag]

It may be out of public mind, but not mine. Of course, having an entire spare bedroom covered in it tends to make it stick out in the mind a bit

 

There's a reason most of the classic games come out one *every* console generation. They're just great games. Just wait, a few years from now there will be a movie or a show that starts the craze all over again.

 

Meanwhile, all of us will still be playing them, just like we always have.

[fiddlepaddle]

When the classic gaming stuff hit it big, we were all in our 20s and...

 

(Ahem...) When classic gaming stuff hit it big the first time, it was the late 80's, WE were all in our 30s and...

 

oh, wait...

 

When classic gaming stuff hit it big the really first time, it was the late 70's, pinball machines and foose ball ruled the arcades, we were teenagers and TV tennis games were given away with magazine subscriptions and new bank accounts...

 

um, no that's not right...

 

When classic gaming hit it big the very very first time, it was the 60's, bowling was on Tuesday, Bridge on Friday, Poker on Saturday (OK, it was my parents), people collected board games, card games, dice games...

 

Hey! Maybe this stuff just goes in cycles?!?

[Seob]

Well it just may gone out of the mainstream but it isn't dying. I'm happy it's no longer mainstream since prices where going way up because the demand was higher. Now we can enjoy our games again for more reasonable prices.

On the other hand this year a new game magazine was released in my country that has a nice portion of retro stuff in it. If retro wasn't big they wouldn't print it in a magazine.

[homerwannabee]

We are in a weird transition in classic gaming history. At the moment classic games are harder than ever to get. Yet when I run across anything classic gaming related I have sad knowledge that if I don't buy it that most likely no one will. And not only that the people will probably chuck the stuff into the garbage. I paid $3 for 12 Atari games at a swap meet recently. Not because I did not have any of the games. I did it because these games were probably going to be thrown out if I did not. Even CGE the biggest classic gaming convention in the world has now turned into a every other year meeting place. I believe in time things will change for the better. Everything is cyclical, and as long as the games continue to work there will be renewed interest in the classic stuff. It is just a matter of when not if.

Edited July 22, 2008 by homerwannabee

[akator]

I think there is a decline in emulation but not classic gaming. There are a few reasons.

 

A lot of people I know have shifted to Xbox 360 and Wii and the downloadable games to get their classic gaming fix. It was a smart move for both companies and the game IP owners because they have a new revenue stream for titles they haven't made money on for years. It's also easy for them because they take the same ROMs available off the web, repackage them with an emulator, and sell them as a Wii or Xbox 360 download. The retrogaming options on the new consoles mean that emulation, emulator development, and the overall scene has lost a portion of the audience because it's a lot easier to buy something for $5-10, download it to your console, and play it on your TV. For the end user it also solves storage/space issues. The interest in virtual consoles to play old games is glaringly obvious in podcasts like Retronauts where 90% of the discussion is centered around Wii and Xbox 360 offerings. I think a lot of the casual retrogaming community didn't lose interest, they just migrated to different hardware.

 

As others have mentioned, the economy has made a difference. In the past it was difficult to find original arcade machines in my area, now there are tons on Craigslist selling for a fraction of what they cost two years ago. If only I had the space and the cash... but my limitations are the same reason so many are now available.

 

A handful of people may have left because they "grew up." Those that started classic gaming when they were students, basically those that are still under 30, had to make changes when they joined the workforce. As students they had more time and spending money to devote to their interests. Paying rent, insurance, car loans, utilities, and food puts a squeeze on most. It also takes a while for most people to figure out their career, so looking for and switching jobs every few years further crushes their hobbies. Many websites/forums/blogs have disappeared because their creators started them when they were young or in college and can no longer dedicate the time or money now that they are members of the "real world." In time, once they have become more established, we'll see some of those websites and the associated classic gaming content return.

 

The community isn't dying, it's just going through adolescence. As a formal activity and in its current form, classic gaming isn't very old. There are still a lot of people interested in classic gaming, but like anything it evolves. For every site that is still around (like Atari Age) there are hundreds, if not thousands dedicated to the subject that didn't make it. I think we are in the middle of a phase, in which some of the excess web content is weeded out. Don't worry, there will be a new crop of weeds soon

[Rik]

The interest isnt,just the supply!I have found only 1 rare item,or anything classic gaming in the past 10 months.Before that the thrift would be full of consoles,games,everyday new stuff would be coming in.The stores all tell me the stuff is seldom seen in their stores now.Thats the case,here anyway.

Edited July 22, 2008 by Rik

[Atari5200]

The thrifts here were never good hunting grounds to begin with in my area so when I do go to one, my expectations are very low to begin with, and frankly I've never been disappointed. The flea markets are where I see the greatest change. 6 or 7 years ago, when I bought the bulk of my collection, I could go to 2 or 3 flea markets and get tons of stuff cheap, now everybody wants more than top dollar for everything. And even on Craigslist, people selling atari systems with a bunch of commons for over $150, it craziness.

 

I think the supply is still good, it's just that people are expecting way to much out of what they have, it's the whole "well it's old so its worth something" mentality. I see it over and over again at flea markets. There's tons of stuff I would have liked to buy, but i'm not paying top dollar, I just keep going back and "hey you still got all your same stuff, wanna drop the price yet" the junk store in Tarentum PA still has all the same NES and SNES games because they want waaay to much for them.

 

Like I said. My area is great for classic gaming, tons of stuff to buy, but you better be willing to pay for it though. I'm glad I got most of my stuff before all this crap happened here in Pittsburgh.

[Rik]

I dont get this "whats it worth,is it rare" thing,from a potential profit standpoint,that is.First of all one cannot get rich from classic video gaming collecting.If thats ones main objective,they're collecting the wrong stuff.Start collecting rare wines,picasso's etc.Sure its fun to get rare games for the enjoyment that you have what alot of folks dont.Fact is,classic video gaming collecting will NOT put one through retirement.Me,i couldnt care less what my collection's worth,its just enjoyment that i get from having all the games at my finger tips that i didnt have when i was a small kid.

Edited July 22, 2008 by Rik

[mos6507]

(Ahem...) When classic gaming stuff hit it big the first time, it was the late 80's, WE were all in our 30s and...

 

 

It wasn't 'classic' back in the 80s. It was contemporary.

Edited July 22, 2008 by mos6507