The fall’s most anticipated games show an industry hungry for new players
Video games are facing a growth problem. The explosive success triggered by the pandemic has leveled off, and game companies are exploring new ways to attract new audiences. The three major console platforms are at varying stages of this process.
For more than a decade, Sony PlayStation first-party games have been created by elder millennials and Gen Xers faced with the realities of aging and parenthood. Titles like “The Last of Us” (now an Emmy-winning HBO series) and “God of War” captivated an audience that grew up with the PlayStation brand in the mid-1990s. That focus, however, meant less energy toward nurturing intellectual property with multigenerational appeal. Sure, past generations had great mascot-centered titles like the Ratchet & Clank or Jak series, but those properties are largely absent and no longer centered as part of the PlayStation branding.
Enter “Astro Bot” from Team Asobi (Friday for PlayStation 5). The munchkin-size robot was born in 2013 as an experiment and introduction to PlayStation’s virtual reality platform. A second game, “Astro’s Playroom,” comes as a tech demo with every PlayStation 5 machine. In a rare move, Sony has elevated Astro Bot as a mascot and figurehead for its most profitable business sector, celebrating the company’s rich history as a gaming brand. You’ll notice Astro Bot has no children and he isn’t running around murdering gods.
In stark contrast, Xbox has struggled to form a brand identity. Xbox is more famous for mishandling Halo, once a megafranchise, than anything else, with a canceled TV show and a string of ill-received games. Instead, this Christmas it is relying on Disney IP with “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle” (Dec. 9 on Xbox).
The good news is that it’s being made by a talented team that has a rich history with Xbox and the first-person adventure genre. Licensing with Disney comes with its own exorbitant costs, so it would behoove Xbox to try to nurture original titles.
To no surprise, Nintendo remains the only success in the all-ages category, and two releases this fall showcase its ease in this space. “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom” (Sept. 26 on Switch) is the first Nintendo-made game in the long-running series to star the titular princess in the player’s role. Nintendo has many games that appeal to all genders, yet it’s somehow surprising that it held off on centering its most famous princess until this year.
The Mario brothers need no introduction, but Nintendo’s “Mario & Luigi: Brothership” (Nov. 7 on Switch) is the latest example of how the company keeps wood in the fires of its most popular series even between marquee releases.
Mario is most popular for his adventures in racing and sports, but he’s been a master of almost every genre in games. This will be the third Mario turn-based role-playing narrative adventure released within the past year (the other two are rereleases). No matter your interests, there’s probably a Mario game for you, and that has always been part of Nintendo’s plan.
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A few more picks
The rest of the games industry is in a lull, as production costs regularly balloon past those of most Hollywood films. Remakes and rereleases help fill out the schedule.
“Silent Hill 2” (Oct. 8 on PlayStation 5) is the season’s most interesting and controversial remake. The original 2001 release by Konami is notable for being one of the first blockbuster games that invited close literary analysis. It’s a pioneer plumbing the depths and potential for games writing. Now remade by Polish studio Bloober Team (which has a spotty record), there’s nervousness surrounding how the game will be presented. Over the year, however, new trailers are raising hopes that the writing and atmosphere will be faithfully re-created and updated.
The foundational role-playing series Dragon Quest is remaking its third entry, which cemented the franchise’s formula and popularity. The title of “Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake” (Nov. 14 on all major platforms) points to Square Enix’s trademark “HD-2D” aesthetic, which uses old-school pixel art set against high-definition backgrounds and music. The original 1988 release is far too old for most people, so the remake gives everyone a chance to revisit the game that helped establish the role-playing genre.
As for other new titles that people are nervous about, “Dragon Age: Veilguard” (Oct. 31 on PC, PS5 and Xbox) will be the first role-playing game by the fabled genre studio BioWare in seven years. Its last attempt, “Mass Effect: Andromeda,” was a critical failure, as was “Anthem,” a multiplayer action game. “Veilguard” may be a return to form – or a final confirmation that the great RPG studio has lost its luster.