Canny gamers will "eliminate" bad games

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 30 September, 2010

Predicts Capcom.

In the future gamers will become so canny when forking out their hard-earned cash that bad games will be eliminated, Resident Evil creator Capcom reckons.

"Looking ahead, I believe gamers are going to have a sharper eye and become even more selective," deputy head of consumer games Jun Takeuchi said in a new interview published on Capcom's website.

"This will eliminate poorly made games from the market, and drive down the number of titles released. The market will no longer be one in which a new game grabs people's attention and interest."

Capcom, which has branched out into Western-development in recent years, is responsible for blockbuster franchises Street Fighter, Dead Rising and Devil May Cry.

Looking to the future, Takeuchi predicted that two types of games will emerge: those targeted at core gamers and those targeted at a mass audience.

"I think the demand will be characterized by trends that are polar opposites," Takeuchi, who produced Onimusha 3, Lost Planet and Resident Evil 5, said.

"One of these trends will be games that specifically target a small number of hardcore gamers. The other trend will be popular, big name titles, such as Resident Evil, that target a mass audience and focus on delivering a sense of entertainment.

"Either way, the important thing for us is to carefully cultivate the elements for both types of games in order to put out titles that people can enjoy playing for a long time."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (54) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • Genji #1 2 years ago

    ....AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA

    *wipes tear*

    Yes, that's right.

  • Goffee #2 2 years ago

    Well, it hasn't worked in the past 30 years, so I'm sure it'll work this time.

  • MisterFalseName #3 2 years ago

    The sheer number of shovelware bargain basement 3 for £10 hidden object games on PC says otherwise...

  • lucky_jim #4 2 years ago

    Capcom, meet the Wii.

  • drumbaby #5 2 years ago

    Yep, Dead Rising 2 eliminated...next.

  • ouchio #6 2 years ago

    Must stop self making a DMC joke..... must..stop..self.............

  • FuzzyDuck #7 2 years ago

    Stuff like Lost Planet 2 (single player at least) and Dark Void so, eh?

  • Malek86 #8 2 years ago

    "One of these trends will be games that specifically target a small number of hardcore gamers. The other trend will be popular, big name titles..."

    Well hello there, Captain Obvious.

    Oh, and also, shovelware will never disappear. Never.
    Edited by Malek86 at 30/09/10 @ 11:06

  • Cappy #9 2 years ago

    Way ahead of you Capcom, the US PS2 release of Okami back in 2006 was the last time I bought one of your games.

  • darkmorgado #10 2 years ago

    Perhaps they should just focus on good, old-fashioned f*cking Quality Control.

  • supermaniacs #11 2 years ago

    best start making quality games then eh Capcom!!

  • roquey Verified Lead Quality Assurance Tester and Compliance Specialist, Universally Speaking #12 2 years ago

    So theres no MotoGP next year then. WAHOOOO!

  • retr0gamer #13 2 years ago

    What about all the great games that get released but get left behind by the heavily marketed games?

  • kangarootoo #14 2 years ago

    Utter nonsense at the most fundamental level. Jesus, I don't even know where to begin. Its untrue, it makes no sense, its based on absolutely no factual evidence whatsoever. A cursory examination of any product market anywhere in the world would show the opposite to be the case.


    First off, quality is subjective. You can't talk about "good" and "bad" games, as if they are scientifically identifiable. How exactly would we know when "bad" games had been eliminated? Its like declaring a war on terror, or deciding to "eliminate waste" from an organisation.

    Second, if the human race has not yet eliminated poor quality products from the world (ignoring my previous point and assuming for a moment that suich a thing is even possible) by the application of a discerning eye, what on earth makes him think that its going to happen specifically with games? Rubbish films still exist, rubbish books still exist, rubbish household cleaning products still exist. The list goes on. What makes game and the people that buyt them so unique in this regard? Answer: nothing.


    Statements like that wind me up (clearly) because they are just ill thought out filler. Someone in a certain position has to say something to fill a space, to demonstrate "knowledge and authority" so they just blurt out tosh like this. Its patronising to the audience.
    Edited by kangarootoo at 30/09/10 @ 11:17

  • ouchio #15 2 years ago

    Remember when Capcom made brilliant games, the days of Resident Evil 1-3, Dino Crisis 1-2, Onimusha1-3 etc. Nowadays they have lost all that made them so special. Capcom means very little to me now. Its really sad what happened to them. I call them Crapcom now :(
    Edited by ouchio at 30/09/10 @ 11:18

  • Tomo #16 2 years ago

    I would like to see his vision become true, but I doubt it will happen sadly.

  • kangarootoo #17 2 years ago

    @ouchio

    I think the problem is that Capcom haven't kept pace with the rest of the business (there are some exceptions I should say though, not everything they make is poor). The games you list, if made today, would not be received favourably I think.

  • GiarcYekrub #18 2 years ago

    Why did Resi 5 sell shit loads then despite being the worst game in the main franchise?

    Why do licensed games sell?

    Call of Duty... Halo: Reach all games that are Hype over substance

  • Meho #19 2 years ago

    Well, if you disregard Street Fighter IV, Super Street Fighter IV, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Megaman 9 and Megaman 10, sure Capcom don't make good games anymore... But why would you?

    Still, Takeuchi seems to be so out of touch with reality it's almost silly.

  • djed #20 2 years ago

    Why are Capcom staff insisting on coming off like a bunch of twats?

  • Bigmac1910 #21 2 years ago

    Comments like these just shows how out of touch with reality they are.

  • darkmorgado #22 2 years ago

    I call them Crapcom now :(

    Eh? Dead Rising 2 and Super Street Fighter IV were hardly crap. Lost Planet 2 and RE5 were deeply average and a bit of a misstep, but even that's way above being "crap".

  • kestral #23 2 years ago

    Resi5 was very enjoyable in coop mode, apart from that not really interesting.

  • SteveHolt #24 2 years ago

    @ouchio: they haven't lost anything, it's just that we're 10 years older. The games you mentioned aren't better than the ones they make today. SF4 and both DRs are very strong games, RE5 while divisive is a very good co-op game, and their XBLA / PSN games are solid...

    On the other hand, they shouldn't have left the Platinum games' creators go, and Inafune is too obsessed with "westernizing" the brand. But if you're looking for a japanese publisher that clearly lost a step, Square Enix should be your primary target, not Capcom.

  • edhe #25 2 years ago

    Is this them officially exiting the industry then?

  • Bleemo #26 2 years ago

    If he had just said less games with higher budgets will be made I agree but I doubt we are in for a crap free future. It's inevitable that more companies will go bust and it is true that a small number of companies that make high quality well polished games (Nintendo, Valve, Blizzard, Rockstar) print money for fun. But a small number of specialists who take years to make one or two games cannot sustain the industry so quick and dirty crash grabs inevitably fill the void.

    I agree that res evil 5 wasn't all that bad though, it was more or less res evil 4 with a different story. All the res evil ingredients were there, dodgy voice acting, comedy plot, limited environs, zombies, dogs. it was just one game too many I think. I never thought I would say this but they should just make a HD remake of Resident Evil 2 and 3 and be done with it.

  • Ryze #27 2 years ago

    Er. Non stupid gamers already do this.

  • space_ace #28 2 years ago

    bakaro.

  • drumbaby #29 2 years ago

    Don't quite get the RE5 hate. Playing it through atm, on 4th chapter. Yes, it's not as scary as 4, but the action is good, made better by the brilliant buddy system.

  • retr0gamer #30 2 years ago

    Jun Takeuchi needs a lesson from Super Hans. People like Coldplay and voted for the Nazis. You can't trust people.

  • DAN.E.B #31 2 years ago

    That reminds me! I must get beyond good and evil HD!

  • darkmorgado #32 2 years ago

    Jun Takeuchi needs a lesson from Super Hans.

    There's a guy called Hans and he is Super? Tell me more about this individual, I need to meet this superhero!

  • retr0gamer #33 2 years ago

    Go buy the Peep Show DVD boxsets, you won't be disappointed. The man is indeed a hero.

  • justMe #34 2 years ago

    I agree with him.
    You don't have to look ahead, though, it has always been that way and always will.
    That's why games keep getting better and better.

  • Kaminari #35 2 years ago

    Does it mean the end of Capcom?

  • FogHeart #36 2 years ago

    ...but Mailbu Stacey has a new hat!

  • Phishfood #37 2 years ago

    Isn't that how things already are?

  • BuddyChrist #38 2 years ago

    Popcorn games. Look up that company and laugh at the utter turdness of it all. They prey on the wii owner's uninformed kin.

  • Toothball #39 2 years ago

    I've not bought a bad game for a long time. Someone else still must be though.

  • dirtysteve #40 2 years ago

    @Goffee my thoughts exactly. Sadly, crap sells by the bucketload.

  • darkmorgado #41 2 years ago

    I agree with him.
    You don't have to look ahead, though, it has always been that way and always will.
    That's why games keep getting better and better.

    I disagree. Games is an iterative industry - tech is always changing, design has improved over time. That's why game sequels tend to buck the trend of films, books, etc as the technology and thought processes in those industries are largely static and standardised.

  • Skurmedel #42 2 years ago

    It's not like these people do public statements on a podium in a mall somewhere, it's only EG and other media that prints them as such. Most likely he responded to a question in an interview.

    It's just attention grabbing as usual when it comes to news. Look at the article, it's an interview, but they've just pasted out the most attractive soundbites.
    Edited by Skurmedel at 30/09/10 @ 16:01

  • Stuz359 #43 2 years ago

    Bad is purely subjective. I hate Little Britain, but I know many who love it. If they feel the need to repeat a catchphrase I do punch them in the face though.

    What I am hoping though, is eliminating poorly made games. I never want to come across another game with a broken control system.

  • darc #44 2 years ago

    Well, in deference to everyone who's posted disagreeing with Capcom, yes obviously quality is subjective, and yes there will always be a market for minigames and casual games, and cheap games. But that much having been said, I think there is a measure of truth in Capcom's stance. If nothing else, we will get to a point where far fewer bad games are sold at full retail prices. The real reason this is inevitable is digital distribution and the increasing demand for demos. Once full-sized, full-priced games are available digitally, which itself is pretty much inevitable, and we're unable to return physical merchandise, availability of a game on trial/ demo basis will become a de facto consumer expectation (and there will be no defensible reason for a vendor to refuse this expectation.) So, fewer customers will be paying $50+ for games they've never played themselves - the impulse purchase will be far less common - which will have to reduce the sales of the worst games.

    Of course vendors will still try to rig the system to get consumers to spend on impulse - e.g. by making games available before the demo versions are - but that can only last so long before consumers realize it's a contrivance and cry foul.

  • paulf #45 2 years ago

    marketing > quality

  • alcides #46 2 years ago

    ... yeah cause look the state the movies industry's in.

  • SheffieldSteel #47 2 years ago

    Modern western society values two things above all others.

    The first is price.
    The second is convenience.

    Digital distribution provides convenience, and eventually it should provide cheaper products, but quality didn't make the list.

    Until gamers can find a voice, a means of asking for quality, or until society itself changes, games won't magically get better. If anything, things are going to get worse. The view stated by Takeuchi-san is completely out of touch with western society's values.

  • darc #48 2 years ago

    "Until gamers can find a voice, a means of asking for quality, or until society itself changes, games won't magically get better."

    I still say that the "magic" digital distribution can provide is as simple as "try before you buy". So long as we continue to demand this option, across the board, we have no one but ourselves to blame for bad product.

  • itsfuzzy #49 2 years ago

    Shouldn't that read "Canny gamers will "eliminate" bad game studios and developers?"

  • onyx_elite #50 2 years ago

    "The market will no longer be one in which a new game grabs people's attention and interest"

    Bollocks. The title of this article suggest we will all become more discerning gamers and maybe we will but that's the very reason that we'll be able to spot an interesting new title and be just as intrigued as if we were buying a 'safe' big name title. We'll also be able to spot (as we can now) a load of old toss not worth bothering with.

  • kangarootoo #51 2 years ago

    @SheffieldSteel and darc

    But we already have that voice. And we already have the option to demand quality, by not buying the bad stuff. But we don't exercise it. The question at the root of my strong dismissal of the suggestion on which the article is based is "Why now, after so long of this not being the case?".

    Regardless of games are delivered to us, discerning between titles still takes a degree of effort on the part of everyone in the market. That degree of effort won't be magiced into existence, whatever delivery systems are developed.

  • IronCladChicken #52 2 years ago

    I noticed how there's never any crap TV, music or movies - Those canny consumers!

  • Farzlepot #53 2 years ago

    Actually he's sort-of right. And it's happened before. The last time it happened, they called it the N.A. Video Game Crash, and it nearly destroyed the industry.

  • craziii #54 2 years ago

    actually it is true, I am buying less and less games in the last 2 years. only few games even interests me. I am looking forward to the new deus ex and deep space 2 though. right now I am having fun with sc2. cataclysm takes too much time to enjoy properly, so I will pass, no time for mmos right now.

    edit: forgot to add the witcher to the list of games.
    Edited by craziii at 04/10/10 @ 04:21