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Microsoft: Games Industry Deserves More Respect
David Gosen, Xbox’s head of European marketing, says the games industry isn’t getting enough respect for the role it plays in the economy and society.
“… It frustrates me that from a public standpoint, the industry still hasn’t got the stature, credibility and cut through that we all deserve,” Gosen told MCV. “I still get the sense we’re sandwiched somewhere between corporate bankers and taxmen in terms of society’s general perception.
“There’s been improvement, but not the quantum leap there should have been," he added. "We should be as loved as Hollywood is or the music industry is. Yet we are not. That’s not because people aren’t trying. But there seems to be a barrier of acceptance. When we’re saving the High Street and bringing families back together again, we should be recognised for that.”
Gosen also called on the government to introduce development incentives to drive the industry’s growth.
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Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court 30 Monmouth Street Bath, UK BA1 2BW
England and Wales company registration number 2008885
I think a lot of it is to do with perception. MY GF's parents recently watched me playing Star Wars TFU and were amazed at what they saw. This was because their concept of video games was stuck in the 8-bit era, with little pixel men jumping on little pixel turtles. They could hardly believe the sweeping backgrounds, the detailed characters or the interaction that was available. In my opinion if more people are exposed to the games of today it might go a long way to helping improve their respect for our hobby which has come such a long way. To that end we need more games festivals, more games TV shows and more exposure in the press (preferably not of the 'video games turn children into pyscopaths' variety)
*worlds smallest violin* @ Microsoft
I agree. Not just as far as politicians go, but the whole general perception of 'gaming' by the general public is simplistic and, often, negative.
I am planning on doing an honours thesis next year in creative writing and I am hoping to look at narrative devices and the such in gaming, but finding a university (other than the technology-specific ones) that are happy to have a theoretical paper written on video games is pretty difficult just because of the perception that they are mind numbing and simple and non-artistic.
It's good to see the corporate end of the gaming stick is equally frustrated.
Still, I think we shoot ourselves in the foot calling them 'games' and people that use them 'players'. I think that sells us short on the levels of interaction available in these worlds. I guess that relates to Randy's f-word columns...
Actually not it doesn't. When your industry revolves around making games based on the same small set of genres with embarrassing stories/dialog and your primary goal is to set up an online community of spotty kids who call each other faggot and ass face then no, you don't deserve respect.
Spot on. To add: until the culture of video games finds better representation in other media outlets than juvenile nonsense like the Spike VGAs and the insipid rubbish one sees on G4, it will continue to be (quite properly) considered unworthy of respect. Yes, there are legions of unwashed fans of other forms of entertainment, but no demographic is so overrepresented by the pimply proto-racists you mention. When I can enter an online FPS game and be surprised to hear someone trying to insult and offend the other players, I'll start thinking that gamers deserve respect as a group.
So whats the difference between movies and games???? Your description pretty much applies to the movie community sites where they call someone ass face for not "appreciating" the movie or directors message.
Regarding the "same small set of genres with embarrassing stories/dialog" have you heard of movies like:
-Disaster Movie
-Meet the Spartans
-Date Movie
-All the half baked romantic movies with the same plot
-Typical action movie with no plot
Of course there is also the opposite examples where movies are amazing and truly engaging plots. But the same happens with games, Bioshock is a good example of pushing the envelop in games.
I think the issue here is that movies like Disaster Movie, Meet the Spartans, etc... don't represent movies or the movie medium and its community as a whole. The contention here is that games and gamers perpetuate the vile stereotypes associated with the entire medium. Because we embrace that stereotypical view and call it our own, society tends to honor that and follow our example.
I agree, Bioshock is a great example of pushing the envelope in games. Unfortunately, the average non-gamer (American or otherwise) connotation associated with games is GTAIV (guns & hookers) or Halo (just guns).The gamer is immediately visualized as an overweight, pimply, socially-inept, lazy bugger with fair to middling intelligence and enormous sexual repression. The gamer is not visualized as its real counterpart (29-34 year old male-52% of the time, with a job, family, and a higher tendency to workout than non-gamers). Until these conceptions of our medium are quelled, it cannot migrate into respectability.
Well said blueman. I'm 28, have 3 kids, a wife, a mortgage, and I work out 3x a week (have to, in military) so I fit right into that demographic. I think once we gamers who have been playing games since the Atari days get older, like in our 50s-60s, gaming stereotypes will be nearly if not completely gone.
Not at all, perception drives policy and the incentives don't follow when politicians think your industry is a joke.
Good point! I totally agree with you.
I think you worry too much, as long as gaming is making money everything is fine.