The Problem…and Game Changer’s Solution

JULY 29TH, 2020

I recently asked Chat-GPT–I mean, um, our team of incredibly big-brained researchers–what the biggest problems facing gamers, developers, and video game executives were. And boy did that robot that lives inside of my computer have a lot to say.

I figured our very first devlog would be as good a place as any to go over some of these problems and what Game Changer Studios will be doing about them going forward. So pull up a seat, clean out your filthy ear holes, and listen up good.

We’re a player-first company, so let’s take a look at what Chat-GPT thinks are the biggest problems facing players:

• Microtransactions and lootboxes

• Lack of originality and innovation

• Poor quality control

• Overemphasis on monetization

Game Changer is made up of developers (obviously), so we wanted to find out what some common pain points for devs were as well:

• Crunch and work-life balance

• Publisher pressure and creative control

• High development costs and risk aversion

• Quality assurance and bug testing

I guess, technically speaking, I am a “game executive.” In order to round this whole thing out I asked the ol’ artificial brain in a jar what problems executives are staring down these days as well:

• Rising development costs

• Market saturation and competition

• Monetization and revenue models

• Technological advancements and industry disruption

• Workforce challenges and talent acquisition

I’m going to go ahead and take a guess here and say that if you play games somewhat regularly, frequent any of the dozens of websites dedicated to gaming, watch YouTube videos about gaming, or even make games yourself, some of these problems will already be apparent to you. And if some of this is news to you, well congratulations, you just learned something new.

I can pontificate all day about the hows and whys of the above, but I think it’s fair to say that–broadly speaking–these problems are not by design, they are by consequence.

But what is anyone supposed to do about all this?

The robot had this to say:

“Addressing the largest problem in the video game industry requires a collective effort from various stakeholders, including consumers, developers, publishers, industry organizations, and regulators. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, here are some broad approaches that can contribute to solving the industry's challenges:

• Industry Self-Regulation

• Improved Work Conditions

• Quality Control and Testing

• Consumer Education and Awareness

• Regulatory Measures

It's important to recognize that solving the largest problem in the video game industry requires a multi-faceted and ongoing effort. Collaboration, open dialogue, and continuous improvement are key to fostering a healthier, more inclusive, and player-centric industry.”

Chat-GPT is incapable of producing a meaningful set of solutions despite “understanding” the fundamental issues at play. This is because it was only designed to take large sets of data from available sources, compile that data, and then iterate upon it. This is not innovation, it’s just more of the same.

You know who or what else is like that?

Your typical video game executive. Coming up with solutions to all the problems we’ve been talking about goes against their core directives–it goes against their programming.

Big video game companies are just that: big companies. They will always pursue avenues that are proven to be most profitable, this leaves no room for innovation. In this paradigm, the most profitable business models are the ones that forsake the qualtiy of the actual video game in favor of the model itself.

How can that make sense if the whole point of playing games is to, you know, have fun?

It can’t.

The worst part about all this? Consumers don’t always have a lot of alternatives.

I don’t know about you, but to me, this whole thing smells of an industry in stagnation. The downstream effects of this stagnation are the myriad problems listed above. If those problems are indeed the primary issues facing players, devs, and executives, then a stagnant industry will all but ensure the continuation of this madness.

A new status quo is needed. That’s where we come in.

Game Changer Studios is made up of designers, engineers, artists, musicians, and business people with a profound respect for the art form that is games. That respect is our guiding star, but we also have the collective know-how to provide the much needed innovation lacking in so many parts of the industry. Lastly we have the bravery to execute what many people in the industry have deemed to be impossible or worse–career suicide.

This new status quo will be hard to get to and even harder to eventually maintain, but it will only come about by proving that new business models can work. In order to bring about the industry-wide change that we desire, we can’t just make good games, we have to make good games that are more profitable than the ones produced under the older business models. Once we do that, and more do the same, the companies operating under those older models will eventually die off. 

All that will remain at that point will be the newly formed, more profitable, more healthy, more sustainable, and more fun world of gaming.

And that, simply put, is our purpose at this company. We’re making a bet–if we make a really good video game, if we refuse to treat our players like cash cows, if we’re transparent about what we’re up to, we bet that everyone in the equation will be better off for it.

—JB, CEO