Subject matter is biggest barrier to entry for games

Brutal Legend and Grim Fandango designer Tim Schafer has told GamesIndustry.biz that games must expand their subject matter if they are to be accepted alongside TV and movies as mainstream entertainment.

Schafer acknowledged that games are expanding beyond basic science fiction and fantasy subjects, but have still got a long way to go if they hope to attract the same audiences that see more variety in cinema and on television.

"I think it's a subject matter barrier. Not everybody wants to get into these super violent worlds and yet here I am making a game about broad axes and decapitation," he said, speaking in an exclusive interview published today. "But I think humour would get more people into games."

"It's getting better, it used to be that the games industry had a short list of inspirations. You had Tolkien-esque fantasy, Star Wars, and then new things get added. I think GTA brought a whole new level of inspiration. And I think the broader that gets, the more people will be interested in games," he said.

It's vital the industry grows beyond basic genres, said Schafer, before mainstream audiences make up their minds that games are only about simple subjects.

"If you look at movies, they deal with everything about life. They deal with all aspects of life: romance, comedy, serious dramas. And games are mostly limited to the summer action blockbuster.

"They haven't really gone outside of that. But I think they will, and hopefully they will soon, or else people will be solidified in their view of games. Their expectations are set."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-games-schafer

Seriously? Is that really the stance he wants to take? Well, OK then. But it's not true. Just off the top of my head you have Day of the Tentacle and Sam and Max Hit the Road for comedy. As well as the remake of Sam and Max and the Strong Bads Cool Game 4 Attactive People. And there's some serious stuff out there as well, The 7th Guest comes to mind. Granted that these are all mostly puzzle adventures, but you need something to do right? Or else it would be a movie that you need to keep pressing buttons to move through and who wants that? Most games are action games because they give people something to do, not because it's unimaginative to think of something else. I agree that the worlds could expand better, we could get out of the sci-fi space shooters, D&D RPGs and mercenary modern shooters. But who cares? Movies and TV work with drama and romance because it's sooooooooo scripted. If you put that into a game it simply won't be any fun. Or it would be kinda perverted...

Anyway, the point is that games are mostly action games because most people don't want to just sit there and watch their game unfold.