Slashdot: The "Game Industry" model is collapsing

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Originally Posted by Baron Munchausen

Just like all the other ossified, vested-interest controlled "intellectual property" industries, games are not commercially viable anymore. It's just like big money in music and movies. No one is willing to take a risk on anything new. Any 'new' game must make millions because it costs millions to develop. So the same old same old stuff "that worked before" is constantly recycled and people are getting bored with it. So the industry is declining anyway. Meanwhile, cell phone and browser/flash games are all over the place.

Much the same things are said in every cycle of the "console games are killing the PC game industry" debate, computer role-playing games vs. table-top/paper & pencil RPGs, RPGs vs. wargames, collectible card games vs. every other game format, etc., yet the industry keeps shambling along on its "last legs" with independent proto-mammals scampering away from the mainstream dinosaurs' footsteps.

The game industry has been "dying" since at least back when SPI, Inc. went bankrupt in '82.