Industry History
Ongoing coverage on Industry History.
Latest coverage
The Game Archaeologist: World of Warcraft is unfairly portrayed as the villain of MMO history
This article challenges the common narrative that World of Warcraft is the villain responsible for homogenizing the MMORPG genre. Instead, it argues that bad game design and a lack of approachability in pre-WoW MMOs were the primary factors that led to their decline, with World of Warcraft simply offering a more polished and user-friendly experience.
Rockstar had to fight to get people to care about GTA 3 at E3, former lead recalls, and now GTA 6 is the most…
A former Rockstar Games developer, Obbe Vermeij, recalled that Grand Theft Auto 3's success was uncertain at its E3 2001 debut, with many attendees more interested in State of Emergency and finding GTA 3 too violent. Despite initial lukewarm reception and GTA 2 being a disappointment, Grand Theft Auto 3 went on to define the open-world genre and become a massive industry-changer.
Quake 30 år senare: En X-exposé
Thirty years after its release, Quake is being discussed by original developer Sandy Petersen and programmer John Carmack. Petersen reflects on the immense personal cost to the id Software team, leading to key departures, while Carmack takes responsibility for the game's technical ambition and the toll it took. Both acknowledge Quake's iconic status despite the challenges.
Morning Postmortems/Retrospectives
This article discusses new video game consoles that were released in 1994. It highlights the technological advancements and market impact of these new systems during that era.
Evening Postmortems/Retrospectives
Fallout lead Tim Cain believes the current games industry crisis has not reached the severity of the 1983 crash. He suggests that while challenging, the industry has faced worse periods historically.
Morning Postmortems/Retrospectives
This article speculates on how a hypothetical James Bond game, developed differently, could have potentially prevented the existence of the Call of Duty franchise. It explores alternative paths in game development and their impact on the industry's trajectory.
Morning Postmortems/Retrospectives
Veteran game developers reminisce about the 'golden days of computer games' in 1989, discussing salary expectations and the industry's past. The article touches on the evolution of compensation and the nostalgic view of early game development.
'What's your salary? I told him, and he said no problem, we'll double. And those days are gone:' Listening to game dev legends reminiscing in 1989 about the 'golden days of computer games' already being over is a trip
Newly discovered recordings from the 1989 Computer Game Developers Conference reveal industry veterans discussing the perceived end of the 'golden days' of PC gaming. Topics included market saturation, the shift from single-developer projects to specialized teams, and the increasing importance of marketing.
MDK: The Forgotten M-Rated Shooter That Defined 90s PC Gaming
MDK is highlighted as a defining M-rated third-person shooter from the 90s PC gaming era, known for its dark humor, violent gameplay, and innovative sniping mechanics. The article contrasts its design and impact with modern gaming trends, noting its influence on subsequent titles and its legacy as a creative risk-taker in a time of evolving content boundaries.
