Most gamers are part of the hype machine, either willingly or unbeknownst to them. A new game gets announced and fans swarm around the reveal trailer, press release, first screens and so on. From that day forward, there’s a constant desire to hunt down every last tidbit of information, analyze each millisecond of footage, scour screens for the most minute of details, ect.. It’s a vicious cycle that’s seemingly on a never-ending loop.
What about when the game we’re drooling over finally releases? Most of us purchase the title as quickly as possible and dive headfirst into the experience. It’s almost like a mad dash to start the game and consume the content at a breakneck pace. What we’ve waited months, if not years for, is gobbled up in a matter of hours. A day or two for some games, a couple of weeks for others. The creation we thought about non-stop for days on end is gone within the blink of an eye.
Does anyone else feel a bit dirty about that?
Link, seen here waiting for his game to release
Let me be clear; I don’t think there’s anything wrong with how people play games. You spend your money and (hopefully) enjoy a game however you see fit. Take your time to explore every nook and cranny, or push through at a blistering pace. There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to interact with a game, so play on in whatever style you’d like.
Personally, I can’t help but feel there’s something a bit sad about the hype machine. It may be an unavoidable situation to some degree, but even with that in mind, the thought of longing for years and using up in days seems like it can’t be good. Is it actually possible to come away with the intended experience a game offers in such a short amount of time? Is it fair to cram something that took hundreds of people years to create into mere minutes? Again, there’s no right answer to those questions, but they’re certainly worth pondering.
I know some will argue that the quality of a game will dictate the time and attention it receives. A game that’s mediocre at best will be shelved soon after its purchase, while a fantastic title will keep you coming back for years to come. I do see some merit to this argument, but I think it takes an extreme stance on both ends while ignoring the absolutely huge middle of game content. Seeing games as an all-or-nothing makes me squirm a bit, and that’s coming from someone who is guilty of that approach.
In my earlier days, I used to read gaming mags and daydream about their releases. I would literally picture playing those games in my mind while sitting in my bedroom, or I’d hype myself up about their release while in school. When those games did finally launch, I would work my way through them as quickly as possible. I was definitely enjoying myself, but I also felt compelled to consume these titles at lightspeed. I honestly can’t tell you why that is, but it was very much a part of my personality. Hell, back in my very early double-digit days, I even used to internally scoff when friends/compatriots used to slack on finishing a game. I haven’t been that way in 30+ years, but it still bugs me that I once was.
Hype machine + edging = Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp
Nowadays, I’d say I’m still part of the problem, but in a different way. Instead of personally blowing through games, I’m constantly feeding the hype machine. I’m putting up every trailer there is, sharing interview snippets from all over the world, and so on. This is part of my livelihood and a necessity for a news-focused website, but I still recognize it as adding fuel to the fire. I might be the tiniest cog in the hype machine, but I’m a part nonetheless. To be completely honest, some days I think quite a bit about that, and I’m still not sure how it all makes me feel.
This all comes back to the hype machine in general, and how it impacts not just games in general, but the people making those games. I honestly cannot imagine what it would be like for developers, especially those working on passion projects, who literally spend years working on their magnum opus, only to have it chewed up and spit out a few hours later. This could very much be a ‘me’ way of thinking, though. Depending on the game, developers, and personalities at play, those creators could be perfectly fine with someone ripping through their release. I can’t deny that just having people interact with your content, be it for a minute or a month, would be a wonderful feeling.
Again, I really have no desire to change how people play games. That said, I do want to offer up the idea of potentially taking a moment or two to slow down. Spend a few minutes really appreciating the scenery. Sit with the game’s music and let it really sink in. Take a day or two off from a 60-hour RPG to let the story breathe and possibly connect with you in a different way. When you wrap up a game, give yourself a chance to ponder what you went through and what it all meant. I don’t think these are crazy ideas at all, and I think we’d gain a deeper appreciation for these amazing experiences, but again, to each their own.
While not related to the hype machine itself, I think the game review scene serves as a microcosm of what I’m getting at. It has always made me extremely uncomfortable that games are reviewed for deadlines, and everyone is rushing to publish their take when the embargo lifts. To be clear, I 100% recognize that I have been guilty of this, but I’ve really taken a different approach in recent years. While some games can be easily completed by embargo time, others aren’t getting a fair shake because of it. When outlets have a week to run through a 60-hour RPG, the experience they have on the other side is going to be tainted. Issues will arise that wouldn’t if a more relaxed playthrough happened, burnout can definitely set in, and portions of the game can blend together. Speedrunning is a wonderful thing when it comes to gamers trying to push a game to its limits, but I don’t think it’s a good way to review games.
Actual photographic evidence of a hype machine
The lopsided hype machine, with years on one end and days on the other, could also be nothing more than a sign of modern-day life. Games take years to make; that’s something we all recognize and understand. Some developers want to get the word out on their games early and build hype, and I totally get that. Once the game releases, people are excited to see how it came together. Along with that, people only have so much free time to give. When you’re working or going to school, you have a family life, and you’re trying to live in a healthy manner, that can leave you with an incredibly small amount of time for your hobbies. This leads to people pushing their gaming sessions to the limit. You have to maximize the time you have, after all.
The hype machine is a very complicated beast, and there’s so many ways to come at it. I honestly find it a fascinating topic of discussion, as examining it brings up so many other questions, and also helps to put all of gaming under a microscope. Of course, the one question at the end of it all is, “Does it really matter?” Well, to some it will and others it won’t, and that’s totally okay. Simply talking about the hype machine might make some consider how they approach games and adjust things, while others will shrug and continue on. As I’ve said a handful of times now, I’m not here to judge or make you change your ways. You do you, and that includes playing in whatever manner you want.
Humbly, I’ll suggest that perhaps from here on out, we all could spend just a few more minutes smelling the digital roses. There’s always another game to hype and wave of excitement to ride, and I’ll be right there with you. I’m just going to make a concerted effort to appreciate what we have just a tiny bit more.
