Current State of Gaming in 2024 | TOG Fan Expo 2024 Panel

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

Different from the norm but here is a panel discussion we did just recently at Fan Expo Canada on August 23, 2024. Regular content coming next video (this sunday)

[@PixelShade]

Awesome panel talk! I have one thing to add as a game developer, working within the industry. A lot of games actually DO regain the money spent on production. The overarching issue however is the financial structure of modern AAA games, where they rely heavily on venture capital investment, whereas executives of AAA studios are constantly inflating a speculative bubble amongst investors. (Because games CAN be HIGHLY profitable). The issue these days is that games take a long time to make, and when looking at it from an venture capitalist point of view, they need to profit the same-, similarly-, or more than other investment options, like the stock market. With booming speculative markets like AI, investors no longer feel like they are getting proper return of investment (ROI) from the AAA gaming market. Their investment needs to triple or even quadruple during the timespan of AAA game productions to be a decent ROI compared to the stock market. This is why we are seeing a lot of layoffs. because the AAA industry has become a speculative investment bubble that has kind of burst alongside the financial unrest happening around the world. Looking at privately owned studios like Larian, Valve, IO Interactive etc. These companies are in complete control of their own economy. They don't need to adhere to a "speculative" investment market. If a game go +/- 0 they can still sustain themselves (except, Valve. They don't even need to profit from games due to the massive revenue from Steam) 😅

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

Thank you! Indeed it 's more referring to the AAA game and its over inflated budgets. I agree and ehen you knock it to more an AA and lower level, it usually can make its money back as such. That and privately owned companies as you mentioned that don't have to bend the knee to investors as such do well. Though Valve seems to profit from anything they make but their budgets are well under control haha

[@agnosticgamer3122]

This is why I love Steam and Modders (can't stress modders enough. They're heros). I remember first really getting into Steam and seeing the enormity of the independently created market. Not to mention the countless people who create mods for video games. Both (appear to me) to do it out of passion and love.

[@AJ-ed7mx]

Man i just love the way you speak. Love the passion! Great episode here. Will be listening as i work

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

@@AJ-ed7mx thank you very much! Always passionate when about gaming haha. Hope you enjoy :)

[@lillyhyrule]

Lilly making a cameo at 22:47 Let's go! Congratulations on your panel! It was great, there was a lot of people waiting outside when I was there 💜

[@Ness-op2uy]

Great discussion, really enjoyed it.

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

Thank you! :)

[@Farkas-zy8vn]

Awesome discussion sir glad to see content like this beyond the typical gaming analysis which discusses real world issues with the industry (I’m in IT so I’m sadly familiar with the concept of layoffs/being overworked due to shortages). Hope to see more content like this soon and your future cut content!

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

Thank you very much! I might just make some more of these since alot seem to like it :)

[@MacUser2-il2cx]

Ayo, it's Joker and Cid Highwind!

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

@@MacUser2-il2cx it's us! In what could one day even be a Smash Bros crossover :P

[@ReshiramR52]

You did great! You sound very fluid here live. I think that could translate very well to your normal videos. Also, I'll be visiting Toronto next week and I can't wait!

[@ManLikeKitch]

Former dev, made games since 2014, left the industry after 2022 and moved onto finance. There are some reasons: Corporatization, money laundering through admin budgeting shenanigans, 3rd parties and consultancy mafias that pretty much threaten anyone with money and licensing of tools that are frankly useless like anti-cheat and anti-tamper tools. Any time a company goes public, I forsee quality decline and you're better off trading on their stock than actually playing any of their games, because they nickle and dime with FOMO. I advise youngsters to not get into games, it's a fool's path; all these psuedo celebrities that tout their success and fancy homes actually live in the middle of nowhere and do more consultancies/speaking than actually doing dev work. Don't buy the grift. No one questioned why John Romero moved to Ireland, everyone thought it was due to some cultural reason, while in reality, he's saving five figures from getting taxed by the IRS. This whole indistry is a grift and people don't even really 'own' their games either, so there's no real investment, people simply move onto the next thing like swingers.

[@hiroshima19]

I'm a COBOL dev working in finance, I'd never want to be a game dev. There's no career stability and even when the game is a hit, only the execs get rich

[@Nyghtwynd]

UPDATE: Concord to go offline September 6.

[@duhsbo]

Man got style

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

I try :P

[@hiroshima19]

You look like professor snape when he was a student at hogwarts

[@Nyghtwynd]

And since this panel, Square's had 2 big L's, Gumi announcing EoS for Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, and Netease killing the studio who made Visions of Mana, in the eve of the global launch to boot.

[@majoraslayer64]

I don't mean this in a bad way by any means, but you didn't end up looking like I expected lol. I wish I had your confidence in public speaking, you can give a presentation live as comfortably as you can do a read for a KZbin video. Most politicians who do it for a career can't even do that.

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

I mean I have appeared in KZbin videos several times before on this channel lol Also i'm in cosplay here haha. Check any of the informative/comedy videos to see what I better look. Also not my first rodeo on the panel trip Just my first time actually recording and uploading it lol Thanks! :)

[@majoraslayer64]

@@TheObsessiveGamer I may have missed the episodes where you've appeared on-screen, but the cosplay could be a part of it too. Great presentation!

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

@@majoraslayer64 thanks :) yeah check out the Informative/Comedy playlist and you can check them out

[@Vulpas]

Thank goodness the Wukong developer rejected Sweet Baby Inc. or it'd have been called Wokeong 😂😂

[@shikabaneconga]

OMG ITS YOU

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

@@shikabaneconga it's me! :3

[@dio7476]

First comment

[@TheObsessiveGamer]

eyyy

[@TheMorbidHobo]

DEI