Random Shots: Free Realms Destroys Gaming Forever

• Over at Tobold's MMORPG Blog, Tobold discusses the New York Times review of Free Realms. In response, commenters on his post flip the eff out. Evidently, FR is the end of gaming as we know it. Everything is sunshine and rainbows and easy mode and kid-friendly now. Sure someone should tell CCP, Aventurine, and everyone else running a hardcore game that the carebears have won and they can turn off their servers.


• Actually, wait. I'm pretty sure the world hasn't ended. Syncaine doesn't have a sudden urge to play mini-games. I doubt Longasc and Xash (both unlinkable, darn it) are going to give up their chosen games for Hello Kitty Online or the like. I'm pretty sure no one is asking them to.


• I think the problem that the hardcore needs to come to terms with is that they are a niche audience. You'd think that calling yourself hardcore would tell you something, but the message hasn't gotten through. So here is the message: by becoming hardcore, you have set yourself apart from the mainstream. Revel in your niche! Stop complaining that business caters to the mainstream when you've have purposefully separated yourself from the mainstream.


• MMOs are no different than anything else. Here we have hardcore players complaining about Blizzard and Sony making games for a mainstream audience instead of them. Instead, it could be Sci-Fi fans complaining that everything on television is a cop or lawyer or medical show. Or it could be wargamers complaining that everyone plays Monopoly instead of Great Battles of the Civil War.


• As long as your niche is strong, there will be games made for you. Not every game will be made for you, but neither are those games an assault on your position. Show game companies that they can make money serving you and they will listen.