Topic: Game polling on consoles.

[BlkPaladin]

I would like to start an open discussion on companies polling your playing habits. Because right now with all consoles being “always on” it opens up the opportunity for companies to poll you systems to find out your playing habits.

Nintendo does this already with the VC. When you originally set up the Wii shop channel it asks you if you want to attach you my Nintendo account and Wii shop account. Nintendo uses this to determine what type of games to bring next and weather its time to release a meaningful release of these games. (This is probably another reason they waited until the 25th to release any SNES games and another Mario title.)

For example when first starting up a game it can search the internal memory to see if there is a save for the game if there isn’t the game can see if the Wii Connect24 is on, if it is then prompt the user if they want to register their product and send some information on you playing habits (by using the Wii messaging tracking) so they can better serve the user base.

I think this is fine but it can be a two edged sword for the industry. Since it can stifle innovation in areas, but by polling your playing habits they find out what you play and how long you play certain genres or games and probably reduce the number of bad games, by telling the company what doesn’t work by your playtime and not your dollars.

[oohhboy]

The problem with measuring by play time is that multiplayer games are going to be over represented. If any company is stupid enough to use this as thier primary measuring stick, all we are going to get is multiplayer games. I like multiplayer games like the next guy, but I really enjoy my single player experiences.

[BlkPaladin]

Yes there are down sides to this. But it is a lot better then using game sales as an indicator. You just need to be smart about it. But the best games are still those games that the creators made for them selves. (LoZ for example.)

[UncleBob]

Quote
Originally posted by: BlkPaladin
But it is a lot better then using game sales as an indicator.

Exactly.  Enter the Matrix may have been a great seller, but I bet most people didn't spend a lot of time playing it.  If a company insists on using some kind of data for their game making process, I'd say this is about the best route to go.