Considering the Importance of Innovation

These days, a lot of gamers are concerned with innovation, and the push towards the future of gaming. A lot of us think of game innovations like LittleBigPlanet, and how it’s different from any other game. Or we consider changes in genre, like how amazing it was when Rock Band came out with an array of instruments to be played like a controller. But there’s more to innovation than that, and all of it is important to us as gamers.

Gamers are concerned with other innovations as well: those favoring the PC are concerned with the newest, most progressive technology in order to upgrade their computers, and innovations in consoles (such as the motion controllers of the Wii) are important to many. Consider the importance of change and new technology in gaming discussions today; you’ll find many people are hoping for amazing innovations in the coming next-gen consoles.

Of course, certain innovations are either going to be unnoticed by the whole of gamer culture (take a look at the Emotiv Epoc for example- I’m big on this one) or they could fail miserably in the spotlight. But is this due to gamer ignorance or simply because society is not ready for that technology yet? I personally believe in the gamer culture, and therefore would like to believe it’s because of a series of unfortunate events (aka- the economy, advertising, etc.) that these innovations do not take off.

Emotiv Epoc Can Read Your Thoughts

Now, I’ve got to agree on what Geoffrey Brooks has to say on the subject, that “we’re pretty happy with the things we like, whether or not they’re new: witness the profusion of sequels and incremental improvements in gaming that are snapped up without hesitation. But we don’t pay a lot of attention to trends that depart from the conventional wisdom – there’s a reason it’s the conventional wisdom.” It’s true: sports games like the Madden series have made changes, but stay the same at the core because those designs work. And why stray away from that?

But I guess what it comes down to is what you, as a gamer, want from a game/console/technology. If you like what you’ve been playing, and don’t want to move away from that, great. Innovation may not be of the utmost importance to you; you may just prefer to tweak a few things with what already works. But there are also gamers constantly looking for the next new thing, keeping their eye on that innovative prize. And that’s just how it is in the gaming world. We all look for different things, and have different opinions.

And that’s what makes us great. We can evolve and change with the culture. And often times, we’re ahead of the curve. Doesn’t that make us, as a community, innovative?