There's nothing I hate more than people shouting: "cult of the new!". Ok, there are many things I hate more, but this sentence made me angry me more than once. I love playing a good game more than 3-4 times. What's the point otherwise? But what happens when a bunch of games come out? You have to try them and statistically speaking, you will enjoy some of them for sure.
Do I have games from the last 3 years in my top 10 of all times? Oh yeah! Is it because they are new? I want to believe that the answer is no. Because when I play a game 5 times and I want to play 5 more, the game being new is not the reason. But is that the case for everyone? Even me and my gaming group, that loves repeating good games, said that we need new games. We need to click the refresh button. We need to have the next puzzle on our tables.
So is new enough or do you have to make better games?
In order to answer that I want to tell you first that hundreds of hobby games come out every year from hundreds of publishers. The number of games published rises every year, but the percentage of good games is kind of static or maybe even the number of good games is static, which makes the percentage of good games drop. This is because new inexperienced publishers came into the field in the last couple of years (and don't get me wrong - this is nothing short of awesome). I believe that in the next few years we will see an increase in really good games. Good in what? game design and development, rules writing, graphic design and art. All of that due to the experience they are gaining now at the age of cardboard Kickstarters. This says nothing about first time publishers or designers, everyone needs to start somewhere (me included of course!).
For now I will settle for those really good games that always come out every year. All that while dreading, clutching to my money, but also waiting eagerly for the time that many more really good games come out every year.
Better every day but not so new,
Pini!
Foot note, personal note:
I am starting at a new work place on October after finishing my PhD. For sure, I will have less time for gaming but I will make a point out of playing once or twice a week and having a sit-down design session at least once. Combined with the fact that I will surely have a bunch of games after visiting Essen Spiel (Are you there? Contact me on the site!) and also Civilization VI is coming out in October (I also game on PC from time to time) I'm hoping to continue writing here consistently, because I love it and thanks for everyone giving feedback! :)
In the picture: new and better, Mombasa.
