Ephemerality of the Video Games

The fact that games may not last forever can add a bittersweet element to the experience. While the immediate satisfaction of completing a challenging task is undeniable, the knowledge that the game will eventually be faded away can lead to a sense of impermanence. However, this ephemerality can also be seen as a positive, encouraging players to focus on the journey and enjoyment of the present moment, rather than clinging to the outcome.

Why do we play video games?

The reasons why people play video games are as diverse and individual as the players themselves ranging from pure entertainment and escapism to social connection and even cognitive improvement. The motivations can vary depending on the person, the specific game, and the context in which the game is played.

Consider it like to read books or watch movies, we do it for the story and whatever knowledge we can learn from it. If you don’t enjoy that particular story, then there really is no point in finished it. If you feel like you need to force yourself to finished it, it probably from being a completionist.

Games aren’t as fun as the games of old. Maybe because the shifted toward next-gen graphics rather than the actual enjoyment of the games. As Stacey Henley, the Editor-in-Chief of TheGamer wrote in one of her article:

“These days, I find myself playing games ‘for the story’, or ‘for the mechanics’, or you know, ‘for work’. When I was a kid there was none of that. You just played to play. There didn’t need to be a purpose, there didn’t need to be a hook. There were no expectations. Some games were good and some were bad, but I could go into them with my eyes open instead of considering their cost and value, or weighing up my work schedule against the release horizon. I could just play.”¹

The Life of Live Service Games

Live service games won’t last forever. Lots of mobile games are free to play, and they’re not possible to archives them all for the future generation. The best we could do is to records everything we could about each of them like how we keep record of the historical events that came and gone. Takes screenshots and record gameplay as you play through to remember the moment, like how you record your moment as you travel through the foreign countries.

As games are eventually shutdown, the gameplay experience, progress, and achievements within then become ephemeral, potentially leading to reflection on the value of the experience later on in your life.

The value of playing a game lies not just in the final outcome, but in the experience itself. The enjoyment of exploration, challenge, discovery, and personal growth can be valuable even after completed the game.

Backward Compatibility

Excerpt from Matt Karoglou’s (May 12, 2023) “The Switch 2 Would be a Misfire without These Features”²:

The gaming industry is continuously moving toward a digital-first model that eschews the need for physical media and makes cartridges and/or discs relics of the past. In response to this paradigm shift regarding how players across their game library, Microsoft has focused its strategy on the Xbox having a shared ecosystem across all hardware iterations that allows users to access an increasingly large library of titles.

A running joke among players is that Nintendo is fond of repackaging its older titles to sell back to fans in favor of allowing backward compatibility, and the success of titles like the recent Metroid Prime Remastered proves that the fans will continue to buy these ports (remastered or otherwise).

Free to play games monetization is like buffet. Its expected that some would pay more for the game to offset those who play the game completely free without spending.

Some people enjoy revisiting games they loved from their childhood or past experiences.

There is no official way to backup save file from Nintendo Switch locally. Why do you need to keep save files? A prove of your own achievement?

Sometimes, there is just no choice to play certain games that are exclusive to particular console legally. Eventually, the game won’t be playable in the future generation of console. Then, you just have to wait for it to be remaster so you can buy it again just to play and relives the experience. Well, that is pretty much how the movies moved their format from VHS to Blu-ray, and from SD to 4K.

Type of Player

Completionists

Players who enjoy the satisfaction of collecting items, completing challenges, and unlocking all the content in a game are often referred to as completionists or achievement hunters.

They are driven by a desire to master the game and exhaust all its possibilities. This type of player typically driven by a sense of internal satisfaction, enjoying the process of collecting and completing tasks. They explore every corner of the game and leave no stone unturned. They have a strong desire to complete everything and don’t like leaving things unfinished. Completing everything in a game can be a huge personal achievement.

Sharing achievements online or within gaming communities can bring a sense of pride and recognition. Completionist runs are often admired for their dedication and skill.

However, the pressure to complete everything can lead to burnout and frustration, and loss enjoyment of the game.

References