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Some Like It Short: Why Gamers Don't Finish the Job

When it comes to games, size doesn't matter. The gameplay does.
8/19/2008 8:07 PM | 8 Comments | Page 1 of 2

Blake Snow
Blake Snow
Status:
Earth is under attack. Your favorite football team is waiting to win their division. There are more than 60 remaining stars to collect. And yet the gamers charged with overcoming the odds couldn't care less.

They rarely finish their games, it seems.

End Screen Mario Bros.Be honest, who has seen this screen with your own eyes? (Warping doesn't count!)
According to an investigative Crispy Gamer survey of 2,000 players conducted this month, less than 25 percent of games are played to completion (i.e. the rolling of credits). What's more, an alarming number of the same percentile say they finish less than 10 percent of their games, purchased, rented, or otherwise.

"Excluding work-related projects, I finish my games maybe 23 percent of the time," admits Dan Hsu, former editor-in-chief of Electronic Gaming Monthly.

Why is it that so many gamers, including critics, finish only a fraction of their games? The most obvious reason is time.

"The average gamer is now in their late 20s or early 30s," says Hsu. "So you're talking about a lot of people who are working, who have families to take care of, or have significant others to keep significant. They don't have the time to game like they used to."

Indeed, the average gamer is 33 years of age, according to the Entertainment Software Association. So the days of after-school frag-fests and marathon gaming sessions often required to complete games are long gone for most.

Sad gamer
Long games got you down?
What's more, videogames require more time "to finish" than movies, books and records. That commitment is amplified by the fact that upwards of 70 new videogames are released during peak holiday weeks -- a higher volume than new movie releases and similar to the number of books and albums released.

"There are too many games to choose from," says gamer Mark Ormond of Salt Lake City, the unofficial videogame capital of America. "If you buy a ton of games, there is no way you can finish them all," he says, adding that the quantity problem is further compounded for multi-system owners.

Another reason for high levels of game abandonment is repetitive gameplay. "A lot of games are fun to play for the first few hours, but some become so repetitive they start to bore me," says Clint Furse, a full-time software developer and avid gamer. "If the second 10 hours are exactly like the first, why bother playing the entire thing?"

Most gamers don't bother, and readily view repetitive gameplay for what it really is: filler to inflate the perceived value of a game.

Perhaps the biggest reason for not finishing a game, however, is that there are a lot of lemons out there. "Plain and simple, a lot of games just aren't worth completing," says Hsu. No one will deny that.

It's no surprise then to learn that publishers are using the evolving demands of gamers to their advantage when releasing shorter games.

"The costs of game creation are skyrocketing and the influx of new gamers leaves the door wide open for the eight-hour game," says Steven Kent, author of "The Ultimate History of Video Games." But the door is not only open for shorter games, many gamers have already given their stamp of approval.

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Comments

  • SpUd_TUBBS
    SpUd_TUBBS

    8/22/2008 4:17:29 PM

    Im guessing that most of u guy's are from america,Anyways Je-Tze was saying that its wrong for u to have to pay $30-$60 for a crappy game thats repetitive, i bet most of u would agree on that dicusion. I reckon that is a fair price,depending on the game of course. I wish we had it that good here in australia! Im paying $80-$120 per game that is around 40% more which is just highway robbery. So when u think about it u have it pretty easy. Dont take what i said the wrong way,Just stating the facts

    Reply »
  • CaptainHomeless
    CaptainHomeless

    8/20/2008 2:52:03 PM

    Ten hours for sixty bucks is fine. Anything less than that, and I start to feel like I didn't get enough value out of a game. Personally, I love titles like Oblivion, where if I *want* to put 80 hours in, I can, but it's not vital to enjoying the game ... you can do the main story in oblivion in like 12-15 hours if you really try. That way, you basically play for as long as the game remains compelling.

    Reply »
  • Je-Tze
    Je-Tze

    8/20/2008 1:47:56 PM

    For most of us adult gamers our time investment is far more valuable than the cash we put out for a game. Relatedly, when you make us pay a significant chunk, like $30-$60, for a crappy, boring, or repetative game, you really ad insult to injury. Today's game industry has really become expert at rubbing salt and lemon in our papercuts.

    Reply »
  • CG-Prophet
    CG-Prophet

    8/20/2008 11:28:56 AM

    I think this is more of a statement on quality. You want longer games if the games aren't mediocre. If they are middling and repetitive, then you want someone to make it stop.

    Reply »
  • RYCHE
    RYCHE

    8/20/2008 10:46:42 AM

    I collect games and yes I have only completed about 25% of them.Length doesn't matter to me,just quality gametime matters.

    Reply »
  • unangbangkay
    unangbangkay

    8/20/2008 12:26:50 AM

    But at the same time we as gamers demand and tend to judge games in terms of hours. Sure, a great 10 hours and incredible multiplayer is well and dandy, but what if you don't want to play multiplayer? Games like Team Fortress and Battlefield can get away with singleplayer experiences that are little more than tutorials, but any game that intends to cater to both audiences had better provide adequately on both fronts, and length is a factor.

    Reply »
  • Nintendo_Girl
    Nintendo_Girl

    8/19/2008 11:08:44 PM

    I almost always finish my games. . .

    But if a game is too repetitive
    then I get annoyed and stop playing.

    If it's long,
    and challenging,
    I will love it.
    And won't be satisfied till'
    I actually finish it

    :P

    Reply »
  • Granny_Goodness
    Granny_Goodness

    8/19/2008 10:11:09 PM

    Remember the 1st of the new prince of persia. Only like 7 hours to beat but super awsome.

    Reply »

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