Did the Internet Ruin Gaming?

Was gaming ruined by the Internet? Prior to the original Xbox, the entire game had to fit on the cartridge or optical disc.

Starting with the original Xbox, which included a hard drive and an ethernet port, developers could update their games. Every subsequent console included a hard drive and Internet connectivity.

Most recently, Jedi: Survivor was released to both fanfare and frustration.

The game was released physically, but the disc did not include the entire game. The physical game required a download. As a result of an incomplete physical game, I bought the digital version on the PS5. The game also has a lot of issues, so people say. I have had a good time playing the game. Amazon l has a $10 discount on the physical game, already. I have really enjoyed playing the game, and I do not have many complaints.

The reason for mentioning this game again is simply because it is poster child for how the Internet ruined gaming.

For a moment, let’s assume that all of the criticism is 100% accurate. I personally think that it is overblown, but I have had a good experience with the game.

Game Tester Experience

Years ago, I was a game tester. Most of the games I tested were broken, and at different levels of development. Additionally, most of them were on various versions of Windows (95/98/98se/Millenium/2000).

Those console games needed to be polished before release. Computer games on the other hand, could be patched after the release of the game. Many of the computer games I tested were pushed out by the publisher, and patched after the release. While this was common for PC games, the Sega Saturn, Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64 were the consoles of the time. These consoles certainly pre-dated Internet capability, meaning that games were as bug-free as possible, prior to release.

Modern Gaming

In modern day, console and PC gaming are largely the same. Both entities can be patched at a later time. Publishers and developers still have deadlines, and whether the game functions seem to be irrelevant. A patch is always an option. By that very nature, the Internet has changed gaming forever, and not for the better.

What do you think?