“They were only getting paid for the first copy sold,” Fryer explained. “They lost millions of dollars.” Sure, multiplayer games were growing in popularity at the time, but as Fryer put it, “How do we create a single-player game that is so compelling, that people keep the disc in their library forever?”
Really, they finally found that one simple trick to maximize profits: Make a good product that people want to play longer. Go figure?
Small nitpick: They aren’t really protected by copyright. Only the exact way mechanics are described are protected, you can describe any mechanic in your own words. This system was patented, though, which is what you need for a comprehensive state-granted monopoly on game mechanics. See Magic The gathering patenting its entire game mechanics (expired now): https://patents.google.com/patent/US5662332A/en
Fair enough; game mechanics really shouldn’t be patentable. Specifically / particularly video game mechanics; every video game uses concepts and ideas from other games - there’s nothing completely original anymore. Imagine if every game had patented all of its mechanics - there would be no new games, it’d be impossible to make something. Imagine if ID had patented the concept of a first person shooter, for instance.
I’d argue that the indie scene is already providing that; it’s really just the AAA studios that’re churning out cookie cutter garbage. However, if everyone had patented game mechanics, those indie studios wouldn’t be able to make those games. I’d challenge you to find a game that hasn’t borrowed something from another. I certainly can’t think of one.
Every game that has hit points and damage is stealing mechanics from historical war games in the 50s, which was then stolen by naval war games in the early 70s, which was then stolen by D&D in the late 70s, and has since been stolen to this very day haha
Yeah, this is a really shitty, clickbait title.
Really, they finally found that one simple trick to maximize profits: Make a good product that people want to play longer. Go figure?
And then they locked it up and hid it from ever being used for decades….
This is a whole separate discussion; game mechanics really should not be copyrightable at all, IMO.
Small nitpick: They aren’t really protected by copyright. Only the exact way mechanics are described are protected, you can describe any mechanic in your own words. This system was patented, though, which is what you need for a comprehensive state-granted monopoly on game mechanics. See Magic The gathering patenting its entire game mechanics (expired now): https://patents.google.com/patent/US5662332A/en
Fair enough; game mechanics really shouldn’t be patentable. Specifically / particularly video game mechanics; every video game uses concepts and ideas from other games - there’s nothing completely original anymore. Imagine if every game had patented all of its mechanics - there would be no new games, it’d be impossible to make something. Imagine if ID had patented the concept of a first person shooter, for instance.
It’s odd that it takes in that direction, rather than going with trend of other patents, where the patent is for the implementation, not the idea.
Another great example of this is Bandi Namco’s loading screen minigame patent, which expired in 2015. The patent was incredibly broad.
Or we’d have a huge variety of different games that are more creative.
I’d argue that the indie scene is already providing that; it’s really just the AAA studios that’re churning out cookie cutter garbage. However, if everyone had patented game mechanics, those indie studios wouldn’t be able to make those games. I’d challenge you to find a game that hasn’t borrowed something from another. I certainly can’t think of one.
Every game that has hit points and damage is stealing mechanics from historical war games in the 50s, which was then stolen by naval war games in the early 70s, which was then stolen by D&D in the late 70s, and has since been stolen to this very day haha
Imagine hit points being patented…