Video game companies you rely on.

[eldargal]

Thinking about how dependent some people are on GW for their hobby (game space, miniatures etc) got me thinking, are people similarly dependent on video game developers (not franchises)? Are there are any developers that when they release a game you will know you will buy it just because they make it? Or if not to that extent, that you know what they will release will be quality even if it doesn't appeal to you?


For me, I have Bioware. I've bought every game Bioware have released except the two non PC games (Sonic Chronicles and Mass Effect Galaxy). If they make it, I will buy it and I will probably love it. Just to illustrate how sad my addiction to Bioware games is, I commissioned an artist friend to make a full scale bronze sculpture of my Commander Shephard from Mass Effect as well as making myself dresses featured in both the ME and Dragon Age games.

Blizzard Entertainment, I've been playing their games sine Warcraft: Orcs and Human and will continue to buy their games. Though I did skip the Diablo and Diablo II expansions.

[scadugenga]

Thinking about how dependent some people are on GW for their hobby (game space, miniatures etc) got me thinking, are people similarly dependent on video game developers (not franchises)? Are there are any developers that when they release a game you will know you will buy it just because they make it? Or if not to that extent, that you know what they will release will be quality even if it doesn't appeal to you?


For me, I have Bioware. I've bought every game Bioware have released except the two non PC games (Sonic Chronicles and Mass Effect Galaxy). If they make it, I will buy it and I will probably love it. Just to illustrate how sad my addiction to Bioware games is, I commissioned an artist friend to make a full scale bronze sculpture of my Commander Shephard from Mass Effect as well as making myself dresses featured in both the ME and Dragon Age games.

Blizzard Entertainment, I've been playing their games sine Warcraft: Orcs and Human and will continue to buy their games. Though I did skip the Diablo and Diablo II expansions.

Your missing out on Diablo's I & II. They were fantastic.

Blizzard and Bioware definitely are up there.

Square was, but the Final Fantasy online stuff is souring my outlook on them.

THQ and Namco are some-of-the-time, as is Tecmo Koei & Midway.

[Skragger]

I've lost a lot of faith in Blizzard over the years. They're raking in millions and millions a year from World of Warcraft, but it also takes them years and years to make anything non World of Warcraft related. They've really fallen as a company in my eyes.

Don't forget as well, bioware isn't a company anymore. Its a division of EA (Evil Arseholes) games. I miss the quality of the Baldur's Gate series. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Mass Effect and Dragon Age, but I feel they just don't live up to Baldur's Gate 2.

Bethesda was also a big one for me. I lost track of the thousands of hours I logged on Morrowind, but even their stuff is becoming so.. bland now. Oblivion and Fallout 3 were both disappointments to me.

I'm finding myself drifting towards indie companies, like Mojang AB (can't wait to see how Scrolls turns out). I don't mean it in a "ooo I knew them before they were famous. Or I'm a hipster and I think Indie is so much better than mainstream *sips starbucks*". Mostly because their ideas are new and still fresh. Yes, most suck, but every now and then you get a goldmine. Like Minecraft, Tiny Bang Story, Dwarves, Super Meat Boy.

I could rant for hours on video games.. I should probably get away now...

[eldargal]

Oh I play Diablo I and II, just not the expansion(s). Not sure why not, never got around to it. Eagerly awaiting Diablo III. I have to admit I never liked Final Fantasy, though I don't dislike it.


I don't have a problem with Blizzard taking their time making other games, WoW is in demand and it generates most of their income, its only natural. Starcraft II was certainly worth the wait, in my opinion. I stopped playing WoW years ago as it got boring fast, though I do check out the expansions. I admit to still holding a grudge about them forgetting Alleria and Turalyon but that just goes into the 'too geeky' category of complaints. I can see how it would get frustrating though.

I adore the Baldurs Gate series, but I think Dragon Age and Mass Effect are on par with quality. I've actually cried at certain points in both games, I've been that emotionally vested in my character and the squad/party members. I'm really looking forward to SW:TOR as well, if anyone can make a good story driven MMO it is Bioware.

Oh I forgot Creative Assembly, I've bought every Total War game to date, though I have to admit I preferred Empire to Shogun II.

[Skragger]

Oh I play Diablo I and II, just not the expansion(s). Not sure why not, never got around to it. Eagerly awaiting Diablo III. I have to admit I never liked Final Fantasy, though I don't dislike it.

Well.. we can keep waiting. I remember the release date was March 2010. Now its still TBA. Diablo 3 is going to become the new Duke Nukem Forever. Billions of dollars in that company, and can't even finish a game. Seriously.

On a slightly different note.. does anyone remember the Maximo series? Or the Gauntlet Legends series? Best party game ever = Gauntlet Legends

[eldargal]

I can understand how you feel but its actually one of the things I like about Blizzard, that they will delay a came indefinitely if they feel they need to. Bioware too, having recently delayed ME3. God knows I'd like it sooner, I'm already on my twelfth playthrough of ME through to ME2 and I'm beginning to feel a little embarassed.

[Skragger]

I can see your point, I ran three runthroughs before I moved on. Its a bit frustrating with Blizzard because they didn't just wave some teaser trailers in our face and then quietly stop production (here's lookin at you GW!) they went as far as to show us gameplay trailers and set a release date. Something you don't do until you know your game is just about finished. And here we are, over a year later since the switch to TBA with no explaination why. It just seems strange to me. And annoying.

[Gotthammer]

I'm not so much companies anymore - it used to be anything by Bullfrog, but no more - now I'm more into series. For instace I love Mass Effect (in a manner as about as unhealthy as EG), but have no real inclination to play anything else by Bioware (I played and enjoyed DA:O, but it didn't grab me the same way). I used to be the same about Metroid until Other: M stank up the series.

Similarly I love all the Fallout games, even Tactics and the new ones, but that's due to the style and the world. I used to play games like Jagged Alliance, SWAT 2 and x-com a lot, but with the general decline in the strategy/rpg type games, I just don't play that many anymore.

[Emerald Rose Widow]

Eh, Blizzard can be frustrating to me, I used to play wow and the new expansion killed it for me, so i havent played in a while and have no plans to return. Loved starcraft 2 though, its an awesome game and I'm glad I have it. Bioware games always impress me, I just hope that EA doesnt screw that company up too much, as they are want to do.

Those are really the only two companies that really hold me down interest wise though.

[Necron2.0]

To be honest, I'm not a hardcore fan of anything. I used to be a fanatical Star Fleet Battles player, but that was years ago. I won't simply by GW schnitt because they made it. Frankly, I'm only into 40k because a few friends are into it. Otherwise, the game simply does not impress me that much - it's an idle pass time and not much more.

Likewise, there isn't a specific video game maker I follow religiously. The closest exception to this is BioWare, and specifically as it applies to their Star Wars games.