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Andy Phelps Proposes 'B-Sides' For Games

Posted by Zonk on from the has-to-be-better-than-big-rigs dept.

Andy Phelps has once again begun blogging. A recent post of his to the Corante Tech site suggests an intriguing idea: B-Sides to major commercial games. "I think there is an interesting opportunity here: stick some "B-Side" experimental games on the DVD with the big title. Little Flash games, or student games, or Internet games that haven't taken off yet. Don't advertise them on the box, sell the "big game" just like always." Thanks to Hylton Jolliffe for the submission.

4 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. Hmm... by Gothic_Walrus · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Say what you will about the games being available through other distribution channels, but remember that that doesn't hold true for everyone.

    Not everyone has a high-speed internet connection.

    Not everyone has internet access, period.

    Not everyone is willing to leave their computer on all night for a download when they're being billed for the amount of time that they're connected to the internet.

    Not everyone has access to a GameStop, EB, or a store that sells more games than the big-budget titles that Wal-Mart sells.

    Not everyone feels comfortable buying games online.

    Beyond all of this, the fact remains that publisher pays the development team, even a relatively small amount ($10,000, perhaps) might more than cover the costs of making the game.

    Really, who loses out if a company decides to try this? All we'd lose would be the pretty screenprinting on the top of the CD, and that's not a very big loss...

    --
    Goo goo g'joob.
  2. Gaming B-Sides already exist by BluhDeBluh · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And they have in lots of games, whether as Easter Eggs, unlockables or just fun minigames. Presumably, these are side projects thrown in to add something to the mix

    These major ones spring to mind:
    Pyoro 1 and 2 in Warioware Inc. Fantastic fun little things
    The lightgun game Demolition Racer for Dreamcast. Lovely fun little game
    The useless VMU games and both Pocketstation games that no-one ever played
    Galaxians in the Ridge Racer loading screen
    All the retro games in modern titles (PoP and the NES games in Animal Crossing)
    NiGHTs and Puyo Pop for GBA in PSO and Billy Hatcher for GC
    Blackhole Assault with an inbuilt pong game

    After Googling, there's a whole FAQ full at http://www.steverd.com/faqs/hiddengames.htm - dates back to 1999, but the point is still there.

  3. Loading... by Jobby · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You know what's great? Little mini-games you can play while the main game is loading. Too long have we been fobbed off with high-res ingame shots or unused coverart! Give us scrolling text that adds to the story, or a mini-game to occupy us - because sitting still for more than 30 seconds is *hard*.

  4. shmubject by spyrochaete · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think software companies should bundle REAL things in the box, like manuals, action figures, cloth maps, anything to reward people for purchasing the package. A bunch of tossware would be pointless.