Wal-Mart Controls Modern Game Design?

An anonymous reader writes "That Wal-Mart smiley face is looking pretty evil now that Allen Varney has explained how much influence they have on virtually every modern game: 'Publisher sales reps inform Wal-Mart buyers of games in development; the games' subjects, titles, artwork and packaging are vetted and sometimes vetoed by Wal-Mart. If Wal-Mart tells a top-end publisher it won't carry a certain game, the publisher kills that game. In short, every triple-A game sold at retail in North America is managed start to finish, top to bottom, with the publisher's gaze fixed squarely on Wal-Mart, and no other.'"

Comments

Not forever.

[bigattichouse]

This won't be true forever. Companies that pride themselves on quality have given Wally World the heave-ho, choosing to create lasting quality goods instead of cheap crap.

Re:Not forever.

[Deagol]

That's easy. Just research up on the top 2 or three brands of what you want to buy. For many classes of products, you just won't find them.

Take De Walt power tools (you know, those construction yellow and black tools with a good , solid feel to them) -- you don't see those at Wal Mart. Ditto Husqvarna chainsaws. Both damned good tools. Much more pricey then the piece-o-crap Black and Decker and Weed Eater branded tools you find at Wally World.

Of course, some good manufacturers still sell via Wal Mart, and, as far as I can tell,their quality is still good. Take the Ruger 10/22 rifle. Sure, it's accuracy is somewhat limited, but damn do those things are built like tanks and are rifles you can count on your grandkids using, if you don't pawn it for beer money.

So, some companies, like Snapper, just don't do business because it will hurt their perceived image of quality or they know Wal Mart will force them to actually lower their quality. Others, like Ruger, don't care because Walmart is the single largest distributor of their products.

Expect "unrated" versions...

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

I fully expect that games, like movies on DVD, will soon come in two versions:
- PG-13 (the Wal-Mart version)
- unrated (the online version)

Re:Too much buying power...

[AKAImBatman]

One of the most publicized occurrences was with BMX XXX - Wal-Mart didn't want to sell it because of its nature, so they toned it down to fit within Wal-Mart standards.

The problem is, this effect appears to be entirely unintentional. Walmart has always tried to maintain a family friendly "Bible-belt" image. As a result, they have never in their history carried games that didn't meet their current criteria. As gaming moved away from Shareware and into Hollywood-style productions, they obviously started needing bigger outlets to sell their games. Now since Wal-mart is the biggest consumer shopping center at the moment, that means that producers are going to follow Wal-mart's rules to maintain profits.

If this was still the 80's, game producers would be complaining about K-Mart or Sears instead.

On the flip side of this, Walmart has done some good. The smaller packaging of games has made them easier to store, produced less waste, and has generally been good for consumers as a whole. Which is nice, because the GIGANTOR boxes was really getting out of hand for awhile there. Especially as game producers packed less and less in the box. Anyone remember how Wing Commander included Blueprints, a manual, offers, etc? Good luck finding that stuff in a modern game. :-/

Actually Wal*Mart is #2 on the list.

[Quarters]

I've been on game projects that have been cancelled due to lack of interest / trepidation from retailers. The company that owns EBGames/GameStop/Babbages is the #1 concern. Wal*Mart is #2, and BestBuy is #3. That's for "regular" games. If a company is working on a budget title or a hunting title then Wal*Mart definately becomes the #1 retailer to pass judgement.

That this happens shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Given the current system of putting games on discs and putting discs in boxes the retailer must be appeased or there is no place to sell the product.

This is exactly what we need.

[twifosp]

If you stop and think about this for a minute, this is a very positive thing for the gaming industry. It will only serve to stiffle and choke more creative game designers. Which is why eventually they will realize they don't need the publishers. They have the internet. Valve gave it a good shot with Steam, but underestimated how egrigious its publisher, Vivendi, really was.

We aren't far off from video game companies realizing they can maximize profits by raising their own capital and self publishing. In a world with broadband, buying games off the shelves just seems dumb. So everyone, lets gather around and thank companies like Wal-Mart for tightening its grip on the markets. The markets will choke to death and be reborn into something better.

Or if not, look on the bright side. You can still buy guns at Wal-Mart and go for the ultimate grand theft auto experience.

The Wal Mart Effect

[mikesmind]

In my family, we have coined a term - The Wal Mart Effect. This effect happens when companies lower quality to meet the Wal Mart buyer's pricing demands. This results in other stores carrying the lower quality items that Wal Mart does so they too can compete on price.

For example, you want to buy a pair of socks. You happen to like Brand X socks. Since Brand X sells socks at Wal Mart, they have to lower the quality of the product to meet the price point that the buyer demands. These same socks are then sold to Kmart, Target, Sears, etc. In order to get a good pair of socks that last, you have to move up to a brand like Gold Toe that isn't sold at Wal Mart. To get this sock, you now shop at JC Penneys, Dillards, etc. Yes, you gladly pay more, because you want your socks to last more than a few months.

If you want quality, don't buy from Wal Mart. (It wasn't this bad when Sam Walton was in charge.)

Re:Cheap household goods, maybe, but not games.

[Kjella]

Every gamer I know buys from Amazon, EB Games, Gamestop, Best Buy, CompUSA, etc ... but NONE of them go to Wal-Mart for their games. Cheap furniture, office supplies, food, automotive products, maybe. But not games. Wal-Mart in this area doesn't even begin to compete on game selection, price, or in any other way with the more specialized stores.

An interior decorator does not go to wal-mart for furniture
An art gallery does not go to wal-mart for office supplies
A gourmet does not go to wal-mart for food
A hobby mechanic does not go to wal-mart for automotive products
A gamer does not.... see the pattern here?

For those things that interest you, you have more specialized stores. But I don't go hunting down specialized stores for every sort of product I might happen to need, if there's a shopping center nearby where they sell that. For example, I know exactly where to look for good deals on computer hardware from serious retailers. Has that stopped lots of generic electonics, or even convenience stores from selling that? Hell no. Wal-Mart is not the place you go to pick up a game. It's a place where you go to pick up "everything else", which for many people includes a game or two. Multiply that with some millions and you got Wal-Mart.