Poll results - Quality of games in this economy?

So here are the results for the latest poll:

Are you worried about the effects this economy will have on the QUALITY of new games?

No = 4
Yes = 5
Eh? = 1

Okay, who ever voted that they didn't know what's wrong with the economy better start watching the news. Of course, with all the doom and gloom they've been reporting I've stopped watching the news altogether for some time now. There's only so many depressing facts I can take before I start to take it personally. Even if it's not directed at me.

So here is what I think. Yes, I think the declining economy is going to effect the quality of games coming out. Some of it will be negative and some of it will be positive.

The negatives are that good developers are going to have to reduce staff in order to still work on projects. Good games are going to get shelves (Battlefront 3 for example) because a company just isn't going to be able to create them. Some companies will no longer exist or they'll get bought up by the bigger companies and then lose their unique identities. Also games that might be close to being finished might be rushed out the door so the company will have something out there that they can make some money off of . . . hopefully. When companies are more worried about just getting a product out there so they can MAKE money instead of just spending it, games will suffer.

But I don't think it's all doom and gloom for the industry entirely. Companies that were making hack games like it was candy might fold up and those poor quality games will no longer be a blight on game shelves. Some companies might delay game releases just to make sure that they've got the best game out there because hungry gamers can make a small or semi-small game a huge hit. I think BioShock started out that way. Another good thing is that when companies fail or lose people other companies will snatch up the brightest people and might bring them together with other brighter people and they might eventually make really awesome games because of that. And something else to look forward to is that there will still be small individuals or groups that tinker around with making a game, and making it the best that they can, without any pressure form corporate suits breathing down their necks. Those games might start off small but they tend to snowball around with word of mouth. And when the economy starts to take off again there will be an explosion of games that come out that will fill whatever void quality games have left us in.

Life, politics, love and the economy all cycle on a pendulum principle. One day you're in madly in love with someone and the next you can't stand the sight of them. One day you're house doubles in value and the next day . . . well, if you have a house now a days you know what I'm talking about. All I can say is hang on and just play the games you do have now (if you can't afford to buy any new ones) because you can always afford to get games later on as a used copy. And sometimes the thrill of the hunt at finding that perfect older game can make up for any economic downturns (either personal or global) you might be experiences now. Trust me.