Does difficulty in a video game lead to reduced or higher sales?

[cheat-master30]

Well, it's an interesting game related debate question, and it seems a lot of times extremely difficulty (read; Platform Hell) has been blamed on a game selling less than others in the same series, so what do you think?

On one hand, some really hard games have got a good amount of popularity due to being really difficult. You've got released games like Battletoads which got a good reputation and a decent fanbase due to being insanely difficult, along with games like Ninja Gaiden and such like. You've got freeware games like Kaizo Mario World, I Wanna Be the Guy and La Mulana which are popular due to being hard as nails in any sense of the term as well as Touhou and such like. Think Platform Hell and Bullet Hell genres.

On the other hand, some instances it seems the difficulty can be off putting to many, and easy games can sell well to a more casual audience. See; lack of popularity of games like Super Mario Bros 2 (Japan) and Zelda 2: Adventure of Link.

Your thoughts?

[vingw]

I know LOTS of people like hard levels that people make on super mario flash v3.0

[nickyivyca]

I like games to be challenging, but not too hard. Or also, some people just like games that are so hard it's funny to play them (like the hacks). If a game's too hard and it's not funny that way, people won't like it.

[nickyivyca]

I like games to be challenging, but not too hard. Or also, some people just like games that are so hard it's funny to play them (like the hacks). If a game's too hard and it's not funny that way, people won't like it.

[Yoshi987]

Loldoublepost.
Anyhow, you know what's interesting is that I was just reading an article on difficulty of games.
It talked about how there are three stages to a learning curve:
Stage 1, where you get real frustrated trying a new difficult task;
Stage 2, where the difficulty matches the user's skill;
and Stage 3, where the user's skill is so high that they become bored.
You know why I think those games are so popular?
It's because the difficulty of the games makes sure that no one person can get up to Stage 3.

[cheat-master30]

Loldoublepost.
Anyhow, you know what's interesting is that I was just reading an article on difficulty of games.
It talked about how there are three stages to a learning curve:
Stage 1, where you get real frustrated trying a new difficult task;
Stage 2, where the difficulty matches the user's skill;
and Stage 3, where the user's skill is so high that they become bored.
You know why I think those games are so popular?
It's because the difficulty of the games makes sure that no one person can get up to Stage 3.

That's a good point. Can I have a link to the article?

Oh, and:

Stage 3 is where many normal games fall down, you basically get too good for the game to be enjoyable (see, most single player games).

Stage 1... is where Super Kusottare World falls flat on it's face, everyone who played it/plays it gets too frustrated to ever want to finish the game. Aka, that thin line between 'too hard for normal players' and 'too easy for people using extreme tool assistance'.

[Phazon]

Lower. Today's gaming audience depises challenge.

[Hathril]

I am not a fan of really dificult games because I get mad when I die a lot. However, it's the results that make people believe.

[cheat-master30]

Lower. Today's gaming audience depises challenge.

Proof? You do know most extremely hard Platform Hell and Bullet Hell games are modern, right?

[Yoshi987]

Loldoublepost.
Anyhow, you know what's interesting is that I was just reading an article on difficulty of games.
It talked about how there are three stages to a learning curve:
Stage 1, where you get real frustrated trying a new difficult task;
Stage 2, where the difficulty matches the user's skill;
and Stage 3, where the user's skill is so high that they become bored.
You know why I think those games are so popular?
It's because the difficulty of the games makes sure that no one person can get up to Stage 3.

That's a good point. Can I have a link to the article?

Oh, and:

Stage 3 is where many normal games fall down, you basically get too good for the game to be enjoyable (see, most single player games).

Stage 1... is where Super Kusottare World falls flat on it's face, everyone who played it/plays it gets too frustrated to ever want to finish the game. Aka, that thin line between 'too hard for normal players' and 'too easy for people using extreme tool assistance'.
Err, it was actually in a book I read.
Why I said "article" I have no idea. :o

[cheat-master30]

So what's the name of the book? It sounds interesting.

[link 70222]

I'd say challenging games lead to good sales, but not too hard. Because SMB2 was too hard, Nintendo lost a good portion or what they would've got if they shipped it to America. But look at some game like... uh... Pony Riding Party (not real game) People who are into those types of games would buy it. So it's a two-way road with this one.

[Phazon]

Lower. Today's gaming audience depises challenge.

Proof? You do know most extremely hard Platform Hell and Bullet Hell games are modern, right?

The proof is in the fact that easy games sell more than difficult games. Also essentially all games are getting easier for today's gaming audience. Read some reviews and see how many call a difficult game "too hard" and how many call an easy game "too easy". They want to feel like they're good at video games by being able to beat them easily and that's what makes them sell so companies pander to the majority for increased sales. A few difficult games here and there are barely noteworthy in the bigger picture. The fact is that this generation of video games is the easiest that they've ever been and it would seem that only the minority enjoys a challenge so major gaming companies ignore their needs, despite the fact that those gamers have been around the longest and are fed up with being insulted with these easy games. In fact, to say that there is no proof of dumbing down in video games is quite blindsighted, because it's obvious in my opinion.

[cheat-master30]

Lower. Today's gaming audience depises challenge.

Proof? You do know most extremely hard Platform Hell and Bullet Hell games are modern, right?

The proof is in the fact that easy games sell more than difficult games. Also essentially all games are getting easier for today's gaming audience. Read some reviews and see how many call a difficult game "too hard" and how many call an easy game "too easy". They want to feel like they're good at video games by being able to beat them easily and that's what makes them sell so companies pander to the majority for increased sales. A few difficult games here and there are barely noteworthy in the bigger picture. The fact is that this generation of video games is the easiest that they've ever been and it would seem that only the minority enjoys a challenge so major gaming companies ignore their needs, despite the fact that those gamers have been around the longest and are fed up with being insulted with these easy games. In fact, to say that there is no proof of dumbing down in video games is quite blindsighted, because it's obvious in my opinion.

I wouldn't say all or most games are getting easier. Many Mario games and spinoffs probably got more difficult due to more complex game mechanics and such like. Super Mario 64 ain't as difficult as Super Mario Galaxy, regardless of the nostalgists. Mario Kart Wii... is basically a game that probably got dumbed down but made more difficult for it in the process. Funny comment; this 'casual' game is the Mario Kart most likely to see that Wii Wheel flying out the window in rage...

Actually, to be fair, it probably depends purely on the series in question. If a series can only really get more difficult, it's unlikely the sequels will get any easier. If there is actual difficulty... then a series can get easier, or not...

[Phazon]

Not all games, but easily the majority are getting easier. Galaxy is pathetically easy. The only reason I ever died is due to bad camera and controls. Mario 64 suffers from similar problems, but it's still a more difficult game. Yeah I don't like SM64 or SMG.