Strategy Guides in the World of Tomorrow
Do strategy guides have a future in gaming?
Derek Hidey
Issue date: 11/15/06 Section: The AT Wire
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I was at the local Game Stop a few months ago to buy Oblivion. Every time I walk in there I pass right by the strategy guides without a second thought. I found a copy of Oblivion and took it to the cashier.
"Oh, Oblivion, huh? It's an awesome game," the sales clerk said.
"Yeah, I've heard good things about it," I replied as I handed her money.
"Well, it' really confusing. I recommend getting the strategy guide," she continued.
"Ah, no thanks, I don't think I'll need it."
"Are you sure? It really helped me out a lot. I would have missed so much without it," she said, placing my game and receipt into a Game Stop bag.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks," I said as I took the bag with my game and left.
In the course of gaming history, we gamers have sought help from various tools to get through the harder parts of our games. The Game Genies and Game Sharks of our time allowed us to increase the replay value of our games, making certain we got the most for our money. Yet, as the Internet continues to grow and expand, we have seen these tools diminish. Why then do we continue to see things like strategy guides being sold at our local game stores?
Tradition isn't just a political issue, it also has its place in gaming. When that sales clerk recommended the strategy guide I immediately thought, "Have you heard of the Internet?" I decided not to say that since it also occurred to me that she may be paid on commission for selling strategy guides. Then I started thinking, "Who would really spend $15 on a seventy-page guide to a video game when there are a billion websites her or she can go to and achieve the same thing?
The only strategy guides that I ever bought were the ones for the Final Fantasy games. Being in middle school at the time, I'm sure I needed the walkthroughs, but I also remember having fun trying to draw the pictures that were in the guide. Sometimes strategy guides will have concept art and screenshots that you wouldn't normally run across. These little extras play a part in a gamer's decision to buy a strategy guide or leave it on the shelf.
"Oh, Oblivion, huh? It's an awesome game," the sales clerk said.
"Yeah, I've heard good things about it," I replied as I handed her money.
"Well, it' really confusing. I recommend getting the strategy guide," she continued.
"Ah, no thanks, I don't think I'll need it."
"Are you sure? It really helped me out a lot. I would have missed so much without it," she said, placing my game and receipt into a Game Stop bag.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks," I said as I took the bag with my game and left.
In the course of gaming history, we gamers have sought help from various tools to get through the harder parts of our games. The Game Genies and Game Sharks of our time allowed us to increase the replay value of our games, making certain we got the most for our money. Yet, as the Internet continues to grow and expand, we have seen these tools diminish. Why then do we continue to see things like strategy guides being sold at our local game stores?
Tradition isn't just a political issue, it also has its place in gaming. When that sales clerk recommended the strategy guide I immediately thought, "Have you heard of the Internet?" I decided not to say that since it also occurred to me that she may be paid on commission for selling strategy guides. Then I started thinking, "Who would really spend $15 on a seventy-page guide to a video game when there are a billion websites her or she can go to and achieve the same thing?
The only strategy guides that I ever bought were the ones for the Final Fantasy games. Being in middle school at the time, I'm sure I needed the walkthroughs, but I also remember having fun trying to draw the pictures that were in the guide. Sometimes strategy guides will have concept art and screenshots that you wouldn't normally run across. These little extras play a part in a gamer's decision to buy a strategy guide or leave it on the shelf.
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