3 ms·

Where are the young adult games?

1 points by olvy0 5y ago

PaulHoule 5y ago
If it's analogy against "young adult" books you have to consider what the market for "young adults" books really is. "Young adults" don't buy "Young adult" books, rather public librarians buy "Young adult" books and shelf them in a special section because they believe a collection of "Young adult" books will attract "Young adults" to the library and encourage lifelong reading. Once a highly prolific author gets labeled a "Young adult" author they are certain to sell a number of profitable hardcovers to libraries and their publisher is likely to handcuff them to the grindstone, the way they did to Piers Anthony. (It is so agonizing to hear Anthony write about he's forced to write those cringeworthy Xanth books.) It was discovered at some point that "Young adult" books can be turned to gold at the cinema multiplex, so you get movies like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_5th_Wave_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_5th_Wave_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divergent_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divergent_(film) Unfortunately for Anthony those Xanth books are so https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=squicky https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=squicky that any effort to turn them into film and TV gets stuck in development hell. Few public libraries collect video games so there is no market for "Young Adult" games marketed to libraries. I suppose you could turn "Young Adult" books into video games but turning books and movies into video games is a much less reliable way to make cash than turning books and video games into movies.
ZeroGravitas 5y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_(video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_(video_game) seems to fit the bill. Adventure games generally actually, and many fantasy set games along the lines of Zelda seem to generally map to Hunger Games type things. The real answer of course is that "the boobs, swearing and gore" type games are aimed at young adults, because playing Mario Kart would be considered "childish" until they grow out of worrying about being considered "childish" and can just play fun games with their friends again.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
Ekaros 5y ago
Is such thing even needed? Teens have played it all traditionally. Even the mature games they likely should not have. From deep strategy games to casual match-3. I really see no reason why there even should be something special for them. Good thought provoking stories work for them as well. Maybe go light on the worst things, but in general I see no reason why there should be something else. And on one side they also have the time and sometimes mechanical skills far beyond older demographics.

1 points by olvy0 5y ago

If it's analogy against "young adult" books you have to consider what the market for "young adults" books really is. "Young adults" don't buy "Young adult" books, rather public librarians buy "Young adult" books and shelf them in a special section because they believe a collection of "Young adult" books will attract "Young adults" to the library and encourage lifelong reading. Once a highly prolific author gets labeled a "Young adult" author they are certain to sell a number of profitable hardcovers to libraries and their publisher is likely to handcuff them to the grindstone, the way they did to Piers Anthony. (It is so agonizing to hear Anthony write about he's forced to write those cringeworthy Xanth books.) It was discovered at some point that "Young adult" books can be turned to gold at the cinema multiplex, so you get movies like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_5th_Wave_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_5th_Wave_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divergent_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divergent_(film) Unfortunately for Anthony those Xanth books are so https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=squicky https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=squicky that any effort to turn them into film and TV gets stuck in development hell. Few public libraries collect video games so there is no market for "Young Adult" games marketed to libraries. I suppose you could turn "Young Adult" books into video games but turning books and movies into video games is a much less reliable way to make cash than turning books and video games into movies.

ZeroGravitas 5y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_(video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_(video_game) seems to fit the bill. Adventure games generally actually, and many fantasy set games along the lines of Zelda seem to generally map to Hunger Games type things. The real answer of course is that "the boobs, swearing and gore" type games are aimed at young adults, because playing Mario Kart would be considered "childish" until they grow out of worrying about being considered "childish" and can just play fun games with their friends again.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

Ekaros 5y ago

Is such thing even needed? Teens have played it all traditionally. Even the mature games they likely should not have. From deep strategy games to casual match-3. I really see no reason why there even should be something special for them. Good thought provoking stories work for them as well. Maybe go light on the worst things, but in general I see no reason why there should be something else. And on one side they also have the time and sometimes mechanical skills far beyond older demographics.