Thousands of video games are released yearly in the US alone, but out of all of these video games, only a select few are financially successful. Quite a few different factors play into the success of a video game. Three of these factors are trends in the industry, the quality of the game, and the quantity of the gameplay. But keep in mind; all of these will vary from game to game because of the developers, the target audience, advertisement, and many other things surrounding the game.

What is considered desirable in a video game has changed very much overtime. An example of a recent trend that is not as prominent today but still seen is the trend in first person shooters (FPS) that put the player in the shoes of soldiers and other military personnel. Games such as “Call of Duty” and “Brothers in Arms” are examples of games that followed these trends. Video games that take what is trending into consideration can often pull more interest from the consumers.

The quality of a game can mean a lot. It not only means the quality of the graphics and the programming behind the video game, but also the originality, story, and interesting gameplay. A game that did well with this was “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword”. This game used Wii Motion Plus to enhance the gameplay and immerse the player more deeply in the game by making it feel like the player is actually wielding a sword.

The quantity of the gameplay is very important as well. This means how much there is to the game. The length of time it takes to complete the main story line. And if it’s not a very long time, it should offer more to the gamer. Such as side quests, multiple ending, and hidden treasures. These are all things that add to the game’s overall quantity. The game “Dishonored” did a phenomenal job with gameplay. There are different outcomes for all of your choices in the game as well as many side missions you can choose to do or not, but every decision goes into how the game will end.

The Webster dictionary definition of a video game is “An electronic game in which players control images on a television or computer screen.” It sounds simple, but in reality there is so much thought put into making a video game. It takes years of hard work to produce an incredible video game. Every game is a piece of art that should be appreciated for what it is, successful or not.