Biggest Developer In The Past 15 Years?

[metaleggman]

Enix for creating the modern console RPG (Am I right on that one? Dragon Quest?)

I'm not so sure about this. While I think they created the first console RPG, but wasn't ultima ultimately the root of all those kinds of games? I haven't personally played them, so some clarification would be appreciated. I'm just thinking that Dragon Quest borrowed a few or quite a few elements for the early ultima games.

[Perseid]

Enix for creating the modern console RPG (Am I right on that one? Dragon Quest?)

I'm not so sure about this. While I think they created the first console RPG, but wasn't ultima ultimately the root of all those kinds of games? I haven't personally played them, so some clarification would be appreciated. I'm just thinking that Dragon Quest borrowed a few or quite a few elements for the early ultima games.

That's why I said 'console RPG'. There's a difference in style between Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest and Ultima or Fallout, which are considered 'PC RPG's. But yes, Ultima predates DQ by many years, so I guess I should add Origin to my list too.

[lordofduct]

Enix for creating the modern console RPG (Am I right on that one? Dragon Quest?)

I'm not so sure about this. While I think they created the first console RPG, but wasn't ultima ultimately the root of all those kinds of games? I haven't personally played them, so some clarification would be appreciated. I'm just thinking that Dragon Quest borrowed a few or quite a few elements for the early ultima games.

That's why I said 'console RPG'. There's a difference in style between Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest and Ultima or Fallout, which are considered 'PC RPG's. But yes, Ultima predates DQ by many years, so I guess I should add Origin to my list too.

Ultimately... all three of those games are out of our year range. 15 years ago was 1992, three years into the life of the Genesis and 1 to 2 years of the SNES (depending region) several Dragon Quests, FFs, Phantasy Stars and Ultimas later.

Also Ultima 1 coming out in 1980 was a PC game that began the structure of the USA PC RPG (in fav influence of resent titles like Oblivion). Where as Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy are the quintesential design of the JRPG seen more often on console and can better describe the 'console RPG'. Though again out of our date range.

Ultimately as well, you can't really say RPGs have come all that far since the early nineties either. Maybe the developement of a more engaging story over level grinding with incarnites of Final Fantasy 6 or the Lunar games.

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As for influential game makers over the past 15 years... that is a very difficult question:

Sega - for several years released creative out there titles that actually made it to here in the USA and even Europe. It wasn't often you found quarky titles on older consoles until Sega started bringin' a lot over en masse. They also influenced the game industry a lot by showing them what NOT to do.

Nintendo - in resent years has really become a force which it hasn't been since the 80's. Moving videogaming to a higher realm of experience through interactive game play. I am not referring to the hardware though... what I mean is that they released a gameplay style that has been around for years, but in software they embrace it to the max and really bring it home.
Sorry I can not credit them for 3D as we already had it before them, I can't credit them 3D platforming as I personally think 3D platforming is a freakin' waste and a disgrace to classic titles. The last truely big influence they had was the development of a platform filled with lovable characters back when the released the Famicon/NES

Microsoft - yes M$. You have to admit that they were the ones who introduced home console gaming to the multimedia experience. PS2 may have brought the DVD player home, but MS brought a whole ton of options to the table and other companies followed in league. Now MS is a hard choice though because I wouldn't credit them much on the actual software level of gaming. It is just that they bring tons of options to games that I feel needs credit. A well maintained internet community (XBOX Live), gamertags and scores, and software on their hardware that does tons more then other consoles have. Yes the 360 is young, but it is the fruits of MS actually listening to the customer... they tested the waters with the XBOX years back and delivered most of what people loved about it. Exceptions being that which discredits their market... sorry, but freely allowing homebrew modifications is bad for business and that was a choice they had to make. If you were a company, you'd do the freakin' same. Capitalize while still giving us what we want... nice happy medium.

I believe these three companies brought gaming to the gamer. They influenced the aspects of video gaming that quenched thirsts for GAMERS in large ways. Other companies like Konami or Capcom had influences as well, but these companies didn't pave roads for the Gamer in our hearts; they merely fed us the food we wanted while walking the roads these 3 noted companies paved.

Then there are the companies who were heavily influential in the non-gamer aspect. Sony for instance is an amazing force who is influencing games around the world on unnexplainable levels. But I don't think it is for the better of gamers. It is for the better of the market. Sony brought the console into EVERYONE'S home. Sony commercialized video games along with companies like EA to get a console in every house. Down side to this is it loaded consoles up with tons of filler games that attracted these casual players, and smashed the dreams of the gamer. Now we are plagued with titles that sell amazingly well only because joe schmoe EA Sports title player buys them all up. Now the companies think this is the crap we WANT on our consoles. Us gamers are left to scratch our heads and pray that someone just might listen to us.

(Oh please SEGA listen to us... LISTEN... Stop doing this to Sonic. The XBOX 360 title is attrocious)

Yes I named companies that also partake in hardware as well. But I'm not really trying to judge their hardware... it is just that their software developers helped shape a lot, and utilized their hardware to do it (except for the case of XBOX... where their firmware and on console software and customer commitment was influential... not their actual games. As for other companies I can't really name any huge influences accept EA in the bringing home of total complete GARBAGE en masse for the casual gamer. Not a positive influence, but an influence non the less. Square and Sony also brought home the idea of multi-million dollar budgets for videogames with their titles like Final Fantasy and Gran Turismo. Again I wouldn't call these positive influences.

Capcom, Konami, Namco, Ubi, Treasure, Rare, Rockstar and others... what have they really brought to the table?

Survival horror, shooters and open ended gameplay (ala GTA)? I wouldn't really call these huge influences. They are small sub genres... some of which pre date 1992. GTA maybe being the only big influence.

Oh and STOP giving Capcom all the survivor horror credit... they didn't invent for christ sake. Go check out some Sierra games or titles on the C64 (especially titles by Eric Chahi)... or how about Alone in the Dark. They ALL pre date it. (AitD being the closest in game play styling is the best example of that).

Anyways... that is all I have to say about the topic.

[metaleggman]

Nintendo - in resent years has really become a force which it hasn't been since the 80's. Moving videogaming to a higher realm of experience through interactive game play. I am not referring to the hardware though... what I mean is that they released a gameplay style that has been around for years, but in software they embrace it to the max and really bring it home.

But isn't that how it was for the NES? less powerful hardware with gameplay to make up for it, not to mention affordability.