[Jonster]

Sorry, I didn't want to have to do this, but I feel the need to play Devil's Advocate.

Games companies can hear people cry out consistently for harder games, and you know what they'll do about it?
Nothing.
Games companies don't have to do shit.

Gaming now isn't as specialist (for lack of a better work) as it used to be back in the 8-bit and 16-bit days.
Games now reach a wider audience than ever before, and games are more expensive to make than ever before. The industry, while still in relative infancy, is evolving.
It's evolving to stay alive.
Because games cost so much to make, they need to make sure they'll at least get their money back.
That's why you see so many licenced products, and I bet not one of them will be made harder than necessary.
You know why? Easier games make more money, and most games get sequels.
Also, a badly licenced game reflects badly on the licence.
Lets look at a couple of examples...

Scenario A:
Kid has just got a brand new game X by Company.
Kid loads up game X, and plays it. It's hard as nails that have been strengthened over 17 years using a special Nail Strengthening Solution.
Kid takes game back to shop out of fustration, Company loses money.
Company make sequel game Y, Kid is interested. Remembers X and remembers how hard it was. Kid doesn't buy it, Company loses more money.

Scenario B:
Kid has just got a brand new game X by Company.
Kid loads up game X, and plays it. It presents a mild, but ultimately unchallenging experience. Kid completes it and enjoys it.
Sequel Y comes out, Kid goes wow, I enjoyed X, buys Y.
Company gets 2 extra sales.

Imagine each of those scenarios happening not just to one kid, but nationwide or even worldwide.
I like a challenge as much as the next person, and there are games released that account for the hardened gamer (Ikaruga and Ninja Gaiden spring instantly to mind).
But sales of Ikaruga were little, and I bet Ninja Gaiden, despite positive reviews (which also point out the difficulty), doesn't sell that well.
Both have fanbases, but not as big as say a FIFA fanbase.

You have to remember that when you play games, you're playing a product of an industry that's out to make money.

Yes, most people get into the games industry to make games because of the love of them. That's why I'll get into it, but these people still need a wage.

Reading over a history of videogames book I have, a lot of companies were started by businessmen who knew nothing about games.

Then because of the lack of understanding for games by these, programmers and designers would leave and form their own companies, only for them to have to close down, or be brought out many years later.

That's why you'll never get your hard games.

Please note, that I do really enjoy games that challenge me, and push me to get better, but it's not gonna happen.

Originally Posted by Bricktop Today's games focus way to much on graphics and not enough on making them fun to play. This is why most of the games from the golden age of videogames (80-90) was so great.

Yes, because a lot of people judge games on graphics.
Like the parents who buy the games for the kids.
Or the kids who don't know any better.

Originally Posted by Buzzkill There are a few of the old games that kick the shit out of some of the newer games, but there are none that kick the shit out of all of todays games.

Absolutely, I was originally going to say that, and must've missed your post when I first read it
I couldn't think how to put it...

Originally Posted by Bricktop Yeah, but considering that some people enjoy nes games better then new hi tech games, it shows you that a lot of today's games have a lot to learn. If they didn't they wouldn't be selling orginal nes/Snes games for GBA.

The key word there being some.
Not a majority.
That's a bad conclusion to make from that idea.
They're re-releasing games so that they can make more money. A quick port of a game is a lot quicker and cheaper to do than make a whole new game.
Nostaligics will look back and buy it so they can play it once again, and new gamers will buy it because they've heard it's so good.
Just because they're being re-released doesn't mean they're better.