Video games are one of the most important forms of entertainment today. They are present all around us. A walk through any city square or shopping mall will make that clear. If we observe carefully, we’ll notice how some people at tables, while sipping their favorite drinks, never take their eyes off their phones. Many of them are playing video games. After mobile devices, the most popular platforms for gaming are PlayStation, PC, and Xbox. So it’s not surprising that billions of dollars circulate annually in the video game industry. The global value of the video game industry in 2024 was over 180 billion dollars.
However, a paradox is emerging: even though more video games are being produced than ever before, more and more gamers on social media complain that games have become boring, repetitive, and that it’s hard to find a truly fun game. Why are video games losing their appeal? We asked well-known Croatian gamer, 3D graphic designer, and former participant of the reality show Beauty and the Geek, Ronald Sataić.
– What was your first encounter with video games like? What drew you in? Pure fun or something more?
Since it was a long time ago, I can’t really say exactly how it happened the first time, but I know it was quite a “magical” and exciting experience, which led me to later make gaming one of my favorite hobbies. What I do remember is that I started playing video games first on NES/SEGA consoles, and since I was born into a poor family, my first gaming experience was at a friend’s house.
– What was the first game that truly amazed you and made you want to explore the world of video games?
Well, I’m not sure I could single out just one game where that turning point happened, where I made gaming a permanent hobby, because it all came naturally while playing various titles on different consoles and eventually on PC. However, if I had to pick a few games, it would definitely be the ultra-fun vehicle combat game Vigilante 8 and its sequel 2nd Offense, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis as one of the best survival horror games, which I’ve played countless times and still replay now and then.
– Why do you prefer horror games? What makes them special compared to classic FPS or RPG games?
I think it’s about the so-called adrenaline shot, the excitement these games bring. And honestly, I prefer fighting monsters, demons, and aliens rather than humans in games. Also, unlike most classic FPS games like Call of Duty and the like, horror games usually come with interesting stories in addition to action and shooting, which I think is one of the key elements of quality video games.
– What’s your favorite horror title of all time and why?
It’s hard to pick just one, so I’ll mention a few top-tier titles. First, I have to go with the already mentioned Resident Evil 3: Nemesis as one of the first games of this kind I got to play and really immerse myself in the story and atmosphere. Of course, it’s worth mentioning that the whole Resident Evil series — or at least most of the sequels — are masterpieces, even some of the weaker ones (like Resident Evil 6). Besides RE3, my second favorite in the franchise is Resident Evil 4.
Second, I’d mention Doom 3, which, unlike the classic Dooms, is one of the best in the franchise in my opinion. Besides top-notch action, it also offers a very solid story and drew me deeper into the fascinating world of survival horror. Also, besides the story and gameplay, Doom 3 still holds up visually even today and was revolutionary graphically when it came out.
Another title I really love is Dead Space and its sequels. The game is a perfect blend of Resident Evil, Doom, and John Carpenter’s The Thing, and even more. The fact that it takes place in deep space, on spaceships, stations, and alien planets, makes this game better than all others for me as a sci-fi fanatic. The protagonist Isaac Clarke is mega cool, and even today, there aren’t any great characters in newer games quite like him. That’s probably why the first game got a high-quality remake, which I still have to play, but it’s definitely on my to-do list.
The last title I have to mention, even though I initially intended to limit myself to a top 3, is Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth. Despite not being nearly as popular as the previous three franchises and having certain issues (mostly bugs), CoC: DCotE is a top-tier survival horror and probably one of the scariest games I’ve ever played. Unlike other games, a good portion of this one (especially the first part) is played without weapons, so the feeling of fear and uncertainty is even stronger. Additionally, some of the monsters can’t be killed with conventional weapons and can kill you in just one to three hits, depending on the player’s skill. The story is excellent and very engaging, especially for fans of Lovecraft’s stories and novels. While the graphics aren’t on the level of titles like Dead Space or Doom 3, they’re still very good — you just need to increase the brightness a bit, because some parts of the game are really dark.
– Do you agree with the opinion that “today’s video games are not fun”?
Most of today’s games, especially AAA titles, are no longer as fun as they used to be because they’re often used as platforms for various political messages, racial/gender conflicts, the promotion of certain group agendas like the LGBTQ+ community, and similar things. As a result, essential elements of these games—like story, gameplay, quality characters, etc.—significantly fall short compared to past titles, ultimately driving away both old and potential new players. This especially affects titles from publishers based in the U.S. and Western Europe, who make a strong effort to “program” people—in this case, players—into accepting political messages and agendas that are approved by the ruling political class and their affiliated groups, often coming from a globalist “kitchen.”
So, all this virtue-signaling, promotion of equality and rights for all, is essentially just a mask for enforcing absolute obedience to globalist propaganda and the new world order, which has infiltrated all areas of society, especially the entertainment industry—including video games. Fortunately, a good portion of the gaming population has recognized what’s going on and simply doesn’t want such harmful messages/agendas forced into their escape from the harshness of real life, which video games represent. They reject it in the best possible way—by boycotting such games and/or pirating and modifying them into more moderate versions.
I’m one of those people who, with a dose of contempt, refuses to spend money on a half-baked product full of political/identity propaganda and instead chooses to play one of my favorite older titles.
– Can you pinpoint a moment or year when you first felt that games weren’t what they used to be?
It’s hard to say exactly when it all started, as there are divided opinions about when this so-called “woke” narrative began and when it hit the video game industry. However, there seems to be a consensus that the increased number of propaganda messages in video games correlates with the COVID-19 pandemic, i.e., the year 2020. Since then, very few AAA titles from Western publishers have been “immune” to the forced injection of political narratives meant to indoctrinate players into their unconditional acceptance. The peak was of course reached last year, and it seems it will remain that way for at least another year or two, until things return to the pre-2020 period when it was all more tolerable and not so aggressively pushed. Let’s hope this period becomes a lesson for future generations of game publishers to significantly reduce such aggressive propaganda and pandering to minority populations at the expense of the majority population/community of true video game lovers, including myself.
– Which newer (horror) games have disappointed you the most? Is the reason maybe the lack of real fear and horror?
I couldn’t really say which newer horror games disappointed me the most because there aren’t as many of them anymore, I’d say. But maybe I could mention The Callisto Protocol, which, as a supposed spiritual successor to the excellent Dead Space, didn’t really prove itself in terms of quality. Its biggest problem is that the game (at least in its original version without DLCs) is quite short, and the gameplay is not at the level of Dead Space—it’s quite lacking in comparison and somewhat buggy. One positive, however, is that I didn’t notice any excessive political/identity narratives in the game itself.
Overall, it’s an average game in my opinion—only visually polished, but that’s also the case with most modern AAA titles, so it’s not a particularly important criterion for overall game quality.
Generally, as I said, there just aren’t many good horror titles anymore, because the focus is mostly on classic FPS and online games, which to me—as a player who prefers single-player campaigns and games with quality stories—are not particularly interesting, especially not when they include the aforementioned “woke” narratives.
– What do you think is the main reason for the decline in the quality of modern video games? Oversaturation of the market, online streaming, profit obsession…?
Although all of the factors mentioned in the question definitely play a role in the decline in quality, I’d say one of the biggest reasons is precisely the ideological insertion into games, which repels the majority of the player base—most of whom are heterosexual men and critical thinkers who refuse to have unnatural and forced agendas imposed on their form of entertainment.
That’s why many titles have failed badly, and that will continue to happen until publishers learn what their audience truly wants and stop yielding to political groups and individuals who don’t even care about video games themselves—they only care about self-promotion and mass indoctrination.
– Has the large number of open-world games damaged their quality? Game graphics from a few years ago seem better than today’s, even though newer games take up more gigabytes.
Again, I’ll repeat, what has most damaged the quality of video games in general—including open-world ones—is the so-called woke ideology and the insistence on including it in almost every major title.
Though I do agree that an excessive focus on good graphics also contributes to shortcomings in other important game elements—like story, gameplay, and character quality.
A balance of all those elements, along with the rejection of propagandistic messages and identity politics within games, is the recipe for their quality and ultimately for good sales/popularity. That’s the recipe almost all publishers should follow, but they don’t—because they think good graphics alone can attract most players, underestimating their intelligence and the fact that games are more than just visual spectacle.
But they’ll slowly start to realize that soon enough—some already have, like certain studios from the Far East (Japan, Korea, China…).
Ronald Sataić
– Which remastered games have you truly enjoyed?
Resident Evil 4 is one of the best remasters in recent times that you can play. It stays very faithful to the original version, and the RE4 remake also introduces many interesting new elements, a larger map, improved gameplay, and is visually very attractive as well. In some parts, it’s even scarier and more intense than the original, and I recommend it to every fan of the original RE4.
Besides all that, there’s no trace of ideological insertions or any political messages, so there’s no concern in that regard either.
– Which old video game do you think deserves a remake, or got one that wasn’t satisfying?
Vigilante 8 and its sequel 2nd Offense definitely deserve a high-quality remake, as the game is now over 25 years old, and it’s incredibly fun and addictive. Sure, there are some similar titles, but none of them have quite captured the atmosphere of this game—at least not for me. I even have some ideas on how to do it myself, but without a solid team (especially programmers) and the resources to invest in something like that, unfortunately, it remains nothing more than a dream for now.
As for a game that did get a remake but ended up being disappointing, that would be the Resident Evil 3 remake. It was rushed and filled with cut or altered content compared to the legendary original game. This remake deeply disappointed me, and I believe it deserves a proper remake to set things right.
– What would the ideal video game look like according to Ronald’s criteria?
Honestly, there’s a lot that could be said about that, so maybe it’s better if I just highlight a few key elements:
- Open world—or better said, open universe
- Futuristic timeline
- Plenty of RPG elements
- Customizable characters
- A strong, engaging story
- Graphics at least on the level of GTA V
- Complete absence of any current world ideologies or propaganda (especially the twisted globalist narratives)
- Rock and metal soundtrack with electronic elements
A hybrid of GTA, Mass Effect, Dead Space, and Pokémon would, in my opinion, be the ultimate video game—one I could play for the rest of my life without a problem.
Interview conducted by Matija Šerić.
Note: The opinions expressed in this interview are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Actualitica editorial board, which promotes freedom of expression.
