What can I say about the inception of the Gamerscore and Achievements? I would like to answer that question with a question; how in the world were games fun before achievement points? Okay that is a bit extreme. Games were just as fun before achievements, but something can be said about the effect they have on gaming.
For those who are not familiar with what a gamerscore is, here is the technical answer as defined by Microsoft’s Xbox.com website, "The gamerscore is an aggregate number on the gamer card (for both Xbox LIVE-enabled and non-Xbox LIVE-enabled profiles) that shows how much experience and expertise a person has with Xbox games overall. Gamerscore is a progress-tracking system that is intended to motivate Xbox LIVE and non-LIVE members to play more games. Each game can award up to 1,000 gamerscore points to any player. Each achievement in a game provides a certain point value in gamerscore. Every time that a player earns additional gamerscore points, the total is immediately updated on the Xbox LIVE service and reflected on the player's gamer card. Gamerscore points are based on specific achievements as defined by each game."
Notice the expertise portion of that statement? Umm…yeah, if collecting all 1000 achievements in a game is expert then I am as mediocre as Obama’s presidency.
Microsoft has created a strategy that benefits both game developers and Microsoft. By creating an award system, gamers are encouraged to play games that, in a non-award driven platform and for various reasons, would have been overlooked.
Do achievements sell games?
About six months ago I started an achievement push. My gamerscore was a pathetic 9800. If you do the math I had only completed 9 games (1000 achievements * 9 games). If I am being truthful, I don’t think I have ever gotten a clean 1000 achievement points from a game. I have, however, come close. I think I accrued 950 out of 1000 on Call of Duty 4. Test Drive Unlimited was another one where I came close, like the high 800’s. Overall, I think I collect about 50 to 60% of the eligible 1000 achievements per game I play. I had to do something. I had to buy more games and start whooping-the-shit out them. So I set out on a mission to find cheap games. It didn’t matter what they were, I just wanted the achievements. I started going to different game stores and looking in the bargain bins for cheap games like a base-head scours the carpet for rocks. These bins are filled with real crap and real gems. I ended up buying games that even the developers forgot existed, like NCAA Basketball 2007-March Madness and NCAA Football 2007. I also bought some games that were well known, but had not ever considered playing before, like Dark Sector and Mass Effect. Both games have turned out to be some of my favorites. The prices were reasonable, anywhere from $5 up to $15. My search continued for some months, buying any obscure game that I could get my hands on for five bucks. Hell, I even tried Sneak King that game offered by Burger King a couple of years ago, because it offered 200 achievement points. In the end my brain simply could not compute why I was wasting my life playing it. It was such a horrible game. In fact, I am looking at it right now. Its 200 points are calling to me. I shall resist for now. I wanted the pocket bike game, but was never able to put my hands on it.
So to answer the question, do achievements sell games? In my situation I would have to say yes. I literally bought any game strictly for the achievements. Am I the only one that has purchased games, new or used strictly for the achievements and nothing else? I’m betting not.
Games on the Xbox360 pack a 1-2 punch of entertainment and accomplishment. Games of previous generations offered the same, but not to the extent of now-gen consoles. Well thought out and produced titles like Gears of War and Call of Duty 4 are steeped in re-playability. They are just so damn pretty and fun, a play through two or three times is nothing. In fact it is necessary.
But what about those poor games that no one cares about in those discount bins? They have no re-playability. They have nothing to offer to a gamer in the way of entertainment. That may be true, but if you are into collecting achievements and can sacrifice having fun or being entertained, these games can offer you just that. Who knows, you may find a Mass Effect or Dark Sector.
Overall, gameplay, graphics and storyline determine whether or not a game is a top seller or destined for the bin of bastard games. And while achievements aren’t for everyone, next time you are in your favorite game store, don’t be so quick to walk past that bin. The achievement points are there people, so go out and get them.
Quick update, not that anyone cares, my current gamerscore is 17,598. That is an increase of almost double. While it should have taken me 9 games to achieve the increase of 7800, in reality and based on my average, it took me about 18. No joke.
Here is an interesting fact:
Currently the highest gamerscore, according to Xbox360achievements.org, is 356,313 and is held by a gamer named Stallion83. Insanity!
Log on to Xbox360achievements.org to see where you rank and to see some other insane scores.
