Difficulty in video games is often in the hands of the one playing.
It has developed over time from the retrospectively challenging platformers and isometric 3D RPGs populating the market of the 80s and 90s, such as the Mega Man franchise or Final Fantasy III, that gave gaming a reputation that it wasn’t for everyone. This then evolved to the ever slightly more lenient attempts at early 3D games in the late ’90s and early 2000s, which often had artificial difficulty with their clunky controls and experimental mechanics, such as the original Tomb Raider. This all coalesced into the modern expectation of difficulty in games, allowing many difficulty options and accessibility settings to lower or raise the difficulty to the player’s preferred skill level.
With all that said, why do so many in the gaming community and the public complain about modern games?
Difficulty in games can be viewed as a spectrum, and the made you have games that are viewed as too easy, creating a loss of enjoyment, the main culprits being games made for children, such as the modern Pokémon games. The other end of the spectrum contains games publicly criticised for their intense and challenging difficulty, with no option to make the game easier. A notable example is Elden Ring, specifically the game’s first and only DLC expansion, “Shadow of The Erdtree”.
Focusing on the current, Elden Ring’s expansion is the most recent victim of this online criticism, with various commenters on Instagram claiming, “the game is too hard” or “it’s not fun anymore, just a gimmick to sell copies”. Since its release, the game has received complaints that it is too challenging, and they should implement options to appease everyone who plays its release. They should implement options to appease everyone who plays, as not everyone is good at games.
From a monetary standpoint, one may question why not every game company jumps at the chance for more money with the simple implementation of a difficulty system. FromSoftware has explained its view on this, stating that if Elden Ring had difficulty options, it would “break the game itself.” It also adds that “the sense of achievement players gain from overcoming hurdles is crucial” about enjoying the game.
On the other hand, a more hardcore demographic of the gaming audience would have you believe that gaming has become too dumbed down for casual audiences, as shown by a 2023 GameFaqs poll, which had over 63% of the 7000+ voters saying they wanted games “Easier—They’re now designed for more casual users.” This data proves that a large section of devout gamers would revel in the reintroduction of more challenging games.
So, what is the best solution when there are two contrasting arguments with their merits and equal believers? Many online have suggested implementing more effortless, more accessible difficulty settings into every game, as most modern games do, for not only a more effortless experience but also the inverse effect: those who want a more challenging and individual experience where they can discover things of their own accord, should also have that option. Despite this,. They are adamant about maintaining their game’s difficulty for the integrity and mechanical structure that the developers of Elden Ring’s latest DLC have declined. They are adamant about maintaining their difficulty for their game’s integrity and mechanical structure, which would allegedly “break” if tampered with.
By Leon Armstrong, Gaming Correspondent
References: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/9172-do-you-think-todays-video-games-are-easier-or-harder-than