The Future of Video Games is Sort of Retro

Ok, now that you read the title, i bet you think i'm crazy.  You may not be 100% wrong.  Ready for some inane rambling. 

Maybe this post is a little late (would have worked better before Kinect and Move hit).  Maybe it is because i am from the generation that grew up with Atari 2600s and ColecoVision (and feel more nostalgic as the world seems more tragic). 

Yes, i firmly believe that the future is somewhat retro.  What do i mean?  Well, you see... basically the modern game is an odd combination of trying to unnecessarily utilize every button on the controller (including clicking the thumbsticks).  Complexity for complexity's sake does not necessarily impact immersion (or whatever term you want to use).  Games are supposed to be a fun diversion (not a frustrating series of cheap enemies/bosses).  Some of the older games had diabolical difficulties though.  i don't find doing every stupid thing possible in a game to be fun (there are some things that should be done for me).  

Game development costs are spiraling out of control.  There is the disposable games threat from mobile platforms (like the Windows Phone or iPad).  True, the console base has appeared to have grown, but can you successfully cater to different groups?  Some users will not leave, but a significant portion of the user base is in play for "the next big thing".  The future for the publishers looks to be attrition and consolidation.  Even i have written off the "next" generation before it has even started(unless i win a large lottery jackpot). 

Then you get into the whole "console within a console" scenario - which is XBLA and PSN (i would think). Many of these simpler games are actually what drives much of my purchases (or they were). The downloadable game at $10-15 is a lot more important than most people think.  These spaces are underutilized and could be used for so much more.  i personally like services like Game Room that allow me to revisit the youth i should have had (though hopefully they could get up to about the PS1 era).

If motion controls are to play a big part in the future (or as big as i think they will)  - it's time to go back to the future.  Or look to the past - because i think the paradigms used back then are more relevant today.  You want the largest user base possible - and you can only count on generic shooter franchises for so long.  i want my games to be more fun.  Sure the "harcore" (whatever that means today) will decry this as a death of the industry - but i see a more "casual" route to a better policy (at least while the "casual" is still selling).   

Older games had relatively simple control schemes (some of this was definitely due to a lack of technology available at the time).  The buzz word now is "accessibility".  It is not necessarily about "dumbing down" games (see Mass Effect 2), but more trying for a larger market.  There are no real new ideas (see Hollywood movies) as everything has been done - it is about going back to what worked in the past and figuring out how to present things differently.