Why Do You Achieve?

Here’s a question for gamers out there: why do you achieve? This generation has seen advancements and innovations that in previous generations would have never been hoped for. Between HD gaming, the Wiimote, and Microsoft’s Achievement System, gamers are playing in a whole new world. Many gamers praise the Achievement System because it gives you a sense of accomplishment for completing certain tasks and missions within the game. But what exactly are you truly accomplishing with these Achievements? Sadly, the answer is nothing. This is where Microsoft should come in and offer gamers a true sense of accomplishment and not this false sense with a GamerScore. So why do gamers go out of their way and make sure that they accomplish every achievement possible in a title, when completing the game doesn’t offer the gamer anything new? Is it for bragging rights among friends or just to show other gamers on Live that you completed a lot of games? Honestly, is beating games like TMNT or King Kong really that hardcore? Whatever your own personal reasons may be, I’m sure many of you would like something in return for all the hard work you put into the game, right? Well why doesn’t Microsoft jump in and offer a Reward System of some sort?

The Achievement System is definitely a step in the right direction for games, but it isn’t being utilized to its full potential. Over the course of a few simple upgrades, Microsoft could take the Achievement System to whole new level by offering gamers unique rewards through Xbox Live or even have achievements translate into Microsoft Points. Of course, this may not be financially feasible but a system that gives games 250 Microsoft Points per 1,000 achievement points, for example, would be a fun possibility. With something so small and simple, Microsoft could give gamers even more of a reason to fully complete a game because it will reward the player in the end and thus sell more titles.

Even if Microsoft doesn’t translate the GamerScore into Microsoft Points, Microsoft could still allow for certain level GamerScore to unlock some Gamer Picture Packs, early access demos, betas , trailers, rent movies, or even purchase titles on XBLA. Imagine being a few points shy of buying a new XBLA title. Naturally, you’ll play the hell out of one of the games you own to achieve those extra points so you can get the next big title on Live Arcade. This beats spending money on Microsoft Points if you only need 100 more Achievement Points to buy an Arcade title. Microsoft doesn’t need to offer this with every title that hits XBLA, like the bigger budget titles, but for some of the smaller independent games. I’ll use Aegis Wing for example. Yes, the title was offered for free and a whole lot of people took advantage of that. But why not offer other XBLA titles for free if you have a GamerScore over 2,500 or 5,000?

Off to a good start. Why not offer other XBLA games for free to high achievers?

For every gamer that cares about their GamerScore, there is a gamer who doesn’t care about it and this is a way to get them into the phenomenon of the Achievement System and get them more interested in titles being released on multiplatform. If a gamer owns a PS3 and Xbox 360, but doesn’t exactly care much about the Achievement System, they’ll go out and buy whichever version they feel more comfortable with because in the end nothing is different. Now with the addition of a Reward System, which version will that gamer consider now? Chances are that they may become slightly more interested in the 360 version simply because it’ll give you something more for beating the game, like an arcade title for instance or early access demos.

With the increase sales of third-party software, Microsoft can land more exclusive content and titles for their system. This could prove to be very beneficial for Microsoft and 360 owners because third-party developers may become interested in this concept and jump on the bandwagon. Previously on the Xbox, Tecmo included the original NES Ninja Gaiden on all copies of Ninja Gaiden. In order to unlock this gem of the past you had to complete the game and for anyone who beat that game, you’ll surely admit that you felt that a reward was deserved. Allow third-party developers such as Tecmo, Atari, Sega, and Namco to include some classic games from their pasts as rewards for completing the game and offer it as an alternative to XBLA. Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles for the PSP offered gamer’s classic Castlevania games by completing various tasks within the game and unlocking them. In case retro game’s aren’t your style, offer additional content like backgrounds for the 360 Dashboard and GamerPics for your avatar. Gears of War offered player’s who reached the Seriously…. Achievement an avatar to use and show off to Gear’s of War players around the world that they had reached this coveted achievement.

Working with third-parties, Microsoft could expand outside of the retro titles and work out agreements with third-parties to allow 360 owners to gain access into betas and early demos, such as Call of Duty 4. Instead of having gamer’s register for access into early betas, they could allow access for gamer’s with GamerScores over 30,000 for the first week, 20,000 for the second, and so on. Pending on how long the beta will be open, they could have the higher GamerScore player’s have the most time with the game and then allow everyone else to enjoy the game at a later point.

Maybe high achievers should be given early access to betas of anticipated titles.

One recently released title, offered a Reward System and surprisingly it wasn’t released on the Xbox 360. The title I’m talking about is Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Metroid Prime 3 allowed Wii owners to get a sense of what 360 owners get from titles with a type of Achievement System within the game. However, since the Wii lacks a fruitful online system, there was no GamerCard type of profile to show off your feats but the title did offer something that Microsoft titles don’t. The more “Achievements” you collected in Metroid, the more items you could essentially buy within the game and even share with friends. Something’s were cliché items like a bobble head for your ship, bumper stickers, character art, and other small things. But because of the addition of these small items, it pushed Metroid fanatics and newcomers a like, to reach the coveted 100% Completion Rate for the game.

Even Heavenly Sword for the PS3 held a type of Achievement System. Like Metroid Prime 3, you would unlock character art and other items within the game. Both of these games offered a very bare bone style compared to what Microsoft has to offer currently. However, Sony is preparing for Home and promises that future PS3 titles will offer Achievements and once you complete the game you’ll have a trophy to put up in your apartment, where other gamers can visit and marvel at your accomplishments.

To a point Micorsoft has actually done a minor type of “Reward” under many gamer’s noses in their biggest title, Halo 3. Bungie included a unique armor for players to customize their personal Spartan if they received every Achievement. Again, it is a minor addition but it gives gamer’s something to symbolize their accomplishment with outside of an additional 1,000 Points in their GamerScore.

Outside of this Halo 3 “Reward”, Microsoft has actually rewarded gamer’s in the past but never capitalized on it. Many 360 owners may remember the Old Spice Challenge where gamers were rewarded for having GamerScores in various degrees. But why only offer this once throughout the entire year instead of the whole yr where they can entice multiplatform owners to continue to push for a higher score throughout the whole yr?

It’s time to make some improvements on the Achievement System, Microsoft. Keep the fundamental design and expand on it. As time goes on the premise of the Achievement System will evolve and may one day offer a type of Reward System that we discussed here. The concept may be far from perfect but as time goes on, you can be sure that gamers will cry for a Reward System to be implemented and it’ll come down to whoever answers these cries first and offers the best-rounded system. So until that day occurs I ask you gamers out there again, Why do you Achieve?

Matt Furtado is the senior editor of AMN PSP.