If there’s one common topic that almost all game developers ask themselves, then that’s whether the gameplay or the graphics are more important. Overall, this is a bit tough to determine.
On the one hand, some believe that the gameplay and the mechanics are more important than the game idea, and once you have the right gameplay, you can start thinking about the graphics and the overall visual performance.
On the other hand, others put the immersive game atmosphere comes first. This refers to the use of graphics, animated elements, music, audio, backgrounds, and even character development.
So, we decided to go into more detail about the graphics vs. gameplay debate and see which is more important. Let’s have a look!
Gameplay: The Foundation of Any Online Game
Regardless of what you believe in, the gameplay sets the basics of any online game. In fact, there can’t be a game if there are no game mechanics that contribute to the overall gameplay. But can it exist and make a breakthrough on the market if there are no high-end graphics?
Well, based on the popularity of indie games and considering how many fans these games have, it seems like a game can become popular even without high-quality graphics and visuals. However, it’s not always that simple.
Graphics: The Immersive Side of Video Games
When we go shopping, we’re usually reaching out for a piece of clothing, jewelry, or anything else that catches our eye. Does this mean that the same thing happens when you pick a game?
Well, compared to indie games, video games seem to have a different approach. You can find various elements integrated into games, from visual ones to helpful tools like a calculator for roulette probabilities. But let’s focus on the visuals part here.
According to different surveys, the majority of players claim that they purchase or play games that have immersive, realistic, and high-quality graphics. To them, this is the most crucial factor, and everything else, such as gameplay and game mechanics, comes in second place.
But what’s surprising is that almost half of the players also go for games with engaging storylines behind their gameplay, showing that, nowadays, creativity is indeed an important factor.
But what makes it harder to determine whether graphics or gameplay play a more important role in the success of a game is that many players simply go for sequels of the most popular games, including:
- Call of Duty
- GTA
- Witcher
Real-Life Scenario: Can Graphics Surpass the Importance of Gameplay?
The FairWin team had a surprising reveal regarding graphics vs. gameplay, especially when it comes to two of their games. Their first game, Yggdrasil, was more focused on animations and graphics.
Basically, this game is about a magic tree from Norse mythology, which is why the team behind the game took a lot of time designing and redesigning this game. More precisely, they redesigned it twice. Each of these two times they have included new animations, effects, symbols, backgrounds, and characters. They even changed the concept as well.
However, FairWin decided to change their approach when launching their second game. The second game had a completely different theme. In fact, Top Drop’s storyline was about Colombian smugglers.
Still, the developers didn’t focus that much on the graphics as they focused on the gameplay. Therefore, this game had different levels, plus multiple stages at one level. But they were all related to the plot.
What was very surprising was the fact that even though there weren’t any interactive elements, Top Drop got more positive reviews and comments from players than Yggdrasil.
The bottom line is that players probably like to win more than they enjoy graphics. Although graphics and visuals are superb additions to regular games, it seems that they can only enhance the gaming experience. It’s still hard to surpass the functionality of one game simply with an interesting theme.
Bottom Line
Answering the question of whether graphics or gameplay is more important for the success of a particular game is really hard. In fact, this has multiple points of view and aspects that can affect our decision and yours. Overall, it depends on your preferences.
For example, if you’re playing Roulette77 for Indian players, you may appreciate the gameplay and the mechanics more if this is your focus. However, others may focus on the graphics if they’re after what catches their eye easily.
But one thing is inevitable. The gameplay is the foundation of any game. Regardless of the high-quality graphics, immersive elements, or detailed visuals, you won’t enjoy a fantastic experience if the gameplay is dull.
Due to this, you should develop an idea, start with the gameplay, and only enhance the game with some unique and attractive graphics.