By COREY MICHO, Guest Columnist.
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A. To many people, this is the iconic “Konami code.” In the game “Contra,” it gave you 30 extra lives, which made the game easier and much more forgiving. That’s what a cheat code is in a video game, a certain input of buttons that can make a game easier, harder or just plain weird.
Classic cheats may be easier to recognize, such as the “Big Head Mode” in games like “NBA Jam” and “007 Goldeneye,” or the code to access blood in the Sega Genesis version of “Mortal Kombat.” Yet, nowadays, we do not see many cheat codes in AAA titles (games with the highest development budgets and promotion). Some indie games have codes, but even then, they are not very prevalent. The only one I can think of from the last two years is “Grand Theft Auto V.” But why is this?
First, I believe, is the rise of achievements. We’ve all seen the achievement and trophy systems on Xbox, Playstation and Steam: you get awards for performing an action in a game. These can range from playing the game up to a certain point to going out of your way in order to complete a specific action. These, in my opinion, really enhance a game.
However, the inclusion of these recent additions in the world of gaming have really hit cheat codes hard, since most developers do not want to make the achievements easy or skippable in some cases. If a game has codes, it usually disables the achievements, so it deters people away from using them. Achievements have made cheat codes obsolete in this aspect.
Secondly, microtransactions have turned cheat codes into DLC (Downloadable Content). This has been a sadder aspect of modern gaming, since the things that made us fall in love with games are now being put up for sale as an addition. Someone got the idea to take the challenge-relief of cheat codes and charge gamers to take advantage of them.
Most mobile games like “Clash of Clans” and “Candy Crush Saga” have made millions of dollars using this model of “pay-to-win” so to speak. Even in AAA games like “Dead Space 3,” this model is used to upgrade weapons and make the game less taxing on the player. It creates even more revenue for the creators, since there are people willing to buy a cheat code. Rather than giving us more money, these codes take the cash away. Funny, isn’t it?
Last is online multiplayer mode. When most people play online, they want to have a serious, balanced experience when competing with other players. Playing games with friends sitting next to you wouldn’t be as competitive as online gaming. People get into legitimate fist-fights, have their identities stolen and are tracked down to their houses over certain games.
Imagine if we threw in cheat codes for these experiences. It would give an unfair advantage over those who don’t know the codes and can intensify the things I just stated. Gamers can be fierce, but not all are like that. Even codes like a big-head mode or paintball mode can be detrimental to an online experience. Developers play it safe by not allowing cheat codes online, and since a good chunk of games have some sort of online multiplayer, they just stop doing cheats altogether.
I want you to look at the upcoming major releases and see if there are any cheat codes within the game. Chances are you will not be able to find any. Cheat codes are considered obsolete by many nowadays, due to them to be considered “game breaking” and “highly marketable for greedy developers.”
Will they ever come to light again? Only time will tell.
