What would your favorite games look like with box credits?

by Justin McElroy { Aug 19th 2008 at 2:30PM }

MTV Multiplayer has been the host for a lively discussion of box art credits recently (as has the delightful David Jaffe), and a new post may add fuel to both sides' fires. The site has created some mock-ups of what your favorite game boxes may look like if the dev team got credit on the cover.

The immediate reaction as we perused boxes like God of War and Halo 3 was one of revulsion, but the more we think about it, it might be kind of cool to see boxes used to portray games as a team effort rather than just touting the IP within. What do you think?

Tags: god-of-war, halo-3, mtv-multiplayer

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Bass Masterson @ Aug 19th 2008 2:33PM

No, because then it just becomes a question of 'who gets box credit'. The people with the fanciest titles and least involvement will get the biggest credits, while the people who actually made the game will be unknown (known as the Jade Raymond effect).

baby sea tuna @ Aug 19th 2008 2:40PM

While scanning your comment, I misread the word "titles." Interestingly, it didn't change the intention of your post one bit...

DarkNessBear @ Aug 19th 2008 3:10PM

Why the hell is all that crap on the front of the box? MTV Multiplayer dudes are a bunch of morons. You'd put it on the back of the box. Like all normal DVD's do. Friggen idiots.

Vcize @ Aug 19th 2008 3:23PM

Baby Sea Tuna, that is the freaking comment of the year right there. Well done sir.

DarkNessBear @ Aug 19th 2008 3:43PM

Here is my mock up:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/DarkNessLord/HALO3CREDITSBOX.jpg

Haggard @ Aug 19th 2008 3:44PM

OOOOH!

Jade's gonna need some ointment for that burn!

+a million to you baby sea tuna

theturtle363 @ Aug 19th 2008 5:03PM

that was pretty good bear

theturtle363 @ Aug 19th 2008 2:33PM

just because names are on the box doesnt mean people will bother to read them

aristokrat @ Aug 19th 2008 4:19PM

Agreed. I don't even look at the box art/info as it is. The disc comes out and goes into my Xbox while the case sits nearby, unused and unnoticed. Hell, they could put hardcore porn on the back insert and I wouldn't notice, as I'm more interested in the product and less on the packaging.

In fact, the nicer the packaging, the more I would be suspect of the internals, like Christmas. "Wow, what a nice wrapping job...on this piece of shit tie-straightener?!?!?!"

Juno @ Aug 19th 2008 2:34PM

I think it's awesome. But then again.. I'm an artist so I might be a little one sided..

Ghen @ Aug 19th 2008 4:14PM

As a lover of art but in no ways an artist I prefer to have the box face clean of pretty much everything except the necessary ESRB rating and title of the game.

When the game is finished (single player) I always watch the credits anyway just in case there are easter eggs after the credit reel... so credits on the box front would be overkill.

J @ Aug 19th 2008 2:35PM

That's not what they would really look like anyway. That's what they would look like with poorly designed credits.

Erluti @ Aug 19th 2008 2:36PM

Developers are already attaching their name to IPs... I don't think it's a huge deal. I guess I'd rather it be on the back like for movies, though.

But also the doctored box art is unfair, because a good graphic designer would anticipate the credits and not have it covering up half the art.

Red Leader @ Aug 19th 2008 2:37PM

I think they should put credits on the box, and this may be for a reason a lot of you haven't considered. Parents will realize that games are serious business, and would be a little more tempted to find out what the game is rated before buying it for their kids.

Drew @ Aug 19th 2008 2:40PM

Interesting. But how many ESRB-ignorant parents are observant enough to see credits?

Red Leader @ Aug 19th 2008 2:46PM

The same ones that rent movies and check to see if any famous actors will be in them. This could inspire them to check a little more of the box out if there's more than just a picture of a dude holding a sword like he's ready to kill somebody.

MagusDF @ Aug 20th 2008 9:40AM

@drew
It wouldnt be the for the those parents or anyone else in the that demographic.
If i asked people to name some developers doubt even many hardcore games could name more than 1.(aside from Jaffe & Dyack just bcause theve been in headlines recently)

Now think of it in terms of ard directors, composers, and other major roles.

Drew @ Aug 19th 2008 2:37PM

They are already in the manual. And if this became the norm, games would be less about the artistic expression of a concept and more of a thirst of gratification from the public.

Vidikron (FU) @ Aug 19th 2008 2:45PM

They're also shown at the end of the game. I don't see why we need to litter the box covers with them.

Ryan LN @ Aug 19th 2008 2:39PM

Why the hell not? Leave it to the people who make the game to decide who gets their name on the top or bottom of the box, how large the font is, and who is mentioned first- these people work really hard to give us diverting entertainment and it's nice to be recognized. To be sure, the box art wouldn't be nearly as pretty with a whole bunch of letters on it (as imagined in the above photo) but quite frankly I've never played box art and couldn't care less. I think the best solution would be to save the top half of the *back* of the box for credits and the lower half for the absolutely unnecessary description of the game, rating and number of controllers/acessories necessary that no one ever pays attention to. That way everyone wins.

Drew @ Aug 19th 2008 2:42PM

But without the description and useless crap, what will I oogle at on the ride home from the popular local games retailer?

Huey2k2 @ Aug 19th 2008 2:43PM

MTV needs to stop trying to cover video games, seriously.

Fenix @ Aug 19th 2008 2:55PM

Agreed.

baby sea tuna @ Aug 19th 2008 3:16PM

Well, they've got to talk about something, and it's not like they know shit about music...

Wiinterfang @ Aug 19th 2008 8:06PM

Well MTV already kill music, they want to kill videogames too and that's why MTV is the root of all evil.

Obie @ Aug 19th 2008 2:44PM

Lol Assasins Creed would just have a giant sticker of Jade Raymond on it.

Raikage (GOLDEN Gun Of The Patriots) @ Aug 19th 2008 3:06PM

I'd hit... uh buy it!

Creciente @ Aug 19th 2008 2:46PM

Not many people actually read them.

The_Punisher @ Aug 19th 2008 2:48PM

I think it could work on the back of the box, but it would take up too much precious room in the front

samfish @ Aug 19th 2008 2:49PM

I disagree with Jaffe's desire to put the director's name on the box, since games DO tend to be a team process...whereas movies are more often a unionized coming together of staff members.
When a Spielberg or a Cameron makes a movie, they basically contract out a lot of the work or bring in who they would feel is best for the job, depending on the position. The exception there tends to be 3D animated flicks.

But in games, you tend to work within your teams over time...Nintendo's EAD teams, Sonic Team, Clover/Platinum, etc...sure, you have those teams split up and working on multiple games, but for the most part, they're working as a unit.
So yeah. It's rather arrogant for Jaffe to want HIS name on a box as opposed to the studio's name.

As far as credits on boxes go...blech. They can get away with that on movie posters because they're huge and are mostly treated like an afterthought. Plus, like someone else mentioned, it'd unfair to just slap credits on the cover like that, since as designer worth his or her salt would take that into consideration before making the box.

Dale @ Aug 19th 2008 3:05PM

It would help us avoid the games made by pompous dicks, though.

baby sea tuna @ Aug 19th 2008 2:52PM

I have mixed feelings about this. As a gamer, I know that Tim Schafer's name didn't help Psychonauts sell any better, nor did it keep Brutal Legend off of Blactivision's chopping block. Same with "Steven Speilberg presents: Boom Blox." On the opposite side, I specifically didn't buy Calling All Cars because I think David Jaffe is a twat. And seriously, who really gives a shit what American McGee (if that *is* your real name!) is up to these days?

As an artist, I personally like minimalism. I'm sure that there would be ways to subtly integrate the credits into the box art, but if you didn't keep them limited to the highest people on the totem pole, the workspace would get crowded pretty fast. The the question becomes: who decides who gets to be on there, and what problems is that going to cause?

atrimus @ Aug 19th 2008 3:01PM

i'll have to see when i go home from work today, but i don't believe any of my DVD movies have gobs of credit-text plastered on the cover like the above God of War box. i can stomach box credit if it's done in a tasteful manner, but then they'll have to decide to deserves cover time: the producers/directors, or the scores of hard-working, scantly-paid programmers and such?

Anthony33 @ Aug 19th 2008 2:56PM

...or the credits would be on the back of the box similar to how VHS had it.

samfish @ Aug 19th 2008 2:58PM

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samfish @ Aug 19th 2008 2:59PM

...and it doesn't obey the 'Remeber my password' option in FireFox!
Annoying!

AlterEgo @ Aug 19th 2008 3:01PM

Yes it does!

At least for me it does.

Huey2k2 @ Aug 19th 2008 3:03PM

Yea it's remembering just fine for me, just make sure you click on the "Returning" tab.

Huey2k2 @ Aug 19th 2008 3:04PM

On a side note the new comment field hasn't done anything to fix the stupidly broken comment system on here. Oh well.

samfish @ Aug 19th 2008 3:17PM

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samfishx @ Aug 19th 2008 3:19PM

huh. that's weird. Does it somehow know my AIM screen is the same as my login here or something?

Fenix @ Aug 19th 2008 3:01PM

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HIPHIP HOORAY!!!!! I knew the comments where working better. Aww, you guys! All is forgiven :P

Fenix @ Aug 19th 2008 3:07PM

Still not as good as Bloodyelbow.com comments system,
=/ but its ok Joystiq.

baby sea tuna @ Aug 19th 2008 3:19PM

Of course I just had to go to that site. What in the hell, dude? Well, at least I know where you get your taste in games from.

Something about unchecked agression...

Vcize @ Aug 19th 2008 3:22PM

Sadly, it appears to have many of the same bugs as the old one.

Fenix @ Aug 19th 2008 3:36PM

BabySeaTuna

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Dan J @ Aug 19th 2008 3:03PM

If the rest look like this God of War cover, I don't think it's a fair representation of the idea. Compare it to movies -- the front of a DVD is not covered with credits; maybe just a few principle actors and the director, tastefully arranged.

The full mockup of credits, however, is seen on things like promotional posters in theaters, and I think that's perfectly appropriate - put the information on magazine ads and game store standees.

Meanwhile, I'll reiterate my comment on the last post on this subject: seldom (IMO) is there one person whose name should grace a box beyond all others. Rather, I believe the development team should be given more obvious credit, as in my experience that is one of the strongest determinants of a good game. Publishers are too eager to take credit for a game; unless it was an in-house title, they should be giving proper credit where it is due - to the developer.