Template talk:Infobox video game

Distribution method

Would it make sense to anyone else to include a distribution method within this infobox? I personally find it difficult to determine this information in many articles, and it seems quite relevant. Brian Reading (talk) 04:56, 10 February 2025 (UTC)

Given the choices are basically "physical" or "digital", not really. We generally avoid anything about how a game is sold unless that is information discussed in depth in reliable sources. Masem (t) 05:12, 10 February 2025 (UTC)

Well, yes, the choices are most likely "digital" or "physical", but I'm not quite sure why it being a binary value matters as a functional aspect.

Is there deeper reasoning besides "we don't do that?". We do already discuss dates of sale and the regions where a game is sold. Movies discuss items like budget and box office sales. Other consumer products on Wikipedia even go so far as to show things like retail prices in infoboxes, so it seems like a bit of an arbitrary line to draw on distribution method.

If a game is sold by specific means, it can influence things like visibility, sales figures, etc. There are all sorts of implications about a game's distribution method that has relevance to understanding the subject. For example, most indie titles never receive a physical release, whereas most large titles are rarely limited to digital-only releases.

I see this as a very closely related item to other pieces of structured data such as release date, regions where released, and platforms where available. Brian Reading (talk) 17:19, 10 February 2025 (UTC)

90% of the time, if told me the platform a game was released and it's year, I can easily tell you the distribution method (nearly everything before ps3 and Xbox classic would be physical outside pc games, for example). It makes a relatively useless parameter.

If there is something unique about a game's release method it can be documented in the body. Masem (t) 19:21, 10 February 2025 (UTC)

I think you should put yourself in the shoes of someone not heavily invested and interested in the gaming world. Wikipedia is for general consumption, not just for fanatics. We are also creating content that spans eras. In the old days, of course, it was definitely a lot easier to know if something was digitally-distributed or not, but for about a decade and a half, that just hasn't been the case. Can you address any of my points? I welcome further input from other editors on this as well. Brian Reading (talk) 03:04, 11 February 2025 (UTC)

Designer / Producer infobox parameter fields

I have a question in regards to the designer/producer designer infobox parameter fields. What if there is one lead designer/programmer, and the rest are just designers/programmers; should one exceed in crediting more than 3 people for those fields? I bring 3 up specifically since the rule only applies to the artists/writers as no more than 3 people should be credited.-Prince Silversaddle (talk) 15:51, 24 February 2025 (UTC)

Status quo is to only list leads or directors in the respective fields. IceWelder [✉] 17:15, 24 February 2025 (UTC)

It's not just status quo, it's clearly explained by the documentation to do it this way. ~ Dissident93 ^(talk) 20:08, 24 February 2025 (UTC)

End of service parameter field proposal

I'd like to propose this field, especially with the growing mobile game/live service game environment. I do think it would help give context to exactly how long a game was active for readers at a glance, and could also be useful for instances where service for one region of a game was discontinued before others. Calling it "End of service" would also bypass the concern raised in regards to a "Discontinued" parameter, as it's more direct to the point and less likely to be misconstrued. Kung Fu Man (talk) 14:34, 2 March 2025 (UTC)

I wonder if we should include some indicator that a game is live service, likely as part of the Mode line, as that would also help enforce this to be limited to games considered live service. Masem (t) 14:53, 2 March 2025 (UTC)

Like a y/n flag within the infobox? ~ Dissident93 ^(talk) 18:48, 2 March 2025 (UTC)

I'm not sure, I dont like the idea of devoting just a single like to indicating a live service game or not. I can't think of a live service game that does not have MP eleements, which is why I'm thinking there (eg "Multiplayer (live service)", but I'm not 100% sure on that. Masem (t) 18:55, 2 March 2025 (UTC)

Well Pikmin Finder is one example of a non-multiplayer game that was EoS'd, and it's actually the reason I suggested this parameter when it was brought up in the discord. I feel the text alone should give an indication as to what it means to the point it shouldn't need the additional validator to keep it in line. At worst, maybe a bit of reminder text on the template instructions just in the fringe event someone does misunderstand it.--Kung Fu Man (talk) 03:46, 3 March 2025 (UTC)