Why Are Game Wikis So Important To Gamers?

Gaming has changed a lot in the internet age – not just because games and their graphics have become more impressive and complex, but because there are so many more ways for players to get the most out of the games they love using online resources. Gone are the days of looking for tips, cheats, or walkthroughs in magazines – now players can find help whenever they are stuck or need more information by using online forums, gaming sites like Game Guide World and, of course, game-specific wikis.

Why Are Wikis So Helpful?

Wikis can be hugely powerful tools for gamers, often revealing all kinds of useful information to help them decide how to build their character, what certain objects do, where to find secrets and hidden items, and even which options to choose while doing a given quest or challenge to get the outcome they want.

They can also be a good place for fans to view artwork from the game, learn more about the lore of the game they are playing, and contribute content that will help other players.

How Do AAA Developers Feel About Wikis?

Developer opinion is mixed when it comes to game wikis that reveal all the secrets of their games. For major AAA titles, often it is expected that players will need a little help to see everything that is in a game, and developers often release game guidebooks to help them do this. Wikis may take the place of these books for players who don't want to purchase them, however, this tends not to be a major loss for the developer as some fans will still want the books as a companion they can use while playing, and as official game merchandise.

In these cases, developers don't mind too much that the secrets they put in the game are easy for players to find out about, as it keeps interest up in their product and it is also generally all information they themselves have put out there.

What About Indie Developers?

For smaller, indie releases, sometimes the wikis are even created by the developers to help players get more from the game. However, in other cases, the developers would rather they didn't exist. A good example is Edmund McMillen, who developed The Binding of Isaac. He has stated that he wanted players to discover the game’s secrets themselves rather than being able to find them online, ignoring the fact that the game has so many items and interactions between items that it is virtually impossible to play with any success without a point of reference! This, of course, did not stop fans making wikis and even apps to help other players.

If you are looking to make a site specific to a game you are passionate about, and which becomes an important tool within the player community, then you can't go far wrong by setting up a good, informative video game wiki site fans can add to.