But recently, some smaller developers are having an important influence about what games are about, and are getting some help from a big-name "big brother" to take console games in a different direction.
Even for consumers, the characteristics that engage are software related: Facebook, Search, games, to name a few.
After a decade of hype from Meier's former company, MicroProse , Meier's name has become a powerful videogame brand name, associated with brainy strategy games.
DeNA wants to become the largest mobile social games company in the world and a household name in the U.S., says its chief executive Tomoko Namba.
Now, with a CBE in the pocket and the honor title of Life President for Eidos -- a brand name now owned by Square Enix -- Livingstone is more of a advocate for the British video games and film graphics business.
CNN: Gaming star Lara Croft is back -- but not as you know her
Casey Dulin scored 13 points to lead the Red Foxes (26-7), who have made a name for themselves by winning first-round games as double-digit seeds, advancing to the second round as a No. 13 a year ago and as a No. 10 in 2011.
Neither of this year's biggest domestic hits, "The Avengers" and "The Hunger Games, " relied on the strength of a sole marquee name.
If the chance comes - Ryan's got a niggle, but I don't think it's too bad - I've just got to put in a decent performance and have my name in the hat for the games to come.
Or do we reach out to somebody in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Romney made a name for himself as the CEO of the '02 Olympic Games?
Its name probably derives from a variation of agonalis or agone, for the games held in the emperor's oval stadium.
WSJ: Rome's Piazza Navona: Perfection, Squared | Masterpiece by Willard Spiegelman
Sabathia dropped the periods in his first name, and he's gone on to win eight games without a loss from Milwaukee.
As the name suggests, the handhelds featured a clock and alarm but the real attraction was the games, which included titles like Donkey Kong, Mario Bros, and Balloon Fight.
Gearbox Software made its name making Half Life spin-off games, and are entirely confident with what makes a good FPS experience.
As the Classic Gaming website reports, Microprose, once known as the name behind Civilization, Railroad Tycoon and other classic games, is now set to release a bundle of new products that likely wouldn't garner a second glance if not for the brand.
ENGADGET: Microprose returns to show Commodore how to really tarnish a brand
But if a zero-sum, winner-take-all struggle for leverage is the name of the game, those games seldom conclude as the winners might hope.
Blizzard, as one half of the Activision-Blizzard colossus, is a much bigger company than Runic Games and Diablo 3 had a larger budget (in terms of both development and advertising) and a lot more name recognition than Torchlight 2.
应用推荐