The economics of making games easier

If you are old enough to remember the early years of gaming, you have probably noticed that the older games were much harder to beat – games like Contra, Ghouls & Ghosts,
and Raiden took an astonishing amount of determination (and quarters) to complete. Compare that with recently-released games, which generally take around 10 hours to complete. Is it that we have become more skillful players, or is it really a conscious act on the part of the developer?

The ever-inspiring Netjak have posted a new article on the matter. Rick Healey thinks this cultural shift has to do with the decline of the arcades, and the need for companies to keep a steady cash flow from gamers' pockets to their own – constantly trying to make games easier and shorter, but add replay value (i.e. unlockable content) so one feels like they are getting their money's worth out of a game.

While the piece ends on a rather cynical note, it should be noted that the shift in game design could be due to a variety of factors, including the demands of the consumer. Do you find the state of games to your liking, do you hearken back to the old-school games, or are you looking for something new entirely?