# Why do Video Games Not Have Cheat Codes Anymore?



## DemonDragonJ (Sep 26, 2015)

In the past, video games often had cheat codes that a player could use of they found themselves in a difficult situation; I remember that the majority of side-scrolling DOS games that I played had such codes, and some games were simply too difficult to beat without them (a notable example being the third Commander Keen game). There were cheating devices for consoles, as well, the best known of these being the Game Genie and Game Shark.

However, in recent years, it seems that video games no longer have cheat codes, and consoles no longer have Game Genies or Game Sharks. Why is that? What has changed in the world of video games that caused programmers to decide to not include chest codes anymore? Are the games easier, and thus do not need the codes? Has the growth of online play and downloadable content rendered cheat codes unnecessary or unfair? What does everyone else say about this? Why do video games rarely have cheat codes anymore?


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## Shinjiro (Sep 26, 2015)

Who the fuck uses cheat codes these days?


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## Enclave (Sep 26, 2015)

Think of the least consumer friendly possible reason and you're probably right.


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## dream (Sep 26, 2015)

Probably a mix of most games being too easy these days and developers wanting for gamers to experience the full vision for their game which can be ruined by cheat codes.


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## DemonDragonJ (Sep 27, 2015)

Jotaro said:


> Who the fuck uses cheat codes these days?



Is that the answer to my question? Have they disappeared due to decreasing popularity?


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## Yami Munesanzun (Sep 27, 2015)

... 

So...

Would an accurate translation be that the OP needs cheat codes/hacks to beat/be good at modern video games?


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## Enclave (Sep 27, 2015)

Yami Munesanzun said:


> ...
> 
> So...
> 
> Would an accurate translation be that the OP needs cheat codes/hacks to beat/be good at modern video games?



Cheat codes can be fun and add replay value after you've beaten a game.


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## Jagger (Sep 27, 2015)

because you're a casul if you need them.


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## Yami Munesanzun (Sep 27, 2015)

Enclave said:


> Cheat codes can be fun and add replay value after you've beaten a game.



I was making jest.

Settle your dander, plebeian.


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## Nemesis (Sep 27, 2015)

Simply put most cheat codes especially within the PC world migrated to console commands.  This is mostly due that cheat codes themselves were added so that developers could test skills, items, weapons, whatever to make sure they work without having to go all the way through the game.

Also game genies and what not became obsolete once the internet became more and more accessible.


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## Imagine (Sep 27, 2015)

Vidyas do too much hand holding nowadays. I tend to want more challenge. Cheat Codes are used for the exact opposite of that. 

At least that's why I think Cheat Codes are obsolete


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## Gunners (Sep 27, 2015)

Game over vs Load game.


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## Krory (Sep 27, 2015)

Because video games don't need them anymore.

Nothing now is in line with the difficulty of most games back then.


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## Yami Munesanzun (Sep 27, 2015)

Lara Croft said:


> Nothing now is in line with the *difficulty* of most games back then.



Quote/Unquote


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## DemonDragonJ (Sep 27, 2015)

Yami Munesanzun said:


> So...
> 
> Would an accurate translation be that the OP needs cheat codes/hacks to beat/be good at modern video games?



Most assuredly not; most games that I have played, I have been able to complete without any cheating of any type, with the aforementioned third _Commander Keen_ being the only game that I found to be too difficult to defeat without codes.


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## scerpers (Sep 27, 2015)

because video games aren't difficult anymore so you don't need them
because they sold cheat codes in fuck hueg books that you needed to spend more money for. now you have the internet
because they can add them as DLC and jew you out of more money


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## ~Gesy~ (Sep 27, 2015)

I occasionally wonder about this myself. Unlocking unlimited ammo and health in GTA games and wrecking havoc for a half hour is one of my fondest vidya games memories.


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## Yagami1211 (Sep 27, 2015)

Most of the cheat codes were actually for the devs back in the days.
You really think devs would test their games by sitting and playing for hours straights ?
Cheats, level select and stuff like that helped tremendously to test games before release.


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## Gaawa-chan (Sep 27, 2015)

Everyone is acting like the only reason to cheat is because of difficulty. O_o

Sometimes I like to make a game harder, or just activate cheats and screw around just to see if anything goes weirdly wrong.  For example, I recently gave everyone in Tales of Vesperia special aerial skills that only one character normally has.  The results were hilarious.

Anyway, I get the dislike for them in multiplayer games (cheaters suck in those) but I don't get why people object to cheats in single-player games.  If someone gets more enjoyment out of cheating in a single-player game, more power to them.


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## Xiammes (Sep 27, 2015)

Its a shame, was so sad when I played UC3 and it had none of the cool unlockables that the previous games had for singleplayer.

Cheat codes add a layer of replay value that nothing else can achieve.


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## Deathbringerpt (Sep 27, 2015)

Because data mining exists and even when games do have cheat codes, they're usually blurted out by the devs in social networks.


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## The World (Sep 27, 2015)

Lara Croft said:


> Because video games don't need them anymore.
> 
> Nothing now is in line with the difficulty of most games back then.



nothing huh

shut the hell up fool 

u been playing too much tomb raider: the interactive movie


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## dream (Sep 27, 2015)

I did have quite a bit of fun with Cheat Codes in Perfect Dark for N64.  Or rather unlocking them.  Unlocking _Unlimited Ammo, No Reloads_ was absolutely fun with that time limit.


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## scerpers (Sep 27, 2015)

big head mode? paintgun mode? hovercraft cars? 
cheats codes are fun


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## Aduro (Sep 27, 2015)

Some still do, Red Dead Redemption had passwords and GTA V has classic cheat codes.


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## The World (Sep 27, 2015)




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## dream (Sep 27, 2015)

scerpers said:


> big head mode? paintgun mode? hovercraft cars?
> cheats codes are fun



Yeah, those kinds of codes are great.


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## Nemesis (Sep 28, 2015)

scerpers said:


> because video games aren't difficult anymore so you don't need them
> because they sold cheat codes in fuck hueg books that you needed to spend more money for. now you have the internet
> because they can add them as DLC and jew you out of more money



Seriously go back and play the games you played back as a kid.  I can assure you now these games would feel easy to you.  Games these days are really no more easier or harder than they were before.

Books that had cheat codes in were always from Magazines, which usually got them from people sending in the codes to the magazines to be published.  Not from the games themselves.

DLC is also nothing more than expansions that have existed in Large and small versions since the damn 80s.  Even small DLCs like we have now used to be released but on a different platform.  The cover disk which you still have to fork out 5-10$ for with just a small amount of cosmetic changes.

Gaming today really is no different than it was pre internet.  Except people tend to not buy Magazines as much as they used to so the small DLC purchases went from $5-10 mags with a cover disc to $3-5 download on steam.


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## Charlotte D. Kurisu (Sep 28, 2015)

I kinda miss the funky cheat codes like big heads or stupid hats or stuff like that.


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## The World (Sep 28, 2015)

games were only harder because of basic, shitty control schemes

rework those old games with the DS4 and they would be 99% easier


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## Canute87 (Sep 28, 2015)

They are called micro transactions now.


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## Canute87 (Sep 28, 2015)

The World said:


> games were only harder because of basic, shitty control schemes
> 
> rework those old games with the DS4 and they would be 99% easier



what was wrong with contra 3 controls?


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## Blitzomaru (Oct 9, 2015)

Because of achievements and trophies. The advent of Achievements, trophies and rankings have made people play games more than they normally would. Games on systems from Nintendo up to PS3/360 games used to have cheat codes, but disabled achievements for the games when you used them.


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