Maybe it's because the industry is still helmed by number crunchers and focus test interpreters who are too slow to change and woefully desperate to cash in on a perceived misogynist violence fantasy fetish among Caucasian males between the ages of 13 to 21?
Maybe it's because many of the same number crunchers started throwing absurd sums of money at free-to-play play-to-win cow clickers, clones,and Skinner boxes instead of investing in quality game studios?
Maybe it's because the games industry would prefer to churn out a hundred more Madden games and Call of Battlefield: Medal of Shoot 'Em Up Bang Bang Man before they create another Katamari Damacy or Critter Crunch (you didn't think I forgot, did you Kendrik?) or Portal 2?
Maybe the games industry really does have Peter Pan Syndrome and just isn't interested in tackling mature topics instead of just slapping in guns, sex, and gore to get an M rating and attract 13-year old boys who want to pretend they're grown up?
Or maybe all of these things are true and it still doesn't matter (as much) because the market has changed in such a way that Double Fine Adventure can fund a new adventure game, families can play word puzzles like Ruzzle together on their mobile devices, "core" gamers (whatever that means) can turn to indie studios for games that look better than almost any AAA title out there (yes, I'm talking about Natural Selection 2), JRPG fans can still get their fix on handhelds (i.e. the DS and 3DS), and Nintendo can still dazzle us with a new Mario game (referring to Super Mario Galaxy 2, which I <3).
Yes, there is a truckload of dull, derivative, juvenile cruft flooding the games market. For every Critter Crunch, there's at least 20 Puzzle Bobble clones. For every Natural Selection 2, there's probably about 10 YAMS (Yet Another Military Shooter). And for every Super Mario Galaxy 2, there's untold numbers of "endless runner" mobile games.
But there are great games AND great studios out there--and plenty of them. You might have to toss aside some preconceived notions and play a weak indie title or two to find them, but there are gems and they are shiny, I assure you.
It's hard to believe the same industry can create a game like Sleeping Dogs, engorged with profane dialogue and violence, and a game like Critter Crunch, which has beautiful, kid-friendly heart, "d'awwwwww"-inspiring cuteness, and excellent fast-paced gameplay, but that's gaming for you. Just as there are scads of terrible movies appealing to the worst in humanity (and often closely pairing the glorification of extramarital sex and violence, which is disturbing in its own right and the subject of another thread entirely) for every cinematic masterpiece, the same is true of gaming.
Yes, gamers are growing up. Yes, we're expecting more from games--more complex characters, better stories, better gameplay, more respect for the shrinking amount of time we have to play games--and some studios have paid attention. Most, unfortunately, keep churning out the same filler as before and pricing it absurdly high. The sad thing is, it sells.
The good news is: So does quality. You just have to know where to look. And we can help.
. I dont like very many of the new games these days. It just doesnt seem as fun as it was back five or six years ago. Am I getting washed up as I approach middle age? (I'll be 40 this year
) Where has all the fun gone? There are so many games and they all just seem to be set up to milk you out of money even if they are free. If you want this cool gun or this fancy ability it will only cost you just a little bit more. I miss the days of UT2004 and Cod4. 
(Psst. "Critter Crunch" is like a summoning phrase to bring Tek into any forum conversation. Don't let him know I shared this secret though, okay?)
