Why Are Storylines So Important?

[footbull3196]

Here's a question that is worth considering. Why are storylines so important now in video games?

I mean, look back at some of the old classic games. All it would do was give you a game, tell you how to play it, and then you play it. In Pac-man, nobody really knows his motivation for wanting to eat those monsters, but it was still one of the most successful games of all time.

Back in the days where gas cost under $4 a gallon, storylines in games weren't important. Now, the developers want to create a storyline so that it can make sequels. But for people that are only interested in gameplay, is storytelling such a big deal?

I'm not saying that storytelling doesn't make a difference at all, it does. You want your story to be realistic, not just something thrown together at the last second. (aka Wing Island for the Wii, their story is about birds flying in planes... seriously, not only does this tell about the lack of 3rd party games for the Wii, it also says that maybe storylines have something to do with it) However, would a bad story really stop you from playing a game as long as the gameplay is good?