As a seasoned gamer with decades of gaming experience under my belt, I must say that Shawn Layden’s words resonate deeply with me. The rise in development costs and the emphasis on post-launch monetization plans have indeed shifted the landscape of the gaming industry in ways that aren’t always for the better.
At a Gamescom Asia discussion, previous PlayStation chief Shawn Layden addressed the current gaming industry landscape and suggested that the vanishing of mid-tier (AA) studios has resulted in a decrease of creativity in contemporary games. Layden pointed out that increasing development costs have prompted studios to prioritize post-release income strategies and stick to popular trends to avoid risk.
In simpler terms, Layden pointed out that in the past, you didn’t fret too much about the final part of a project, whether it turned out well or poorly. At that time, you weren’t creating a game with a budget in the millions. Therefore, your willingness to take risks was relatively high.
Layden pointed out that while independent games have significantly improved, the ‘AA’ category previously dominated by companies like Interplay, Gremlin, Ocean, and THQ appears to have disappeared. In the current scenario, Layden suggests that relying solely on indie games or AAA blockbusters could pose a risk for the gaming industry as a whole.
As a passionate gamer, I yearn for an increased buzz and attention towards those less mainstream, yet incredibly imaginative and out-of-the-ordinary game titles with smaller budgets. It would be fantastic if we could see more of these creative gems. If we solely depend on the big-name games to sustain us, I fear it might lead to a downfall in the gaming industry.
Previously, Layden has expressed concerns about escalating game development costs being unsustainable, specifically suggesting a return to creating 12-to-15-hour games within the AAA industry. This year, PlayStation’s results seem to support his viewpoint. Their new live-service shooter Concord was shut down soon after launch, while Astro Bot, a platformer, received exceptional reviews. Although sales figures for Astro Bot haven’t been disclosed, it’s anticipated that they will likely surpass those of Concord due to its positive reception.
An illustration of a game that boasts a robust single-player character, achieving both commercial and critical acclaim, could be Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2. Notably, Saber Interactive’s chief creative officer, Tim Willits, has discussed the potential for this game to thrive without being overly reliant on reaching extraordinarily high sales numbers.
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2024-10-17 17:38