- The former Starfield lead quest director has discussed his thoughts on long games in the industry.
- He states that audiences are no longer as interested in playing bigger and bigger games.
- The developer states that short games are currently going through a resurgence for this reason.
The gaming industry faces many problems today. Whether it be rising budgets or layoffs across various studios, the industry is not without its problems. However, one problem is often ignored compared to the rest.
As gaming has become more popular, studios have shifted their focus to producing longer and longer games. It seems this will not work for too long, with a prominent developer suggesting fans are growing tired of long games.
Why it matters: The average AAA release is much longer than it used to be. This is also why budgets are bigger than ever.
In a recent interview, former Bethesda developer Will Shen noted that audiences are quickly becoming tired of bigger and bigger games. He also acknowledged that his past titles, including Skyrim and Fallout 4, played a role in popularizing the trend of bigger and bigger games.
As per Will Shen, audiences are less interested in spending 30 to 100 hours on a game today. He believes this is the reason more compact experiences are seeing a resurgence today.
A large section of the audience is becoming fatigued at investing 30-plus hours into a game.
-Will Shen
The Starfield lead quest designer believes this is one reason why games like Mouthwashing have been received so well recently.
In the past, an executive like Shawn Layden has made similar points. Insiders also believe the industry will eventually focus more on shorter experiences. Highlighting this point further, a compact tile like Astro Bot recently won Game of The Year.
Still, there is certainly a market for longer games. This is why many are so excited about GTA 6 and various future RPGs that offer similarly lengthy experiences. What are your thoughts on the developer’s statement?
Do you agree? Let us know in the comments, or share more of your thoughts on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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