- The Ori director has raised concerns about AAA gaming’s future.
- Thomas Mahler says that the current turmoil is barely a surprise.
- He believes corporate meddling and forced DEI will continue to hinder studios moving forward.
Over the decades, the gaming industry has grown beyond imagination, inviting new audiences, creatives who wish to contribute, and more. However, this expansion also means that more business-oriented people have taken a liking to gaming.
This has led to a greater focus on numbers and profits, somewhat undermining the passion that goes into AAA productions. According to the designer behind the Ori series, this is a major reason AAA gaming struggles today.
Why it matters: Whether it be rising budgets or major failures in recent years, AAA studios face more challenges than ever today.
Thomas Mahler says the current struggles of AAA studios come as no surprise. He explains that gaming grew due to the passion and interests of talented developers who wanted to deliver genuinely enjoyable experiences for fans.
This passion meant that like-minded individuals often came together and eventually expanded into bigger teams that formed full studios. These studios then produced renowned experiences using an approach that worked specifically for them.
Mahler believes gaming’s sudden growth has led to executives focusing on the aim of delivering products. They now interfere with established studios, often changing the work culture drastically.
My prediction is that it won’t get better any time soon.
-Thomas Mahler
He explains that this is why many AAA teams no longer live up to their past reputations. The director makes a solid point since various developers have previously criticized management for changing things needlessly or refusing to accept feedback.
Elsewhere, he addressed the current sentiment around DEI. Mahler agrees with Elon Musk and believes forced DEI does little to help a game. Major polls have revealed that players also agree with this sentiment.
Considering his experience with the industry, Thomas Mahler’s words raise major concerns for gaming moving forward. With each failure today being riskier than the last, perhaps AAA gaming needs to take a step back and consider the optimal approach for the future.
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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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