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- A former Xbox executive says that the industry has formed a bubble and ignores gamer demands.
- She points to recent failures like Redfall and Dragon Age: The Veilguard as evidence.
- The former executive also says that media outlets often do exactly as the studios ask.
The gaming industry is currently struggling to stay on its feet. On one hand, huge successes like Black Myth: Wukong and Palworld show the industry has much more to give, but on the other hand, various AAA productions have completely failed in recent years.
Discussing these scenarios, a former Xbox executive has made an excellent video, detailing how the industry reached this point. According to her video, the industry is currently doing a poor job listening to the fans.
Why it matters: Many developers have recently ignored fan feedback. Some have even chosen to ridicule audiences for disagreeing or sharing different opinions.
As per Laura Fryer, a former Xbox executive heavily involved in the Gears franchise, the gaming industry has formed its own little bubble.
She deems this bubble responsible for recent disappointments like Redfall and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. In her video, Laura Fryer discussed the history of game marketing and how journalists developed relationships with key figures in the industry.
The likes of Todd Howard became famous as faces of major franchises, while people like Geoff Keighley slowly grew to become known as reputed journalists. These journalists often befriended popular developers due to recurring interactions, giving both parties leverage over the industry.
Laura Fryer further explained that game companies would often plan their bottom lines months in advance, leading to the journalists saying and doing exactly what the studios wanted.
Ultimately, this ended up creating a bubble where the media agreed and praised studios for everything they did, eliminating honest feedback and criticism.
When you’re in a bubble, it’s easy to make bad choices. You stop understanding what they(the gamers) want.
-Laura Fryer
As an example of the bubble, Laura Fryer highlighted how one major publication seemingly contradicted its own Dragon Age: The Veilguard review mere weeks after the score went live.
Moreover, she discussed the fact that multiple Dragon Age: The Veilguard reviews used the specific “return to form” quote that one director wished for. Phil Spencer also noted that mock reviews for Redfall were much better than the final reception, indicating the bigger problem.
Laura Fryer ultimately concluded that studios have lost sight of the gamer’s perspective. Their bubble does not always reflect what the fans want, but this is easy to forget when studios are seemingly surrounded by yes men who never speak up or criticize them.
This is perhaps why many AAA productions are so focused on specific elements that go against fan demands. Ubisoft, in particular, is currently struggling in a similar manner, with the team previously admitting that it no longer knows how to consistently reach a large audience.
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[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three 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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