- Former PlayStation boss calls out the industry for not making games fun anymore.
- He says when people pitch him games, they are focused on monetization and engagement.
- Games with lower budgets and 20-25-hour play time should make a comeback.
The current trajectory of the gaming industry is hard to understand. While concepts like forced inclusivity and political statements are mostly behind us, the industry focuses on maximising profits without considering how games have lost their fun factor.
A former PlayStation boss has weighed in on the matter and says that the industry should focus on making more “Fun Games”, instead of focusing on “Monetization” and “Customer Values”, which leads to a loss in quality.
Why it matters: Indie games like Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight: Silksong proved this year that if you focus on creativity and making games fun, you don’t need to add monetization or anything else for financial success.
In an interview, Shawn Layden spoke candidly about the gaming industry. He said that when people pitch him games these days, all they focus on is monetization strategies, addressable markets, and incentives.
Sometimes a pitch will start and they’ll be: ‘this is the monetization and this is how we’re going to capture the total addressable market. I’ve had to stop some people and say: ‘Hey, hold—no, wait. What’s the fun part?’
– Shawn Layden
He says he asks them Where is the fun part? While economics are important for a business, it is also essential to be creative and deliver something great. That’s what the industry is failing to do right now.
Studios now focus on creating 80-100-hour games for maximum player engagement; instead, they should return to 20-25-hour titles. This would also lead to double-digit million-dollar budgets, rather than triple-digit millions.
Most players will agree with Layden’s words, as most games have lost that fun factor. However, some studios still focus on brilliant projects, such as Death Stranding 2, Expedition 33, Split Fiction, and more.
What are your thoughts on the comment that games don’t focus on being fun anymore? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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