- Ori’s dev recently took to social media to complain about the industry’s homogeneous, stale state.
- He cited Highguard as an example, noting that the game looks artistically similar to the 14-year-old Halo 4.
- As per the dev, technical fidelity keeps increasing, but artistically, games have been lagging.
Highguard came in and went just like any other live-service hero shooter, which was pretty expected ever since the game was revealed at The Game Awards. It was the event that gave this title such exposure, but unfortunately, that same exposure backfired on the devs, Wildlife Entertainment.
What the devs claim the game to be, that “can’t be find anywhere else,” is slammed for being generic and boring by players. Amidst this situation, Ori’s dev has also joined in the conversation, sharing their two cents on the current ‘generic’ state of the industry.
Why it matters: Video games used to be passionate, but unfortunately, devs have now lost that plot and the creativity. Highguard seems to be another example of slop plaguing the industry.

Thomas Mahler, CEO of Moon Studios, discussed broadly what’s wrong with the gaming industry in recent times, stating that despite having talented employees and amazing concept art, the end result just doesn’t hold up.
He later cited Highguard as an example, calling it a generic title. Further explaining his point, he claimed that comparing this new hero shooter to the 14-year-old Halo 4 shows no artistic difference, only improved technical fidelity.

This point has been widely discussed over the last few years, with the latest games looking homogeneous. Mostly, Unreal Engine 5 is blamed for that, but Epic Games’ boss claims that the developers are lazy, since the platform provides a wide variety of assets and lighting that even an amateur can use to easily create a demo project.
In other news, Highguard has now lost 99% of its player base, which has also led to layoffs at Wildlife Entertainment. It’s pretty disappointing what former Respawn Entertainment devs have come to.
On the bright side, it could be another lesson for the gaming industry, but from the looks of it, they just don’t learn.
What are your thoughts on Thomas’ remarks? Do you agree with his points? Let us know in the comments below, or at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Staff Writer]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheerzahid03@gmail.com


