- The Valor Mortis director says publishers may need to see more hits like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 before treating AA games as safer bets.
- It is said that many publishers are still not willing to invest in AA titles due to potential risks.
- The director says that these publishers currently expect too much and aren’t willing to give studios enough time.
Following the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in 2025, many have begun looking at the AA and indie games industry with more hope.
Titles like Hi-Fi Rush have also shown just how much potential these smaller projects have, but not every single game in this category is a commercial hit. In fact, the director behind Valor Mortis argues AA gaming needs more hits.
Why it matters: Many believe AA games are the future of the industry since AAA gaming has quickly become unsustainable. However, it seems studios still don’t have a lot of faith in this part of the industry.
Radek Ratusznik, the Valor Mortis director, has argued that the AA games space needs “a few more Expedition 33s” before publishers stop viewing smaller games as a major financial risk.
Speaking to Gamesindustry, he argued that many are still not willing to invest in AA titles. The developer also expressed concerns over publisher expectations, with many asking for what can effectively be considered miracles.
The Valor Mortis director says that game development still requires time, and with publishers expecting rapid production cycles, AA development can be quite troublesome at times.
We probably need a few more Expedition 33s to just prove them wrong.
-Radek Ratusznik
Of course, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took the industry by storm last year. Another AA project like Blood of the Dawnwalker has seen a lot of success recently, so perhaps the industry will gradually come to respect this genre over time.
What are your thoughts on AA gaming as a whole? Do you prefer AA or AAA titles? Let us know in the comments section below.
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[News Reporter]
Bawal is an MBBS student by day and a gaming journalist by night. He has been gaming since childhood, growing fond of the creativity and innovation of the industry. His career as a gaming journalist started one year ago, and his journey has allowed him to write reviews, previews, and features for various sites. Bawal has also been cited in reputed websites such as Screenrant, PCGamesN, WCCFTech, GamesRadar, and more.
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