- Many developers at GDC claimed that optimization is more important than ever.
- The current RAM apocalypse is prompting studios to focus on low memory usage.
- Developers may have to adapt by introducing asset pop-ins and loading screens to compensate.
As AAA games have evolved, reliance on higher-end system resources has been quite apparent. Unfortunately, most of this happened because studios haven’t kept up with game optimization and instead have focused on chasing ‘ultra-realistic’ visuals.
However, a new report shows the current memory crisis had many developers talking about optimization at GDC.
They argue that games can no longer sell well unless they are highly optimized, as many users can’t afford the expensive high-end rigs required for AAA games.
Why it matters: The memory shortage has been devastating for the industry, but it might be having an unintended side effect by making developers more conscious about optimization.
The report by Polygon states that gaming optimization and RAM were a hot topic at the GDC conference this year because the market is more volatile than ever.
I agree, let’s f*cking optimize games! We’ve been letting cool technical work slide for so long. They don’t look that much better!
-Zero Parades writer, Siim Kosmos SinamAe.
There was a constant stress present among industry professionals, as developers can no longer assume gamers will keep up with increasing system requirements at the same pace as before.
If you’re asking people to suddenly pay more for their systems, that’s fewer games than they can purchase. So it does change some of the conversations around how we have to approach our price point.
-Marketing Professional.
Therefore, several developers now want to focus on optimization moving forward. We have already seen tangible effects of this new mindset, with Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight dialing down its recommended memory requirement from 32 GB to 16 GB.
Unfortunately, this also means studios might be forced to introduce asset pop-ins and additional loading screens in games so they use less memory in the future.
Do you think AAA games will become more RAM-optimized and have better performance as the memory crisis worsens, or will this new strategy take the industry nowhere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔
Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
Join Our Community
