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- A former PlayStation head has spoken out against the industry’s current focus on blockbuster titles.
- He believes AA gaming needs to return.
- The executive is in favor of more creative and less expensive games.
The former head of PlayStation, Shawn Layden, has spoken in favor of indie and AA games on multiple occasions. Despite highly successful AA releases like Astro Bot, the gaming industry is primarily focused on AAA blockbusters today.
Shawn Layden believes this focus could spell disaster for the industry.
Why it matters: AAA projects require much more extensive budgets and development cycles, making them risky endeavors that don’t leave much room for creativity.
Recently, the executive spoke out against the arms race for more powerful console hardware. During another interview, he emphasized that focusing on blockbusters only is not the way to go.
If we’re just going to rely on blockbusters, that’s a death sentence.
-Shawn Layden
The former PlayStation head discussed how teams like THQ fit right in the middle of indie and AAA gaming in the past, but this space has been left unoccupied today. Most developers are trying to capture the success of big IPs, but this is not always feasible.
For instance, a title like Concord became a huge failure since it brought nothing new to the table.
Ultimately, Shawn Layden hopes to see teams taking more risks in the industry. He also argues that AA games have the advantage of arriving quicker on the market as opposed to an ambitious project like GTA 6 that requires a full decade.
Do you agree with Shawn Layden’s perspective? Have you found any particular AA releases enjoyable in recent years? Let’s discuss this in the comments and the official Tech4Gamers Forums.
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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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