Many Game Developers Think The Term “AAA” Is Stupid And Industry Is Broken, Report Reveals

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"I Think We As Developers Struggle To Define What Triple-A Means!"

Story Highlight
  • The term “AAA” started in the late 90s.
  • However, it appears many developers still struggle to understand what the term actually means.
  • Many believe it’s stupid and meaningless as it only seeks profit.

While the term triple-A started as titles that are developed with massive budgets, have less risk of failure, and leave a great impact on players, it has become controversial over recent years.

In a recent report from GamesRadar, many developers have claimed that the term triple-A is meaningless and stupid as the developers have only been focusing on their profit and not developing high-quality games for the players.

Why it matters: a recent release from Ubisoft, which released Skull and Bones after a decade-long development and called it a AAAA game but then failed, proves that the term no longer holds any value. 

Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones Was A Huge Failure Last Year

Among the many developers who talked about the Triple-A term, one was Charles Cecil, co-founder of Revolution Studios, who stated that he heard about the term when independent studios faced massive difficulties. 

He further discussed how big publishers were investing huge amounts of money and looking for great profits. However, he stated that during that era, everything had changed, but not for the better, and that’s why he thinks the term is meaningless.

It’s a stupid term. It’s meaningless. And I think it came from that era, which I don’t have very fond memories of, when everything changed, but not for the better.

-Charles Cecil

Many developers seem to agree with Charles. They believe that there is a line between quality independent games and AAA projects. The latter are titles that are only looking to generate more profits but are not willing to offer anything exciting to fans.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Was Among The Biggest Failures Last Year

Recent releases from studios like Ubisoft and EA have met with great criticism for the same reasons: the publishers are only spending massive money on developing AAA projects and are not listening to fans’ demands. 

Therefore, we believe that the term Triple-A has lost its credibility. Over the years, many indie studios have released some of the best titles, like Baldur’s Gate 3, Palworld, Stardew Valley, and more thus having a profound impact on the industry in comparison to AAA projects.

Many developers also believe AAA games could limit creativity. Publishers aren’t willing to take any risks; they seek profit, causing a sharp decline in quality and innovation.

Nonetheless, what do you think about the term? Do you believe Triple-A games have hurt the industry? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or join Tech4Gamer’s Official Forums

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