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- A veteran developer has recently discussed why it takes so long to create AAA games.
- He believes one major cause is the demand for hyper-realistic graphics from the fans.
- Developers often have to make everything from scratch today, leading to further delays in release schedules.
AAA gaming has landed in a spot where most developers are unable to launch more than two major titles in a single generation. This has upset some fans, but most fandoms have cornered the developers with their expectations.
A developer who worked on titles like Baldur’s Gate 2 recently elaborated on this subject. He clarified that fan demand for hyper-realistic visuals is one reason that developers are forced to spend years upon years on each new AAA release.
Why it matters: The lack of similar expectations for indie/AA games gives them an edge. This is also why indie games are often able to concentrate on creativity over impressive visuals.
Mark Darrah has extensive experience with the industry and has worked on games like Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, and Baldur’s Gate 2. He has made a massive video recently, delving into the subject of AAA games taking too long to make.
Mark Darrah explained that most of the developers are trying to achieve hyper-realistic art styles, hyper-high fidelity, and hyper-customization, which he calls the fidelity death cult.
To achieve such goals, game development needs a lot longer than in the past. For example, he describes how modern developers carefully think about small elements like hair movement.
This would not be a huge problem in the past, with developers relying on a hair cap for the simplest solution.
These things, while they don’t help you make a forever game, they still take a lot more time.
-Mark Darrah
He further discussed how the industry is seeing pushback from gamers when developers try to reuse the same assets in sequels. However, when games rely on brand-new assets, it can take a lot longer to create sequels.
Other developers have made similar observations in the past. It’s no secret that AAA gaming is headed toward a concerning future, whether it be due to the ballooning scope of new releases or the outrageous budgets.
Over the years, new releases like Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, and more have taken nearly 10 years to create. Even Nintendo, a gaming giant that rarely gives raw visual fidelity any thought, took nearly 7 years to release the critically acclaimed Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
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[News Reporter]
Abiyan is on track to complete his Computer Science bachelor’s degree. His enthusiasm for writing and gaming motivates him to keep readers and gamers updated with the latest information from the industry. In his free time, Abiyan enjoys playing Dota 2 and Rocket League. Abiyan has also been cited in reputed websites such as Kitguru, Comicbook, GamingBible, Eurogamer and Gamingbolt.
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