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- 2024 has been a year of many highs but just as many lows.
- Thousands have lost their jobs in the industry this year.
- Big developers like Rocksteady Studios and Ubisoft have disappointed with major games.
- Future games like Hellblade 2 and Silent Hill 2 Remake no longer seem as exciting to me.
2024 has been a very mixed year for the gaming industry so far. On one hand, the likes of Palworld and Helldivers 2 are bigger than anything we’ve seen in recent years. However, these games have not been enough to hide the grim reality of gaming in 2024.
Why it matters: Though it’s been only four months since the start of the year, I don’t see any massive games to look forward to.
Around 9K Layoffs In Just Three Months
We’re currently in the fourth month of 2024, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen developers suffer more.
Publishers like EA, Xbox, Embracer Group, and PlayStation have conducted massive layoffs, cutting as many as 8800 jobs in the first quarter of the year. This is heartbreaking not only for the professionals but also for fans like me worldwide.
For starters, we owe a lot to these professionals working day and night to bring groundbreaking gaming experiences for us each year. The layoffs also impacted in-progress projects, including Star Wars Mandalorian, Twisted Metal Reboot, and a new Deus Ex entry.
All of these games caught my attention, and it was sad to see them being scrapped.
The Big Letdowns
Undoubtedly, 2023 was my favorite year for gaming in a long while. Thanks to games like Hi-Fi Rush, Baldur’s Gate 3, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Spider-Man 2, and more, I was never left without a game to play.
However, three months into 2024, major releases have let me down. More than half a decade after Batman Arkham Knight, Rocksteady Studios returned with the poor Suicide Squad game to make it big in the live-service market.
Ubisoft also disappointed me with Skull and Bones, and Bandai Namco has quickly turned Tekken 8’s success into an excuse for selling redundant microtransactions. Let’s also not forget Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash, the underwhelming first adaptation of this incredible manga.
While a game like Palworld became instantly popular for its explosive launch, it has slowed down. Pocketpair is struggling to meet the current demand, leading to a less-than-ideal scenario.
Upcoming Games Are Already Causing Concerns
Looking ahead, 2024 seems to have revealed most of its hand already. I can only think of a few games that excite me, and even among those, my anticipation for a title like Hellblade 2 has died down.
Xbox seemed to be doing everything right with this first-party release. This was, however, until it confirmed a 30FPS limit for consoles. Since I prefer consoles as my primary platform, this was a major buzzkill for me.
Over on PlayStation and Nintendo’s end, first-party content seems to be suspiciously limited. Both of them seem to be saving games for next year, with the former relying on third-party exclusives like Stellar Blade.
Speaking of third-party PlayStation content, I am no longer as excited for Silent Hill 2 Remake, and you can probably guess why.
Moreover, the biggest games I want to play seem to be coming next year. GTA 6, Death Stranding 2, and whatever greatness Nintendo has planned as launch titles for the Switch 2.
Here’s hoping the next year will also be significantly better for all the people working in the industry. With GTA 6 coming up, I certainly hope 2025 acts as a mini-refresh for this industry.
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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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