- A former Ubisoft developer believes indie gaming is gaining more attention from players today.
- He states that audiences are more interested in unique experiences.
- This, combined with the risk of AAA titles, makes the indie space more interesting for developers and players.
There is little doubt about AAA gaming’s currently unsustainable nature. Modern games take more and more time to develop, and even big successes don’t guarantee job security. On the other hand, failures almost certainly spell disaster for entire teams.
This situation has also created an interesting opportunity for indie studios. As a former Ubisoft developer notes, the gaming industry is at a crossroads.
Why it matters: Indie gaming has steadily risen to new heights, and the lackluster state of AAA gaming gives indie studios a major chance to break new ground.
VGC recently spoke to former Ubisoft developers Davide Soliani and Christian Cantamessa, the former of whom worked on the Mario + Rabbids IP. On the other hand, Christain Cantamessa has worked on high-profile titles like Red Dead Redemption, and both developers have now joined forces to work on an indie project.
Discussing the decision to start a new studio, Soliani stated that the industry is at a very interesting point. He highlighted how massive investments need to be recouped in modern projects, making AAA gaming unsustainable.
Interestingly, Ubisoft itself is struggling with sustainability today, with past rumors pointing to imminent bankruptcy for the gaming giant. Soliani believes the solution could lie in a greater indie focus.
He points out that players are more interested than ever in unique experiences that break away from typical AAA trends. This is also why a platformer like Astro Bot won Game of The Year and various other awards last year.
The audience is aligning away from the more studio fare and towards the indie fare.
Both Davide Soliani and Christian Cantamessa are currently working on a new IP. While little is known about their next project, the team is likely to focus on delivering an experience not found in most AAA offerings today.
What are your thoughts on the developer’s comment? Do you agree that indie gaming is more interesting today? Let’s discuss this in the comments and on the 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.