Gaming Trends: Are AAA Games Getting Too Long?
A former Starfield developer, Will Shen, suggests player fatigue is growing with the abundance of lengthy AAA titles. This observation, from a veteran who worked on Starfield, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76, highlights a potential shift in player preference.
Starfield, Bethesda's ambitious 2023 release, exemplifies the trend of expansive, open-world RPGs demanding significant time investment. While this formula has proven successful for Bethesda (and titles like Skyrim), Shen's comments suggest a significant portion of gamers are reaching their limit. His interview with Kiwi Talkz (via Gamespot) indicates a growing preference for shorter gaming experiences.
Shen points to the success of games like Skyrim as a contributing factor to the current landscape of "evergreen" games, comparing this trend to the impact Dark Souls had on popularizing challenging combat. He emphasizes that many players fail to complete games exceeding ten hours, impacting overall story engagement and product satisfaction.
The Saturation Point and the Rise of Shorter Games
The saturation of the AAA market with lengthy games has, according to Shen, contributed to a resurgence of shorter titles. He cites the success of Mouthwashing, a popular indie horror game, as an example. The game's relatively short playtime was a key element in its positive reception, suggesting that a shorter, more focused experience resonated better with players than a longer game burdened with numerous side quests.
Despite this emerging trend towards shorter games, longer titles, like Starfield, remain prominent. Bethesda's continued support for Starfield with DLC like Shattered Space (released in 2024) and rumors of another expansion in 2025 indicate that longer games are not disappearing anytime soon. The industry appears to be navigating a shift in player preference, offering a wider variety of game lengths to cater to different tastes.
