A former Starfield developer, Will Shen, reveals player fatigue with excessively long AAA games. Shen, a veteran with experience on titles like Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, suggests that the market is reaching a saturation point with lengthy experiences, making it challenging to attract players to yet another expansive title. He points to the success of Skyrim as a contributing factor to the prevalence of "evergreen" games, comparing this trend to the impact of Dark Souls on the popularity of challenging third-person combat. Shen emphasizes that most players don't complete games exceeding 10 hours, highlighting the importance of game completion for story engagement and overall product satisfaction.
The oversaturation of the AAA market with lengthy games has, according to Shen, contributed to a resurgence of shorter games. He cites the success of Mouthwashing, a popular indie horror game, as an example, emphasizing that its concise playtime was a key factor in its positive reception. He suggests that lengthening the game with additional side quests and content would have negatively impacted its success.
Despite the growing popularity of shorter gaming experiences, longer games, like Starfield, remain prevalent. Bethesda's continued support for Starfield with DLC like Shattered Space (released in 2024) and a rumored 2025 expansion demonstrates the ongoing appeal of expansive content, even amidst a shift in player preferences.
Latest Downloads
Downlaod
Top News
