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I games are taking 5 years to make with 9 figure budgets, Devlopers need to change!
- Thread starter Gamer79
- Start date
BehemothBlade
Member
You sure about that?
This is from 2008 Prince of Persia reboot and the timeless artstyle still looks great a decade later. I would take this over modern graphics that gets outdated in a year.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
Graphics are important and always has been.
But I think the typical gamer now can live with good graphics and more importantly good gameplay, less bloat and cutscenes.
Probably all of the best selling and played games don’t even have the best graphics.
If visuals were the most important, games like Hellblade 1 and 2 would be top sellers.
Rodolink
Member
exactly, that's what i meant, the majority of consumers want better graphics each time, so companies push to make things more and more detailed. ofc just my impression, would be good to have research backed up data.You sure about that?
This is from 2008 Prince of Persia reboot and the timeless artstyle still looks great a decade later. I would take this over modern graphics that gets outdated in a year.
if this is not the case then we consumers should stop buying those hyper high budget entries.
Toots
Gold Member
Greetings young fellow,
Im the head of the board for western publishers,
As you brilliantly summed it up, the situation is dire so i wont mince my words.
We need people like you, quick on their feet mavericks who can think outside the box.
Goddamit, we cannot afford to lose any more time ! You're hired as head of every game studio ever (as soon as you stop drunkposting) !
Generic
Member
This is why multiplayer modes are a thing.
jakinov
Member
There are successful games every year. Projects fail all the time in gaming whether it's a traditional SP or GaaS game. There's no evidence that the GaaS market is crowded or over-saturated. GaaS games appeal to much wider audiences and generate a ridiculous amount of money so even a small piece of the pie can make for a successful game. For the GaaS (or even traditional SP) games that fail, it's often because they simply aren't interested or don't enjoy the end-product; and not so much that there's too many options.
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
I personally value good art direction way more than high tech graphics, I can live with games not having super high tech visuals but bad art direction is gonna look bad no matter the tech.
Fess
Member
Short linear games are fine, occasionally. But what are you going to do once you’ve finished them? As you say, replayability is a lost art. Don’t ask for shorter games until devs has showed that there is more to their games than plowing through them and getting all achievements.
I like Astro Bot, Hellblade 2, Scorn, MW3 campaign, but in about 2 weeks they’re just a memory and not something I’ll keep on playing .
Meanwhile I’m still playing Elden Ring that came out over 2 years ago, closing in on 700 hours right now. I want more games like that. But I’m not sure what other developer that could do it.
NecrosaroIII
Ultimate DQ Fan
Back in the 90s, it was viewed as a disaster that DQ7 took 5 years to make. Now it's the norm.
But times HAVE changed. I guess it's harder now to make games. But still, it's tough because tastes change so rapidly.
But times HAVE changed. I guess it's harder now to make games. But still, it's tough because tastes change so rapidly.
Gamer79
Predicts the worst decade for Sony starting 2022
That is my very point. Astrobot does not have to sell 10 million copies to be a success story. If it sells 5 it probably has doubled it's budget. The problem with these 5+ development cycle they may need to sell 10 million just to break even. There are plenty of times where a game sells 5-7 million copies and is not profitable due to the insane budget and puts the company under.
Puscifer
Member
I've played Max Payne 1 and 2 over more times than any big name "exclusive" in the past 10 years. Hell, I know those games so good that I remember finishing them both 3 days leading up to Max Payne 3 at once point. Hasn't stopped hundreds of JRPGs from being replayable, 2D games have aged incredibly well and the majority of them are point a to b.
If the games good, a linear experience doesn't stop you from replaying it.
Uncharted? Played em all once, once the set pieces are memorized there's no fun.
Never new game plused the GoW reboots
One and done the first Horizon, bored with the second one and I'm not playing games for the purpose of photo mode
If there was one design still I wish would come back are sandbox style games like Witcher and Witcher 2. Every area has just enough content to feel "full" but it's not overwhelming but you're more than welcome to spend just as much time as you want exploring till you're ready for the next one.
tmlDan
Member
but it doesn't make nearly as much as the games you complain about, the margins are much larger in these big budget triple A games despite the increased risk that goes alongside it. 5-7 million always turns a profit, not sure what example you're trying to use with that. The only company that says its not is someone like Sqaure.
Raven77
Member
Two words:
Stock market
Nothing will change because the game developers that make most games that people have heard of are all publicly traded. Because of that they have to go after whatever will make them the most money.
Sad fact.
This is why prior to the Xbox 360 and PS3 there was a lot more variety of commercially released games being developed. Snowboard games, party games, ecco the dolphin, blast corpse, Iggy's wrecking balls, jumping flash, etc etc - insert any number of unique games that used to come out and now are all relegated to Indy releases.
Stock market
Nothing will change because the game developers that make most games that people have heard of are all publicly traded. Because of that they have to go after whatever will make them the most money.
Sad fact.
This is why prior to the Xbox 360 and PS3 there was a lot more variety of commercially released games being developed. Snowboard games, party games, ecco the dolphin, blast corpse, Iggy's wrecking balls, jumping flash, etc etc - insert any number of unique games that used to come out and now are all relegated to Indy releases.
CompleteGlobalSaturation
Member
Dev teams have exploded for what seems like no reason.
Stop hiring 'diversity managers' and focus on a core team only.
It seems like Eastern European and Asian developers are much more lean. Resident Evil 4 Remake is probably the best game I've played in 2023. I wonder how much that cost to make.
Stop hiring 'diversity managers' and focus on a core team only.
It seems like Eastern European and Asian developers are much more lean. Resident Evil 4 Remake is probably the best game I've played in 2023. I wonder how much that cost to make.
rm082e
Member
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Needs Sales Of 7.2M Copies At Full Price To Break Even, Has Colossal Budget Of $300M
That's why. If the new normal is spending 300 million on a game (includes marketing) and you need to sell over 7 million copies at full price just to break even, that seems like a real problem...
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SEGAvangelist
Member
Well, most of them will be fired, so it's not all bad news.
Angry_Megalodon
Member
Wukong is an AAA with a budget of 70 million, made in 5 years. There are many examples of top-tier games made with "restrained" budgets in a reasonable time frame.
Stop the big budget fallacy. There is a managerial problem, but of course, studio directors won't tell investors that
Stop the big budget fallacy. There is a managerial problem, but of course, studio directors won't tell investors that
DryvBy
Member
Graphical fidelity?? Where?! This generation is seriously lacking anything that's wowing people.
tmlDan
Member
Thats a unique case because they pay large licensing fee's you can't apply that to all games. Nice try tho.
Gamer79
Predicts the worst decade for Sony starting 2022
"Meanwhile, a $100 million AAA game would need to sell 8-10 million copies just to break even."
Btw GTA 5 cost $250 million back in 2012
How Much Does It Cost to Make a Video Game In 2024? | UK Business Blog
Explore how much it costs to make a video game in 2024, including development, marketing, and production expenses, and get insights for your game project.
business.clickdo.co.uk
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Rosoboy19
Member
It depends on the game. Space Marine 2 is a good game but imagine if they tried to make it last 30+ hours. That’s a LOT of glory kills, lol.Imagine playing Elden Ring and thinking; 12 hours is enough
tmlDan
Member
I don't see any proof of that in the article, id like some real numbers."Meanwhile, a $100 million AAA game would need to sell 8-10 million copies just to break even."
How Much Does It Cost to Make a Video Game In 2024? | UK Business Blog
Explore how much it costs to make a video game in 2024, including development, marketing, and production expenses, and get insights for your game project.
that's just a line in a very weird website. The math makes no sense. Also, this is a blog.
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
Monster Hunter series has that same effect. To this day people still playing Monster Hunter World and that game came out in 2018.
Sooner
Member
What the hell are you doing in Horizon? The game is nowhere near that long, even taking your time.
Trilobit
Member
I'm running around doing sidequests, following the main story, upgrading my gear and doing some other stuff. Walking pretty much and looking around at the environments. I felt like I had been playing it too hurriedly.
I thought I'd have played it through before it disappeared from PS Plus, so now I have to cheaply buy the disc used to finish the game lol.
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saintjules
Gold Member
What are I Games?
bitbydeath
Member
*If the game was priced at $10."Meanwhile, a $100 million AAA game would need to sell 8-10 million copies just to break even."
Btw GTA 5 cost $250 million back in 2012
How Much Does It Cost to Make a Video Game In 2024? | UK Business Blog
Explore how much it costs to make a video game in 2024, including development, marketing, and production expenses, and get insights for your game project.
Efren is G.O.A.T.
Member
Nah! I like the smaller indie games too, don't get me wrong but give me epic 60h+ adventures EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK!
That being said, those 60h games that I crave don't have to have to fanciest graphics, just great gameplay
That being said, those 60h games that I crave don't have to have to fanciest graphics, just great gameplay
Gamer79
Predicts the worst decade for Sony starting 2022
You do not understand. Publishers do not get the $70 unless it's digital and even then there is cost for maintaining and keeping servers. I do not know what the actual proftt is of a $70 game but I bet it's less than half when all the cost factors are considered.
bitbydeath
Member
Probably between $10-$20 then.
Making $200M will absolutely lead to profit for a $100M game.
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EverydayBeast
ChatGPT 0.1
OP is def onto something,
I think we're conditioned now to play long games.
I think we're conditioned now to play long games.
peronmls
Member
Veteran developers are moving on. Not even Valve makes actual games anymore. They don’t even remake/remaster their games. They just let modders do it with their blessing. It’s the new generation of developers that are out of touch. Videos games are main stream. Not anything new and inventive anymore.
Moriarty1889
Member
So many of these devs make these huge open world games. Those games require a lot of time and money.
Fess
Member
Older games are different, but I can’t put my finger on what modern games actually do wrong to be honest. I play almost everything only one time now. I enjoyed Hellblade 2 a ton, first movie game that actually pulled off the movie part for me, but playing it again? Nope. And even in fantastic GOTY games like Astro Bot I sigh if I have to replay a level one time too many to find a lost galaxy warp.
In old arcade games all you did was replaying them. Can’t just be because you had to. I still enjoy playing old arcade games.
What’s the magic ingredient that was lost? Challenge? Music? Game mechanic simplicity? Constant action and no dead areas?
I agree on the open sandbox style, if it’s done well with content as exploration reward. Elden Ring, Breath of the Wild. And Skyrim, Oblivion. Having high hopes for the handcrafted Starfield expansion. Haven’t actually played Witcher 1 and 2, I started on 3 but never finished it. Have 1 and 2 aged well?
Fess
Member
Haven’t played a single Monster Hunter
The upcoming one looked nice, maybe I should give it a try.
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
You still have time, I HIGLY recommend you play either Monster Hunter World or Rise.Haven’t played a single Monster Hunter
The upcoming one looked nice, maybe I should give it a try.
It gives you time to get used combat and its gameplay loop and you can choose which weapons you enjoy the most and practice with it until Wilds comes out.
Puscifer
Member
1 is supposedly being remadeOlder games are different, but I can’t put my finger on what modern games actually do wrong to be honest. I play almost everything only one time now. I enjoyed Hellblade 2 a ton, first movie game that actually pulled off the movie part for me, but playing it again? Nope. And even in fantastic GOTY games like Astro Bot I sigh if I have to replay a level one time too many to find a lost galaxy warp.
In old arcade games all you did was replaying them. Can’t just be because you had to. I still enjoy playing old arcade games.
What’s the magic ingredient that was lost? Challenge? Music? Game mechanic simplicity? Constant action and no dead areas?
I agree on the open sandbox style, if it’s done well with content as exploration reward. Elden Ring, Breath of the Wild. And Skyrim, Oblivion. Having high hopes for the handcrafted Starfield expansion. Haven’t actually played Witcher 1 and 2, I started on 3 but never finished it. Have 1 and 2 aged well?
2 is better than 3 IMO but that's fighting words on the internet
Fess
Member
Cool, I’m used to enjoying games the internet don’t like so not scared away by that. I just saw that I have 2 on Steam, probably bought it on some sale and forgot about it, no playtime, shame on me. Says partial Xbox controller support. Is it better played with keyboard and mouse?
Puscifer
Member
That's hilarious
Xbox controller isn't bad either, but for RPGs like this I just prefer KB/M
