Between vast open-world experiences like Elden Ring and the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6, alongside live-service games such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Marvel Rivals, players have no shortage of options vying for their attention. However, industry veteran Will Shen suggests that the gaming world may be hitting a saturation point.
Shen, who formerly led quest design on Starfield, recently expressed concerns about player engagement with large-scale games in a recent discussion. He acknowledged that earlier works from Bethesda, particularly Skyrim, which offers an immense amount of gameplay, might have contributed to a sense of player fatigue. Shen argues that the abundance of extensive games leaves little opportunity for players to fully dive into new offerings.
“We’re reaching a point where a significant portion of the audience is feeling fatigued at the prospect of investing over 30, or even 100 hours, into a game,” Shen remarked. “Players already have their go-to titles, and finding the time to add another lengthy game to their repertoire poses a considerable challenge.”
Shen highlighted the rising popularity of shorter games like Astro Bot and Mouthwashing, which provide enjoyable experiences without demanding lengthy commitments. He noted that the brevity of these titles fosters community engagement, as players can collectively experience the entirety of the game.
The trend towards lengthy AAA titles aligns with increasing development costs in the gaming industry. Concerns over rising expenditures have prompted industry leaders to make significant business decisions, such as the sale of companies to mitigate financial risks. This shift has also been linked to substantial job losses within the video game sector over the past year.
