I wonder if this is being brought to attention in academia. If the skill-sets for game development that are taught in universities still retain a bias towards traditional development strategy and employment in the AAA market, students who are passionate about delivering new ideas will be left behind. They need to be informed-- and not speculative, about this market shift.
I was at an event yesterday featuring young people who were just starting up their studios, or stepping into freelancing, and I did a bit on how modern development practices are shifting and it got the biggest reaction of all the slides.
The current state of the market is the perfect example of the chicken-and-egg problem. We all know the industry needs more creative, bold games to stay relevant — but bold ideas are expensive, and the economic climate doesn’t favor risk. So everything leans toward “safe bets,” which ironically pushes players away and worsens the problem.
That said, it’s not surprising to see investors stepping back from AAA development. Given the skyrocketing costs and uncertainty, it’s a natural move. The challenge now is figuring out how to support innovation without betting the entire farm on one title.
I wonder if this is being brought to attention in academia. If the skill-sets for game development that are taught in universities still retain a bias towards traditional development strategy and employment in the AAA market, students who are passionate about delivering new ideas will be left behind. They need to be informed-- and not speculative, about this market shift.
I was at an event yesterday featuring young people who were just starting up their studios, or stepping into freelancing, and I did a bit on how modern development practices are shifting and it got the biggest reaction of all the slides.
So I think you're right.
The current state of the market is the perfect example of the chicken-and-egg problem. We all know the industry needs more creative, bold games to stay relevant — but bold ideas are expensive, and the economic climate doesn’t favor risk. So everything leans toward “safe bets,” which ironically pushes players away and worsens the problem.
That said, it’s not surprising to see investors stepping back from AAA development. Given the skyrocketing costs and uncertainty, it’s a natural move. The challenge now is figuring out how to support innovation without betting the entire farm on one title.
I do think there's a way to try bold ideas without it being expensive. Or at least, not AAA expensive.
I agree, there's a limit to be bold and creative with less costs. Maybe the answer lies in the middle somewhere.