The AAA Video Game Bubble Has Burst



Video games have never been more popular, technically impressive, easily accessible to players, but the games industry has certainly seen better days. Skyrocketing budgets of AAA projects and diminishing returns on live-service games have resulted in over 23,000 jobs in the video game industry were lost in the two years. Over 30 video game development studios have ceased operations including Arkane Austin, Volition, and most recently, Firewalk Studios. While games as a service can be extremely lucrative, some projects never see the light of day, like Naughty Dog’s cancelled The Last of Us Online. On the other hand, some games do come out in some form, only to be pulled offline, like SEGA’s Hyenas, which never made it past a public beta, or PlayStation’s massive flop, Concord, which was completely taken offline just two weeks after launch. What’s the solution? There’s no clear answer, but smaller projects could allow for more innovation – after all, look at recent indie hits, like Balatro, Animal Well, or UFO 50, which were made by small teams.

#IGN #Gaming #AAAGames

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32 comments

@IGN December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
CORRECTION: This was written by Sab Astley, but the narration provided by Max Scoville. Sorry for the mix-up, and thanks to Sab for the excellent script.

-Max Scoville (who actually did write this comment)
@enteplays3662 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Big thinh is that most AAA Games don't even feel like games anymore. They always try to send a big message or wanting you to compete with everyone while the gameplay-mechanics were just functional but nothing more. That results in a lack of gun while playing the game. It is interesting to follow a story playing against orher players but most of the time the gameplay itself does not really provide fun to me. And that is something that is so Standart procedure that I kinda forgot that this is not the way it should be. When I started Dead Cells it was a big revelation for me that, gor the first time in years, I had fun simply playing the game and the fun resulted from the process of actually playing and not from my desire to see what will happen next in a story or beeing the best on a leaderboard. But as always, this is only my opinion.

Tldt: In my opinion AAA games do not provide fun from the actuall process of playing anymore
@ShowsClips15 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
We want ready player one.....
@sulpherbratigh7936 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Marvel rivals: LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
@chandumudunuru December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Subscriptions and in game purchases has spoiled the industry. Just keep it simple focus on the word ‘game’ money will follow.
@____chris December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Maybe the schlock "games media/journalism" bubble is bursting also? This has been featering for over a half decade now
@xfry December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
New generation don't want to have fun: They want that you watch them playing games and throwing hate to others creation just because they want to be recognized as criticisers
@bmosk94 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
IGN reporting this is rich considering what a big part of the problem they are. Bootlicking publishers for early access, exclusive interviews, etc and a blanket refusal to ever criticize said publishers who deliver half finished, bland, and uninspiring work
@erikwirfs-brock2432 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
High end gaming has basically evolved into a dead end, the only way to recoup costs it to have a hit that can be monetized for years, but there are fewer and fewer of those because people's attentions are already locked into the games they are already playing or the next installment of an already big brand. Either audience behavior will change, there will be some technical innovation that radically lowers development costs, or the number of triple a games will start/continue? to shrink
@RangeTeaGaming December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
The issue is, as I have always said: everything changed after wow. WoW made money hand over fist from subscriptions made other game developers and businesses take notice. If they can make money with little effort to make things better, they will undoubtly make it to where you have to pay for less and less. Every expansion? More money. Now take this trend and apply it to add ons, or DLCs. We aren't talking about expansions because thouse in essence, it makes it an optional thing if you want to have it to play more content. Now take this DLC, Subscription ridden idea and now you have a money making, cash cow that will, undeniably make money hand over fist and the consumers will never be the wiser. Except I never forgot. Then there's the idealogy push and lack of respect for employees. Not everyone in any business wants idealogy pushed on them while working, let alone in consumer's video games. I, for one, don't. The lack of ethical respect and boundaries in the video game industry is sickening, and it is sadly, only going to get worse. Now we could debate this all day but the bottom line is as follows: AAA industry wants top dollar for what they think are lofty ideals and mediocre ideas, while treating their employees like crap and treating their customers like they are idiots. If you want to make the change, then change how you do business. Less microtransactions and subscriptions, and more of good, honest content with no idealogical agenda. I only need to use ID software with thier release of DOOM, DOOM II and QUAKE as a basis. Gameplay was solid and straightforward. Buy it or don't. No microtransactions, no rediculous DLC and no subscription to play.
@Shoebox69420 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
we are easily in one of the worse times for gaming, its cool that i can buy emulators and stuff to play old games. Realistically playing old games is the most fun i have anymore, after 2020 its been down hill for any new games.
@Leomerya12 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
A video game should never cost $100 Million Dollars (currently) to make.

Bad management and meandering until investors put their foot down for a product to be released.

That money comes from paying underutilized staff salaries over several years.

If it takes you more than 3-4 years to release a game with a huge studio, you are doing it VERY wrong.

Most people don't really know what they're doing, in general. I mean that for all jobs. You just have to pray you get someone competent.
@Rose_J December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Honestly, we just need to go back to the basics. Go back to the games that were awesome and recapture those concepts. I don’t understand why they don’t see that.
@afzalhussain605 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
I get your point of country size games with emptiness. So the next step as an explorer I would love to be able to feel approachable any way and connect more
@jerrymitchell8666 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Idk why yall call em tripple AAA games anymores lol..they b an c games dude
@aquaboy12 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
I don’t understand why it costs hundreds of millions just to develop one video game…
@ToeTag9899 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
IGN you are part of the problem.
@angelahornung8488 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
I think the issue is it seems every or every other AAA game wants to be a live service game. We don’t want that. I don’t think players care whether a game is indie or AAA so long is the game is good, complete at launch and not another love service bs.

I think this bubble bursting is good, painful but hopefully companies will realize we don’t want more love service titles.
@j12dn December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
The lay offs should band together and make universal gta and micro transactions to pay them after
@quackcheeese December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Nah we know AAA games are trash these days beside some and I mean less than a hand full
@Chaoticaa December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
I just want games where I can buy it all in 1 purchase (optionally with DLC too). No micro transactions, no subscriptions, no gotcha/lootboxes... Just a solid experience I can outright buy.
@stephencheney9811 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Great take and video. Major studios should do their own internal game jams periodically for smaller ideas that they can support. While employees wouldn't own what they made, they would of course likely move up the ladder faster if their game won.
@graveofdeath December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
maybe if the games were better. thats why Indie and AA studios are making great games
@gregharn1 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Studios are learning what happens when you abandon the core aspects of why people play & replay games. On top of shoehorning nonsense into them.
@MurphyKristovsky December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Consumers of all goods and services have less disposable income as time goes on. The gaming industry is just another victim of the cost of living crisis.
@xavierrobinson6146 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
U know it's bad when ign is agreeing against company interests 🤣🤣🤣
@gazjaz2010 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
instead, leave games in 'Early Access' status for years
@leung8888 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
Rise of the indie.
@martinw2235 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
How on earth does CoD cost that much? It's 99% the same game each time.
@666Burkey December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
I can’t stand igns take on anything anymore
@zq7246 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
I think it’s pretty clear judging from the comments that a majority of the people on here have no idea what a bubble even is when regards to finance. The bubble was created because a drastic increase in demand during Covid that wasn’t sustainable.
@MaximusDecimusMeridius23 December 12, 2024 - 8:29 am
these opinions are coming from a company that rated diablo 4 an 8/10

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