Former PlayStation exec Shawn Layden has mentioned the state of the video games trade, stating there is a “collapse of creativity” and that counting on blockbusters is “a loss of life sentence”.
Layden took to the stage at Gamescom Asia alongside Uncooked Fury co-founder and chief publishing officer Gordon Van Dyke (thanks GI.Biz), the place the pair mentioned the disappearance of AA studios.
Previously, stated Layden, studios targeted merely on whether or not a sport was enjoyable reasonably than monetisation schemes, although admitted “threat tolerance was pretty excessive”.
“At this time, the entry prices for making a AAA sport is in triple digit thousands and thousands now,” he continued. “I feel naturally, threat tolerance drops. And also you’re [looking] at sequels, you are taking a look at copycats, as a result of the finance guys who draw the road say, ‘Effectively, if Fortnite made this a lot cash on this period of time, my Fortnite knockoff could make this in that period of time.’ We’re seeing a collapse of creativity in video games in the present day [with] studio consolidation and the excessive price of manufacturing.”
Additional, Layden acknowledged “AA is gone”, which he described as “a risk to the ecosystem”.
Noting the final customary of video games, together with indie titles, is far increased because of developments in instruments, he continued: “Now if we are able to simply get a bit extra curiosity and pleasure and publicity for these decrease price range, however tremendous inventive and tremendous uncommon [type] of video games… I might prefer to see extra of that. As a result of if we’re simply going to depend on the blockbusters to get us via, I feel that is a loss of life sentence.”
AA video games can carry “the brand new factor” and might be developed far faster than AAA video games, stated Layden. Most significantly, although, they have to search distinctive concepts not monetisation.
“If you are going to pitch me your AA sport, and within the first two pages of your deck is your monetisation and income, subscription scheme, I am out. Your first web page must be ‘This sport must be made and this is why’,” he stated.
“I need to see that fireplace, I do not need to see ‘this is the chief accountant on the workforce that is going to clarify to you the [game’s monetisation]’.”
Layden additionally commented on present traits round AI in sport growth, stating it is “not a saviour”.
“Synthetic intelligence has been in gaming since nearly the primary or second video games ever made,” he stated. “So all this pleasure about gen AI, I discover sort of humorous. I do see its functions in sure locations for sure issues. Nevertheless it’s only a instrument, it is not a saviour. It is a instrument in the way in which that Excel is a instrument. It simply helps velocity you alongside your duties.”
Layden started working for Sony in 1987, ultimately serving as chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios from 2014 – 2019. He is labored as a strategic advisor at Tencent since September 2022.
His feedback are maybe finest mirrored in video games like Hello-Fi Rush, a singular and artistic idea that was definitely a threat for Tango Gameworks.
That studio was closed by Microsoft, however subsequently acquired by Krafton. And Krafton boss Changhan ‘CH’ Kim has made feedback that parallel these of Layden – particularly the studio acquisition was motivated by the need to keep up its legacy reasonably than earn money.
“We wished to keep up their legacy,” stated Kim. “Though they didn’t have a giant success of their video games, we noticed many creatives price pursuing. That is why we wished to work with that organisation.”
