A former Starfield developer reveals player fatigue with excessively long AAA games. The sheer volume of lengthy titles in the AAA market may be fueling a resurgence of shorter gaming experiences. Despite this trend, long-form games like Starfield remain prevalent.
Will Shen, a former Bethesda developer who contributed to Starfield, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76, voiced concerns about the length of modern games. He suggests player burnout stems from the significant time investment required by many AAA titles.
Starfield, Bethesda's first new IP in 25 years, exemplifies this trend. Its expansive open-world design, mirroring the success of Skyrim, offers countless hours of gameplay. While this appeals to many, a significant portion of gamers prefer shorter, more focused experiences. Shen's perspective reflects this growing criticism of lengthy AAA projects.
In an interview with Kiwi Talkz (via Gamespot), Shen stated the industry is reaching a point where many players are tiring of games boasting dozens of hours of content. He described adding another lengthy title to an already saturated market as a "tall order." He credits the success of titles like Skyrim with establishing the "evergreen game" norm, likening its impact to Dark Souls' influence on third-person combat difficulty. He also highlighted that most players don't complete games exceeding ten hours, emphasizing game completion as crucial for story engagement.
The saturation of the AAA market with lengthy games has contributed to the rise of shorter games, according to Shen. He cites the popularity of Mouthwashing, a short indie horror game, as a prime example. The game's concise playtime was key to its success; a longer version with added side quests would likely have been less well-received.
Despite the growing appeal of shorter games, longer titles are not disappearing. Starfield’s 2024 DLC, Shattered Space, expanded its already extensive content, and further expansions are rumored for 2025.
