A former Starfield developer reveals player fatigue with excessively long AAA games. This trend, according to Will Shen, a veteran who worked on Starfield, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76, suggests a potential shift towards shorter gaming experiences.
The saturation of the AAA market with lengthy titles, exemplified by Starfield's extensive content, is contributing to this fatigue. While games like Starfield and Skyrim have enjoyed success due to their vast open worlds, Shen notes that many players don't complete games exceeding ten hours. He argues that completing a game is crucial for player engagement with the narrative and overall product.
In a recent interview (via Gamespot), Shen highlighted the industry's shift. He observed a growing segment of players tiring of the dozens of hours demanded by many AAA titles. He suggests this contributes to a resurgence in popularity of shorter games, citing the success of Mouthwashing as a prime example. The indie horror game's concise playtime was a key factor in its positive reception, unlike longer games often burdened with excessive side quests.
Despite the growing appeal of shorter games, longer titles like Starfield, with its 2024 DLC Shattered Space and a rumored 2025 expansion, remain prevalent. The industry appears poised for a period of co-existence between these two models.
