A former Starfield developer, Will Shen, reveals player fatigue with excessively long AAA games. This saturation of the market with lengthy titles, he suggests, is fueling a resurgence of shorter gaming experiences.
Shen, a veteran with credits on titles like Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, points to the success of games like Skyrim as contributing to the prevalence of "evergreen" titles—games with massive amounts of content. However, he notes a growing segment of players tired of these lengthy commitments, finding it a significant ask to invest dozens of hours in yet another expansive game. He emphasizes that completing a game is crucial for engagement with its narrative and overall product, highlighting that many players don't finish games exceeding ten hours. His observation echoes a common criticism leveled at many AAA projects.
The trend towards shorter games, Shen argues, is a direct response to the abundance of lengthy AAA titles. He cites the success of Mouthwashing, a short indie horror game, as a prime example. Its concise playtime, he believes, was a key factor in its positive reception; a longer version with added side quests likely wouldn't have achieved the same impact.
Despite the growing appeal of shorter games, longer experiences like Starfield remain a significant force in the industry. The release of Shattered Space, a Starfield DLC in 2024, and rumors of another expansion in 2025, demonstrate the continued commitment to expansive content in AAA titles. The industry, therefore, seems poised for a continued coexistence of both long and short-form gaming experiences.
