October 17th 2024.
It seems like former PlayStation America boss, Shawn Layden, is back at it again with his insightful words. This time, he is speaking out against the decline of AA games development in the industry. Layden, who held the position at PlayStation America from 2014 to 2019, was once seen as just another corporate executive who only made appearances at events like E3 and was easily overlooked.
However, since his departure from Sony, Layden has revealed a deep passion and understanding for the gaming industry. He is now able to freely share his thoughts and opinions without any limitations. Recently, he spoke about the need for publishers to create shorter and less graphically demanding games. And now, he has addressed the issue of a lack of creativity in the industry, caused by studio consolidation and the high production costs of AAA games.
Layden shared his insights at the Gamescom Asia event in Singapore, during a "fireside chat" with Gordon Van Dyke, co-founder of indie publisher Raw Fury. He expressed concern over the fact that the entry cost for creating a AAA game has reached triple digit millions, resulting in a decrease in risk tolerance. This has led to a focus on sequels and copycat games, as finance executives aim to replicate the success of games like Fortnite.
Although this is a sentiment that has been echoed by many others, it holds more weight coming from someone who held such a high position at PlayStation. It is even more impressive that Layden is knowledgeable about the history of the industry, as seen by his reference to former British publishers Gremlin and Ocean.
He also pointed out the disappearance of the middle layer in the gaming industry, where companies like Interplay, Gremlin, Ocean, and THQ used to thrive. This layer, consisting of AA games, is now gone, leaving a gap in the ecosystem. Layden believes that this poses a threat and hopes to see more interest and exposure for lower budget but highly creative and unique games.
However, Layden acknowledged the challenge that indie games face in gaining recognition from both customers and the press. He expressed his desire to see more support for these types of games, as he believes that relying solely on big blockbuster titles is not sustainable for the industry.
Layden's entire speech is worth reading, and it's difficult to argue with his points. But it's also hard to imagine that any major publisher will take heed of his words. Despite recent high-profile flops, there is no indication that publishers will change their focus on live service games or reduce game budgets.
As the crisis in the gaming industry continues, it seems that publishers are more inclined to cut jobs rather than face the fact that their approach to the industry may be flawed. Layden's words may fall on deaf ears, but he remains hopeful that things will change for the better. If you have any thoughts on this matter, you can always reach out to us via email, leave a comment below, or follow us on Twitter. And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on all things gaming.
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