March 2nd 2024.
As a reader, I can't help but feel worried about the current state of the gaming industry. It seems like every time I read the news, there's nothing but bad news. And I'm not talking about minor setbacks, like the delay of the Switch 2. No, I'm talking about major issues, like over 6,000 game developers losing their jobs this year alone. It's disheartening to see the lack of empathy from these corporations, who seem more concerned with impressing investors and higher-ups than the livelihoods of their employees.
But beyond the corporate callousness, it's clear that there's a bigger problem at play here. The way games are made and sold nowadays is not sustainable. It's baffling that it's taken this long for the industry to realize this, and it seems like everyone has come to this realization at the same time. It's almost like there's been some sort of "evil bat signal" that has finally made publishers see that spending over $300 million on a game that takes five years to make is not a viable business model.
And how have these big players in the industry responded to this realization? With calm and calculated plans for the future? No, it's been nothing but panic and knee-jerk reactions. These executives may be making astronomical salaries, but they seem to have the business acumen of an innumerate badger.
Many people are now drawing comparisons to the video game crash of 1983, when the market was flooded with poor-quality games and ultimately collapsed. But this time, it's the opposite problem. There are too few high-quality games being released, and it's causing a ripple effect throughout the industry.
Some may scoff at the idea of a market crash happening again, but I believe they're just clinging to hope. Microsoft and Sony have already made it clear that the current way of doing things is not sustainable, and they're actively searching for alternative ways to do business. However, they've been intentionally vague about their plans, as no one wants to admit that they're giving up on making the games that fans love and instead focusing on "live service trash."
But it's not just Microsoft and Sony. Other big publishers, like EA, have also announced that they will be doubling down on live service games and phasing out single-player experiences. And while this may be their plan, I'm not convinced it will be successful. EA has been trying to replicate the success of their sports games in the live service market for years, with little success. And Ubisoft, who has been obsessed with live service games for a while now, has yet to have a major hit in this space.
On the other hand, Sony has announced 12 games from their internal teams, all set to release by 2026, but we haven't seen any gameplay or released any of them yet. And Microsoft's plans in this area are still a mystery. It's hard to believe that these companies have a solid grasp on the live service model without any real experience in it.
The reality is that these publishers are giving up on what has been their bread and butter for decades and instead focusing on something that has a low success rate. And even if they do want to continue making single-player games, the cost and time involved are higher than ever before.
It's a recipe for disaster and a clear sign that we are already in the midst of a crash. Making a profitable video game has become almost impossible in just a few short years, and no one seems to know how to fix it.
While Microsoft may have enough resources to weather this storm, the same cannot be said for the other big players in the industry. Sony is facing at least two dead years in terms of game releases, and Ubisoft hasn't had a major hit in a while. And if one of these companies were to go under, it would have a domino effect on the entire industry, leading to thousands of job losses.
As a result, working in the gaming industry may soon be seen as too risky, which will create its own set of problems. The situation couldn't be any worse, and I have little faith that the big publishers will be able to find a solution. The future of the gaming industry is uncertain, and it's a worrying time for both players and developers alike.
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[Generative AI is experimental.]
