Starfield Dev: Audiences Crave Conciseness

A former Starfield developer, Will Shen, has voiced concerns about the industry trend of excessively long AAA games. He suggests player fatigue is setting in due to the sheer time commitment required. Shen, a veteran with experience on titles like Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, believes the market is reaching a saturation point with lengthy games.

While games like Starfield, with their extensive content, have seen success, Shen highlights a growing preference for shorter experiences. He points to the popularity of shorter games as a direct consequence of the abundance of lengthy AAA titles. In an interview, he cited the success of shorter games as evidence, suggesting that players often fail to complete longer games, hindering engagement with the narrative and overall product. He used the example of Skyrim's influence on the prevalence of "evergreen" games, comparing it to Dark Souls' impact on the popularity of challenging combat.

The rise of shorter games, according to Shen, is a direct response to this saturation. He uses the indie horror game Mouthwashing as an example, emphasizing its success due to its concise playtime. He argues that a longer version with added side quests would have been less well-received.

Despite the increasing popularity of shorter games, longer titles like Starfield, with its 2024 DLC Shattered Space and a rumored 2025 expansion, remain a significant part of the industry. The article concludes that while player preference for shorter experiences is growing, longer games aren't disappearing anytime soon.