The cost of making a big-budget video game, also known as a AAA game, keeps going up. Some games cost over $400 million to make, which is more than some movies. This is a problem because the game needs to sell a lot of copies to make back the money it cost to make it. Some game makers are trying to make extra money by turning their games into what’s called a “Live Service.” This means the game keeps getting new content and updates, so players keep playing and spending money.
Shawn Layden, the former head of PlayStation, recently talked about this issue in an interview on YouTube with Destin Legarie. He said he’s very worried about how much it costs to make these big games. When the cost of making a game goes up, the risk of it not being successful also goes up. He thinks this is one of the biggest threats to the game industry.
Layden also talked about how many game makers are now trying to make Live Service games because they were popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. These games let people play together and feel connected, which is why they became so popular. However, Layden doesn’t think Live Service games are a long-term solution because people will get bored of playing the same game forever.
There are a few games, like GTA Online, Fortnite, and Apex Legends, that have been able to keep players engaged for a long time. But these games have a huge fan base and the developers have to work hard to keep adding new content to keep players interested. This costs a lot of money and time, which is why the budget for making these games keeps going up.