Heat Signature

Thief designer says that the immersive sim audience is too small for AAA games: 'There's quite a few of us who…

Designer Randy Smith Evergreen, known for his work on Thief and System Shock 2, argues that the immersive sim genre is too small for AAA development. He believes that the increasing budgets and scope required for AAA games are misaligned with the niche audience for immersive sims, leading to commercial disappointments like Arkane's Dishonored 2 and Prey. Evergreen suggests that a more viable path for immersive sims is through smaller, AA or indie budgets, citing the original Thief's modest budget as a successful model.