AAA Games
Ongoing coverage on AAA Games.
Latest coverage
See So Many More AA PS5 Games in THQ Nordic's Showcase This August
THQ Nordic will host its annual showcase on August 7th, 2026, featuring new and upcoming PlayStation 5 titles. The event promises reveals for known and unknown games, including Titan Quest II, Wreckfest 2, and The Eternal Life of Goldman, with a focus on release date announcements.
The Real Reason Modern Games Take So Long to Make
Modern AAA games take longer to develop due to escalating ambition, player expectations, and increased complexity in asset creation and quality assurance, despite advancements in development tools. Studios like Remedy Entertainment, Insomniac Games, and FromSoftware achieve faster development cycles through discipline, constraint, reuse, and efficient organizational structures, contrasting with the tendency for overreach in larger productions. The article also touches on the potential impact of generative AI on future game production.
Varför indiespel är det viktigaste vi har
Indie games are crucial for innovation in the gaming industry because they allow for risk-taking that is too expensive for AAA developers. While large studios focus on safe, predictable titles, indie developers can experiment with unique ideas, leading to the creation of new genres and trends. This is reflected in Steam's revenue, where indie games constitute a significant portion of sales, demonstrating player preference for creative and novel experiences over blockbuster sequels.
Game and Mod Development
A Sonic lead suggests that major AAA studios could learn from independent developers, drawing a parallel to how the film industry might benefit from observing trends seen in projects like 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession'.
Sonic producer says AAA studios need to learn from indie developers
Sonic the Hedgehog producer Takashi Iizuka believes AAA studios can learn from the agility and creativity of indie developers. He notes that the high cost and long development times for major titles force publishers like Sega to focus on massive sales, contrasting with the faster iteration cycles of smaller studios. Iizuka suggests that the industry is seeing a shift where unique experiences, regardless of budget, are increasingly embraced by players.
Sonic lead says AAA developers have much to learn from indie studios
Takashi Iizuka, producer for Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, believes that AAA developers can learn valuable lessons from the operational and economic models of indie studios. He highlighted how indie developers can quickly iterate on ideas and bring them to market, contrasting this with the significant time and financial investment required for large-scale AAA titles. Iizuka also drew parallels between the games industry and the film industry, noting how smaller creative projects can achieve significant success.
Sonic lead says AAA studios can learn from indies in the same way the movie industry should take notes from Backrooms…
Takashi Iizuka, producer for Sonic the Hedgehog, believes that major AAA studios can learn valuable lessons from indie developers, drawing a parallel to how the film industry could benefit from studying the success of smaller, independent productions. He highlights the speed and agility of indie development as a key area where larger companies could improve, citing the upcoming Sonic Pico Park as an example of AAA collaboration with indie teams.
The future of European publishing is diversity, not concentration | Opinion
Despite financial struggles at major European publishers like Ubisoft and Embracer, the continent's game publishing sector is thriving with smaller, focused companies. These firms prioritize creative niches, sensible scale, and long-term stability over rapid growth, producing successful titles across various genres and demonstrating a diverse and healthy industry landscape.
"Seven or eight years is not that unusual": Diablo 4 lead says AAA games are taking longer to make, which is bad news for junior applicants
Diablo 4 lead engine engineer Marcin Undak stated that AAA game development cycles are lengthening, often reaching seven to eight years. This trend leads to fewer junior positions being available as companies prefer to hire less experienced staff at the beginning of projects. Undak emphasized that balanced teams with all seniority levels are crucial for success, bringing both fresh ideas and seasoned expertise.
Game Industry Layoffs Hide Real Financial Failures, Insider Claims | HappyGamer
An industry insider suggests that recent game industry layoffs are not due to corporate greed but rather hidden financial failures, with many "successful" games barely breaking even due to massive budgets. The article argues that the industry's reliance on illusionary success metrics and lack of financial transparency creates a fragile economic environment, leading to desperate cost-cutting measures like layoffs. It calls for a shift towards more sustainable development practices, potentially through subscription services or smaller projects, to ensure long-term financial health.
Just Cause Studio Working on Unannounced AAA Open World Title
Avalanche Studios, known for the Just Cause series, is developing a new AAA open-world title. While details are scarce, the announcement suggests a return to the studio's expertise in creating large, chaotic environments. The game's direction, whether a continuation of the Just Cause franchise or a new intellectual property, remains speculative.
Hideo Kojima and Dark Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki's games have something other AAA titles don't, former PlayStation boss says: "You can tell it's their visions"
Former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida believes that unlike most AAA titles, games from creators like Hideo Kojima and Hidetaka Miyazaki clearly showcase the developer's unique vision. He suggests that the collaborative nature of AAA development often results in a 'group vision' rather than an individual one, though exceptions exist for proven creators with established fanbases.
Control got ported to iPhone, and it’s so good I think it heralds a new era of mobile gaming
Remedy Entertainment's Control: Ultimate Edition has been successfully ported to iPhone and iPad, offering a full AAA experience with impressive performance and even ray tracing support for $4.99. This port, requiring an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, suggests a new era for mobile gaming, potentially positioning iPhones alongside traditional consoles and PCs as viable gaming platforms.
Shuhei Yoshida Sees Gaming's Future As Indie, Not "Generic" AAA Games
Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida believes the future of gaming lies with indie titles rather than large AAA games, which he finds too time-consuming and often generic. He highlights the creative freedom and innovation found in indie development, contrasting it with the group-vision approach of many AAA projects. Yoshida also discusses the impact of digital distribution and community building on the success of independent games.
CoD Launches Are Gone, But Game Pass Should Ditch All The Other Games You've Heard Of, Too
Microsoft has removed day-one access to Call of Duty from Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, leading to speculation about a new, cheaper tier focused on curated AA and indie games. The author argues that a more focused Game Pass library could help smaller titles gain attention and provide better value than a vast collection of AAA games.
Pragmata Is Exactly Why AAA Games Don’t Need To Drag On
The game Pragmata, developed by Capcom, demonstrates that AAA titles do not need excessive length to be enjoyable, with some reviewers completing it in as little as eight hours. Despite its shorter runtime, the game focuses on quality gameplay, story, and presentation, offering an innovative third-person shooter experience at a $60 price point, even on the Nintendo Switch 2.
"Be creative 99% of the time" – Glen Schofield on how creativity can help fix AAA industry woes
Glen Schofield, director of The Callisto Protocol, argues that the AAA industry's woes stem from inexperienced individuals being placed in leadership roles due to excessive funding, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes the solution lies in identifying and empowering true creative talent, leveraging AI as a tool rather than a replacement for human creativity, and optimizing release timing to avoid market saturation. Schofield emphasizes that while AI can enhance efficiency, it cannot replicate the nuanced creative process essential for developing innovative AAA titles.
EasySMX D05 review
This article discusses the current state of the gaming industry, with commenters expressing disappointment in the quality of AAA games and the prevalence of live service titles. They lament the shift from the past, where more diverse and numerous games were released by smaller teams, and question the high development costs and focus on profit over player experience.
Op Ed
This opinion piece discusses the emergence of 'outsider AAA' studios, using examples like CD Projekt Red's The Witcher and Pearl Abyss's Crimson Desert. It explores how these studios, often with less traditional backgrounds, are achieving success in the high-budget game development space.
"As one guy at Ubisoft, I had no impact": Assassin's Creed dev turned indie says he was "miserable" as "one cog" in the massive AAA machine
Former Ubisoft developer Darenn Keller, who worked on Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Mirage, discusses his transition to indie game development with his successful city builder Dawnfolk. Keller expresses dissatisfaction with the creative restrictions and hierarchical processes at Ubisoft, finding more fulfillment and happiness in the freedom and direct impact of solo development.
