Starfield Developer Says Players Are Sick of Long Games

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Summary

  • Players are growing tired of long AAA games with dozens of hours of content, according to a former Starfield developer.
  • The rise of shorter games could be a consequence of the saturation of the AAA sector with lengthy games.
  • Longer games like Starfield are still prevalent in the industry.

In a recent expression of opinion, ex-developer from Bethesda, Will Shen – who has previously contributed to the development of Starfield among other projects like Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 – voiced concerns about contemporary games being excessively lengthy. According to him, this extended playtime leads to player exhaustion. As a seasoned industry professional, Shen’s extensive background encompasses numerous AAA titles beyond just Starfield.

In 2023, the release of Starfield marks Bethesda’s introduction of a fresh IP after 25 years, offering long-term gamers another immersive open-world RPG brimming with numerous play hours. This addition enlarges the American studio’s collection of games designed for sustained player interaction, following the same formula as their past blockbusters such as The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Although many players appreciate the abundance of activities in games, demonstrated by Starfield‘s successful debut, there are also those who prefer a more compact gaming experience. Lately, a developer from Starfield has shared his thoughts on this topic, which has gained traction as a common concern among AAA projects.

Reflecting on a recent chat with Kiwi Talkz (through Gamespot), I, as a passionate gamer, can relate to Shen’s perspective. He noted that we’re approaching a time when many gamers are finding it tiresome to tackle lengthy games packed with dozens of hours of content. With so many similar titles already in our gaming libraries, he finds it quite a challenge to introduce another one.

In retrospect, Shen pointed out that the triumph of games like Skyrim has made evergreen games a standard in our gaming culture. Interestingly, he drew parallels between this trend and other groundbreaking moments, such as how Dark Souls popularized high-difficulty combat in third-person games.

Moreover, Shen highlighted that the majority of players rarely finish games longer than 10 hours, stressing the importance of completing a game for a deeper engagement with the story and the product.

Starfield Dev Discusses Long Games, Highlights the Demand for Shorter Experiences

Regarding the impact of an oversaturated AAA market with long games, Shen pointed out that this trend has contributed to a revival in shorter games. He highlighted the success of the game “Mouthwashing,” emphasizing its appeal due to its brief playtime. The former Bethesda developer opined that the indie horror game’s runtime of just a few hours was instrumental to its success, suggesting that if the game had been longer with additional quests and unnecessary content, the reception might not have been as positive.

Despite a growing trend towards brief gaming experiences, it seems that extensive games are hanging around for now. To illustrate, the eagerly awaited DLC for Starfield, titled Shattered Space, was launched in 2024, adding even more content to an already rich base game. It’s also rumored that Bethesda might follow up with another Starfield expansion in 2025.

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2025-01-08 03:07