A former Starfield developer, Will Shen, has voiced concerns about the increasing fatigue among players regarding excessively long AAA games. Shen, a veteran with experience on titles like Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, suggests that the market is reaching a saturation point with lengthy experiences. While games like Starfield, with their extensive content, remain popular, a significant portion of players are expressing preference for shorter, more concise gameplay.
Shen's comments, made in an interview with Kiwi Talkz (via Gamespot), highlight a growing trend. He posits that the success of games like Skyrim has inadvertently normalized incredibly long playtime, creating an expectation of "evergreen" titles. He draws parallels to other genre-defining moments, such as Dark Souls' impact on third-person combat difficulty. A key point he emphasizes is that most players don't complete games exceeding ten hours, impacting overall engagement with the narrative and the game itself.
The abundance of lengthy AAA titles, according to Shen, has contributed to a resurgence in shorter games. He cites the success of Mouthwashing, a shorter indie horror game, as an example. The game's brevity, he argues, was instrumental in its positive reception; a longer version with extensive side quests might have been less well-received.
Despite the growing popularity of shorter experiences, the dominance of longer AAA games, like Starfield, appears to continue. The release of Starfield's Shattered Space DLC in 2024, and rumors of further expansions in 2025, exemplify this ongoing trend. The industry, therefore, seems to be navigating a duality: catering to both the demand for extensive content and the growing preference for shorter, more focused gaming experiences.
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