Modern AAA game studios increasingly release unfinished or buggy games. This trend stems from several key factors:
The Shift to Digital Games
- In the early 2000s, games began receiving post-launch updates over the internet.
- This enabled studios to release games in an unfinished state, then patch them later.
- Fully digital game downloads accelerated this trend, as physical discs were no longer a limiting factor.
Treating Games Like Software
- Many studios now follow the “minimum viable product” approach common in software development.
- They release an unfinished game quickly to get feedback, then improve it over time.
- This doesn’t work well for AAA games, where first impressions are critical.
Prioritizing Money Over Quality
- Publishers like EA often force studios to launch games before they are ready.
- Even if a game is unfinished, launching it quickly allows them to make back development costs.
- Developer wellbeing is sacrificed, with excessive “crunch” becoming common.
Communication Breakdowns in Large Teams
- Modern AAA games have development teams of hundreds of people.
- This makes effective communication and coordination extremely difficult.
- Key information falls through the cracks, leading to poor execution.
The Indie Opportunity
- The failure of big studios to release polished games creates an opening for indie developers.
- With smaller teams of just a few people, indies can often better deliver on their visions.
- Quality indie titles that outshine AAA games will continue to find success.
The combination of these forces has resulted in a sad state of affairs for big budget games. Still, by learning from past mistakes, the industry can course correct. Players and developers alike deserve better.