r/gaming • u/CiabattaKatsuie Console • Oct 01 '24

The games industry is undergoing a 'generational change,' says Epic CEO Tim Sweeney: 'A lot of games are released with high budgets, and they're not selling'

https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/the-games-industry-is-undergoing-a-generational-change-says-epic-ceo-tim-sweeney-a-lot-of-games-are-released-with-high-budgets-and-theyre-not-selling/

Tim Sweeney apparently thinks big budget games fail because... They aren't social enough? I personally feel that this is BS, but what do you guys think? Is there a trend to support his comments?

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u/Lanster27 Oct 02 '24

The fact that a lot of popular indie games on steam is made by devs consisting of one or two people just proves budget =/= good game.

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u/not3ottersinacoat Oct 02 '24

Money and technically advanced graphics =/= charm.

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u/Akhevan Oct 02 '24

It's a myth perpetuated by the hordes of "gamers" who only play games for their graphics and not - you know - the gameplay.

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u/MasterChildhood437 Oct 02 '24

You can even have good games with mediocre gameplay if other aspects are there. Writing, art direction, etc. The problem is when "good art direction" is interpreted as "has more polygons."

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u/wrincewind Oct 02 '24

I'm not even certain those "gamers" exist, or at least not in the quantities people think (or that they used to). like, how often do you hear about games getting snubbed for having bad graphics nowadays?

I think it's gotten circular - the gpu companies, engine developers, and CEOs of publishers and games companies are all telling one another 'the people want better graphics! you have to support the latest and greatest and most expensive tech if you want to stay on top of the market!', meanwhile games like Balatro and Vampire Survivors are becoming breakway hits with 90's era graphics.

(OK, i know, to pre-empt the nitpicking, the polish and flare on those games isn't /that/ simplistic, but they're not exactly cutting edge tech either, is my point)

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u/ParaStudent Oct 02 '24

Look at stardew valley as a golden example

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u/hoihhhuhh Oct 02 '24

Rimworld too. Made by one guy.

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u/fweb34 Oct 02 '24

Undertale too.

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u/EthanTheBrave Oct 02 '24

It used to be that it was Indie vs AAA as an expression of budget, but nowadays it's more like "Indie vs Corporate" as an expression of the mentality of the people making the game.

Indie - I made the game to make a game Corporate - I made the game because I want to make money

Not saying indies shouldn't want to make money or anything but that's not the primary motivation, and it shows.

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u/cheezy_taterz Oct 02 '24

Dinkum. One person. One incredible game