For the last decade, major publishers focused almost entirely on massive ‘AAA’ games that take hundreds of millions of dollars to make. That model is breaking down.
The financial trap
When a game costs $200 million, it must be a global phenomenon. One failure can bankrupt a studio. This extreme risk aversion has led to repetitive sequels and safe, predictable mechanics.
The ‘AA’ revival
Mid-budget games, often called ‘AA’, are stepping into the void. Made by smaller teams in two to three years, they don’t need to sell ten million copies to survive. They can afford to be weird and experimental.
Consumer exhaustion
Players are showing a strong preference for 15-hour, tightly designed experiences over 100-hour open-world games filled with repetitive tasks.