We can all agree that the current state of the video game industry is nothing short of abysmal, with the rest of the creative industries following closely behind. Many new workers are struggling to find entry and seasoned professionals are constantly looking for stable employment with fair treatment and room for creative freedom. It would be a severe understatement to say it has been a brutal 3-year stretch. Just look at the current situation according to the Statista employment reporting survey:
- 2022 showed 8,500 game professional unemployed
- 2023 had a staggering 11,250 professionals unemployed
- 2024 sits at about 11,000+… with plenty of time for it to get worse.
- Between 2023-2024, over 30+ game studios closed their doors.
Not helping matters, prolific studios such as Volition Games and Arkane Austin have been closed down by their parent companies, without much warning. In the games media world, the beloved GameInformer was shut down by parent company GameStop just weeks ago.
Doom and gloom is all it seems on the surface. And yet, I promise you that hope remains. With all that is stacked against us, many avenues still exist for impactful change both large and small. Here are a few recommendations for how we heal the broken video games industry, together.
Support Juniors, Indies & AA Teams
In many cases, players, developers and the public are getting burned on the usual rinse, reuse, recycle business approach plaguing major IPs. A battle royale here, another battle pass there. Not every game needs to have a perpetual lifespan. We must support new ideas and challenge the norms of the current industry.
The independent game studio revolution is upon us! A major paradigm shift within the games industry. We have seen trends like this in the past but none with so much traction as our current situation. For instance, according to Statista, independent publishers accounted for 99% of games published to Steam’s Marketplace in 2023! This statistic alone is wild and showcases the swath of independent creators out there looking to make a splash! Although plenty could be shovel-wear or broken messes, a good chunk may very well be genuinely fun gameplay experiences that were doomed to be overshadowed by purchasing indie games, you are placing your support in them allowing opportunity for more creative freedom you may not always see in the AAA space.
Another option beyond just purchasing indie titles is to startup a small studio yourself! Plenty of independent developers right now are forming their own small teams, projects and bringing fresh ideas to various storefronts! Many of which are doing so while finding work in an alternative industry or between other side-hustles. By starting a small studio or project, you are showing the world what can be done with passion and an opportunity! Small studios are now popping up left and right with publishers like Innersloth and Blumhouse games to invest in their visions! There has never been a better time, with more tools or resources to begin working on your own game project. Strong support communities are thriving like Cave Bear Games and Indie Game Academy looking to help guide that journey. If that sounds like you, now’s the time to give it a shot!
Scope, Scale & Timeline Adjustments
Things seem to be getting a bit out of hand when it comes to game scope and development times. 5-10 year gaps between major franchise games like The Elder Scrolls or Grand Theft Auto leave long time fans disappointed and unsatisfied looking for more. Spending and schedules are downright unsustainable driving some companies to closure if their game isn’t an immediate success… Hi-Fi Rush from Tango Gameworks for a more recent example. Shuttered after their albeit critically well received game, didn’t meet sales expectations. What could have been their final destination, it was a miracle that Krafton Inc. was able to step in and purchase them. Hopefully allowing for a more sustainable future under their lead.
If we compare the modern games industry to years past, the picture only gets more clear. The original PlayStation housed a gigantic library of about 7,900 original games! Followed closely by one of gaming’s greatest generations; PlayStation 3 (5,000+ titles) and Xbox 360 (4,500+)! Much of which was directly tied to game size! Games were smaller, teams were smaller, budgets just a sliver of what they are today. This led to some of the best original games ever made because these teams needed to get creative within their specific boundaries! Fans were rewarded with several fuller feeling games within their favorite franchises. Think about it like this. Would titles like Myst or Timesplitters be released or even greenlit today? How about Metal Arms: Glitch in the System or Army of Two? Most likely not.
I get it! I do! Game development in and of itself is costly and difficult! Most studios want to make the absolute perfect project, doing right by their fans. But for the most part, the extended scale and development timelines are doing more harm than good.
Constructive Criticism & Continuous Improvement
A respectful openness needs to return to our space. As fans, we must return to a place where grounded conversation can be had about our favorite (and least favorite) games/media! Opinions are good! They’re what make us unique!
To highlight a recent example, Bethesda Games’ Starfield launched almost a year ago to mixed reviews. RPG fans and Bethesda fans were pretty much split down the middle whether or not the game was very good or very disappointing. Forums and social comments were met with praise and enjoyment or riddled with constant arguments, hate and calling for the game’s complete collapse along with the dev team. Adding to the mess was lack of official response from the company and the introduction of a divisive paid mods system in Creation Club.
The bottom line here is – Yes, it is okay to dislike something. Yes, it’s okay to like something. Let’s get over ourselves, have some fun banter and hold creators accountable when predatory practices or poor decisions are made.
Understand the Players & Fanbase
We’re at a point now where companies need to spend more time understanding what the core fans desire. This does not mean bending over backward at every fan request but rather bolstering their love for the title by engagement, content and response! We are in a situation where it seems that every game is launching into early access or as a live-service title. Most launching in a steamy bug-riddled mess. Missing much needed content. All of which try to sell their player base on the idea that their game lasts years, while charging them for additional content throughout. This is becoming an issue and it’s harming the quality of video games in the process by creating a culture where it’s acceptable for most titles to fix glaring problems after release or rely on the games community to do so. Single player and other genres are no exception.
Not every game needs to be a multi-year live service pantheon like Apex Legends or World of Warcraft. Some games deserve to be released to fans as a complete package to be cherished for years to come and possibly blessed with meaty expansion or sequels down the line.
A Path Forward. Change is in Sight.
It can be disheartening and downright depressing to dig into and analyze the current situation in the gaming industry. The layoffs, cultural issues, games releasing broken, and plenty more disheartening events have left a sour taste in our mouths. Especially for all of us who are passionate about the video game medium, wanting to see these worlds thrive for years to come! But there’s good news. It’s us. We can be a part of the change. And it can begin today.
We cannot wait. We cannot stand idle. The time for change is now. We can no longer watch mass layoffs occur, harassment grow and creativity in games and the rest of the entertainment industry be siphoned out, drop by drop. Change is due. How will you get involved?
