Long Games Are Dead: Here's What's Replacing Them

Are modern video games too long for today's busy gamers? Bethesda's Will Shen, lead designer of Starfield, recently stated that many games are simply too long for the current market. This video dives deep into the growing debate on game length, completion rates, and shifting player demographics. 👾 Key Topics Covered: Insights from Will Shen on the Kiwi Talks podcast. Why most players only complete 5-10 hours of AAA games. The surprising success of shorter games like Mouth Washing. The generational shift: Millennials (money-rich, time-poor) vs. Gen Z (time-rich, money-poor). A look at industry data on game completion rates and player behavior. My personal experiences as an indie game developer with Nexus Defenders and my upcoming stealth horror game, Beware Tomorrow. 💡 What This Means for AAA Titles: Why AAA games struggle to adapt to shorter formats. The risks of over-saturation in long-form single-player games. Suggestions for how AAA studios can balance quality, length, and player satisfaction. 📌 About Me: I'm Mustafa, an indie game developer and former AAA studio contributor (Treyarch - Call of Duty: Black Ops 4). My studio, Sabr Path, focuses on narrative-driven and innovative gameplay. If you're curious about my projects like Beware Tomorrow, check them out on Steam! 🚀 Subscribe to stay updated on the game's progress and other exciting projects: @SabrPath Motivational shorts channel for game dev tips and inspiration: @RealCoachMustafa Tell me your thoughts on the situation! Links: 🔗 Website: https://sabrpath.com 🔗 Beware Tomorrow on Steam: https://bit.ly/bewaretomorrow 🎮 Nexus Defenders on Steam: https://bit.ly/nexusdefenders 🐤 Twitter: https://twitter.com/SabrPath 👍🏻 Support Sabr Path: https://ko-fi.com/sabrpath 🏃🏻‍♂️‍➡️Level Yourself Up: Motivation, Weightloss, Fitness! https://amzn.to/4jGqrId 📦Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/42FZGgX 0:00 - Introduction 0:37 - Summary of Will Shen's statements 2:00 - Does only 25% of players beat the campaign? 3:27 - Demographic change? 4:50 - Indie game buyer study 6:59 - Do buyers value the amount of content? 7:16 - Nexus Defenders audience analytics 8:07 - Plans for future games 8:54 - Indie Devs making smaller games 9:46 - Smaller Game means Smaller Budget 10:07 - Will AAA games follow the trend? 12:08 - My suggestions for AAA #gaming #videogame #starfield