A former Starfield developer, Will Shen, suggests player fatigue is growing with the abundance of lengthy AAA games. This saturation of the market with extensive titles, he argues, is contributing to a rise in popularity of shorter gaming experiences.
Shen, a veteran developer with experience on titles such as Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, points to the success of games like Skyrim as establishing a trend of "evergreen" titles packed with content. However, he notes that many players don't complete games exceeding ten hours, impacting overall engagement with the narrative and product. He highlights this point in an interview with Kiwi Talkz, suggesting the industry is reaching a point where many gamers are tiring of these marathon gaming experiences.
The impact of this trend is evident in the resurgence of shorter games, exemplified by the success of Mouthwashing. Shen emphasizes the importance of Mouthwashing's concise playtime, suggesting its reception would have been drastically different had it included extensive side quests and filler content.
Despite the growing preference for shorter games, the dominance of lengthy AAA titles like Starfield persists. The release of Starfield's Shattered Space DLC in 2024, and rumors of further expansions in 2025, demonstrate Bethesda's continued commitment to this model. The industry, therefore, appears poised for a continued coexistence of both long and short-form gaming experiences.
