Meghan Morgan Juinio, former director of product development at Santa Monica Studios, argues that the gaming industry has become obsessed with visuals and prestige instead of remembering the point of games: to have fun. The former God of War producer believes it’s time to return to the basics.

The Western gaming industry is in turmoil. Since the post-pandemic bubble burst in 2022, more than 45,000 jobs have been cut as production costs soar and player habits shift. Massive blockbuster budgets have become unsustainable, while smaller indie teams — from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to Peak — keep proving that creativity can outshine corporate scale.

The question now is whether major publishers — Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft — can adapt to smaller, lower-cost projects. Juinio thinks they’ll have no choice: “We’re going to have to. Development costs aren’t sustainable anymore. Most of the recent layoffs have been on the West Coast because even the baseline expenses are massive. I don’t think games like God of War will disappear, but big publishers will have to explore more AA and single-A projects.”

For her, the answer is simple: fun first. “A game can have the most stunning visuals, the best soundtrack, and win all the BAFTAs in the world, but if it’s not fun, it’s not worth it — whether it costs $2 million or $500 million. Publishers need to focus on building solid, genuinely enjoyable games. They don’t need to be 40 hours long or the most technically advanced if the core experience is entertaining.”

Juinio also highlighted the growing visibility problem: reaching audiences is harder than ever, with half of America’s 205 million gamers now over 35 — and many no longer actively engaged with gaming. “Even a good game might never reach enough players,” she said.

In today’s unpredictable market, a small lo-fi co-op like R.E.P.O. can blow up overnight, while a high-profile Prince of Persia spin-off can vanish within weeks. The solution, she says, is not more spectacle — but rediscovering the fun that made people fall in love with games in the first place.

Source: PC Gamer