Starfield Devs: Players Tired of Lengthy Games

A former Starfield developer, Will Shen, reveals player fatigue with excessively long AAA games. Shen, a veteran with experience on titles like Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, suggests that the market is reaching a saturation point with lengthy experiences, making it challenging to attract players to yet another massive game. He cites the success of titles like Skyrim as a contributing factor to the prevalence of "evergreen" games, but notes that many players fail to complete games exceeding 10 hours, impacting overall story engagement.

This trend, according to Shen, is fueling a resurgence of shorter games. He highlights the success of Mouthwashing, a short indie horror game, as an example of how a concise experience can resonate with players, suggesting that a longer version with extensive side quests would have been less successful.

Despite the growing preference for shorter games, the dominance of longer AAA titles like Starfield persists. The release of Starfield's Shattered Space DLC in 2024, and rumors of another expansion in 2025, demonstrate the continued investment in expansive content for major releases. The industry, therefore, seems poised for a continued coexistence of both long and short-form gaming experiences.