Muller makes smiling look painful. Like, this is the face of a man that self-stimulates with Icy Hot.
Crudeness aside, I do find this quote interesting:
“And Little Nightmares will sell very well because we will deliver what the fans are expecting to the right level of quality. And if you do that, then you are on for success. What I would say is that there is probably less space for innovation at a time where the market is, post-COVID, a little bit struggling given the macroeconomic environment, the growth that we’ve expected in the previous years, [and] the weight of subscription. Yes, you need to be clever.”
I find this concerning. Yes, we knew (or at least speculated) that there is less room for innovation – I don’t think we’ve really had much creativity since Gen 7, honestly. Due to financial sensitivities (e.g., inflation, astronomical development costs), I really wonder what we mean when we talk about “being clever”. I think it goes without saying that they’re mulling over monetization strategies, as is every other publisher. Some of the strategies we’ve seen so far include half-finished games, abundance of costly post-launch DLC, remasters, pay-to-win mechanics, and – of course – playing it safe.
Keeping an open mind on solutions that encourage greater portfolio diversity. I didn’t mind the product placement ads for Apple or Calorie Mate in Metal Gear Solid for example because it didn’t feel intrusive to me. But in focusing more on expertise, I think you really risk burnout. The extensive world-building Miyazaki does or the intricate emotional narratives crafted by Naughty Dog require so much. I think developers and publishers should put out smaller games that break up their teams into smaller teams to work on these projects. I liked those retro-style titles last generation like Broforce and Axiom Verge. Otherwise, what can we do – wait for some popular series/franchise from a different form of media to commission a studio to make a game for them?
