Indie Devs Tell Why Games Market Flooded with 'Eslop'

The PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop are facing a surge of low-quality games, often employing generative AI and misleading marketing, causing concern among users. This article explores the reasons behind this "slop" problem and why it disproportionately affects these platforms compared to Steam and Xbox.

Kotaku and Aftermath have documented the issue, noting the proliferation of similar-looking simulation games, perpetually on sale, often mimicking popular titles or outright stealing concepts and names. These games frequently feature AI-generated art that misrepresents the actual gameplay experience, which is typically janky, poorly controlled, and lacking in features. A small number of companies appear responsible for churning out these games, and they are difficult to track down and hold accountable.

The article investigates the game certification process across different platforms (Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch) to understand why this problem is more prevalent on some than others. The process generally involves pitching to the platform holder, completing forms detailing the game, and undergoing certification ("cert") to ensure technical compliance and legal adherence. While cert checks for technical issues and legal compliance, it doesn't act as a quality assurance check. The platform holders also review store pages for accuracy, but the level of scrutiny varies considerably.

Key differences emerge:

• Microsoft (Xbox): Vets games individually, leading to stricter control and fewer low-quality releases. They are described as highly involved in the process and having high standards.
• Sony (PlayStation): Vets developers, not individual games, allowing easier mass releases once approved. Their "Games to Wishlist" section, sorted by release date, exacerbates the issue by surfacing poorly made games with distant release dates.
• Nintendo (Nintendo eShop): Also vets developers, resulting in a similar problem to PlayStation. The unsorted "New Releases" section on the console's eShop contributes to the visibility of low-quality games. Their web browser eShop, however, is comparatively less problematic.
• Valve (Steam): While having potentially the most "slop," the sheer volume of releases and robust search/filtering options make it less noticeable to users.

The article highlights that while generative AI is used in some of these games' marketing materials, it's not the root cause. The games themselves are still created by people, and AI alone cannot produce a game that would pass even minimal certification requirements. The problem stems from the developer-based vetting process and the lack of robust quality control mechanisms for store page accuracy. The penalties for misleading information are often minimal, usually involving only the removal of offending content.

The article concludes with a discussion of potential solutions and their challenges. While some users advocate for stricter platform regulation, concerns exist about potentially harming legitimate indie developers. The article also notes that platform holders are ultimately staffed by individuals who struggle to differentiate between genuinely bad games and those deliberately designed to exploit the system. The article suggests that a more nuanced approach is needed, balancing the need to curb low-quality releases with the avoidance of inadvertently suppressing legitimate games.