Starfield Developer Says Players Are Sick of Long Games

A former Starfield developer, Will Shen, reveals player fatigue with excessively long AAA games. This saturation of the market with lengthy titles, Shen argues, is fueling a resurgence of shorter gaming experiences.

Shen, a veteran with credits on titles like Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, points to the success of games like Skyrim as contributing to the prevalence of "evergreen" titles – games with massive amounts of content. However, he notes a growing segment of players who are overwhelmed by these lengthy experiences, finding it difficult to justify investing dozens of hours into yet another expansive game. He emphasizes the importance of game completion for optimal engagement with the narrative and overall product, noting that most players don't finish games exceeding ten hours. This observation, shared in an interview with Kiwi Talkz (via Gamespot), highlights a potential shift in player preferences.

The success of shorter games, like the indie horror title Mouthwashing, is cited as evidence of this shift. Shen believes Mouthwashing's concise runtime was crucial to its positive reception, suggesting that a longer version with extensive side quests would have been less successful.

Despite this trend, longer games remain a significant part of the AAA landscape. Starfield itself, with its extensive content and upcoming DLC (Shattered Space in 2024 and a rumored expansion in 2025), exemplifies this continued popularity. The industry, therefore, appears to be navigating a duality: catering to both the demand for shorter, more focused experiences and the enduring appeal of expansive, open-world adventures.