The question of whether AAA games are obsolete is a common one, with many media outlets pondering if their time has passed in favor of premium or indie titles. Glen Schofield, the visionary behind Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol, has a differing perspective. He believes that the challenges faced by AAA games are surmountable and advocates for a more supportive approach towards top-tier development studios.
“Everyone is slamming AAA these days. Who do you think starts every new console or platform? It started with AAA games that blew up,” Schofield stated in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz. He pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as a pivotal moment for the industry, highlighting how it exposed the limitations of AAA developers in meeting the surge in demand as people sought entertainment at home.
“Billions of dollars poured into the industry. When you have that much money coming in, you inevitably give it to the wrong people,” Schofield explained. “I look at who they are (and I know some of them) and think, ‘That guy has 10 years, she has 5 years before she can do that.’ They are handed a studio and a game at the same time.”
He further elaborated on the importance of due diligence in investment: “The due diligence from the people investing is terrible. Look at Bungie! They overpaid, and they didn’t pay the right people in many cases. All you have to do is find out who the real creative person is, as opposed to the person who just says they’re creative. There are a lot of people who are very good copiers. Non-creative people just have to scrape the surface a little more to find a few creative people who will, in turn, help them hire the right creative people.”
Unlike some industry veterans who call for smaller teams on AAA projects, Schofield emphasizes the need for more focused development, with the “right people” being selected for key roles. While this approach sounds straightforward, its implementation is likely to be challenging given the current state of the industry.