Games now are either AAA or very small ones

[Fencers]

Tentpoles or indies, as the film industry calls this phenonmena.

[Velshin]

And many didn't. Kickstarter was a great tool in its infancy, but today you cannot hope to make it through kickstarter unless it's used to further fund your games. There's a necessary investment that still needs to be done by investors before a game makes it to kickstarter if you're in the AA market. And again -- it's highly volatile. Nobody wants to build a game and end up losing it all because of a failed Kickstarter campaign.

It's annoying, but still a reality.



That's an indie game, not AA :P

Yeah I know I just wanna say just because the game been created by a very small studio and not AAA big ones doesn't mean the quality of the game will be any less. :P

[mvaliz]

Saying why are there are only tripple-A games and indie projects is like asking "Why are there are only tripple-A and indie TV shows/movies anymore".

The answer is simple, it's bullshit question that is supposing something that basically isn't true.

The REAL question is "Why do we not hear about mid-level gaming?"

The answer: Because they don't make major news headlines or hype. They don't make headlines or hype because, by definition, they're not Tripple-A or a unique indie startups. This is what happens when anything goes "mainstream". TV shows, movies, novels, games, anime - anything.

Grand Theft Auto wasn't an overnight success. it took THREE games (GTA, GTA: London and GTA2) to get the production company to the skillpoint of where they could produce GTA3 and make THAT game the knockout it was.

Same goes with Metal Gear Solid. It took the original Metal Gear on NES (Ignoring the American Snake's Revenge), Metal Gear: Solid Snake on that obscure Japanese PC format, Snatcher, Policenauts, ect for Kojima and his team to eventually get to Metal Gear: Solid levels.

Dare I even talk of journeys both Square and Bethesda had to take?

Oh, and that little company called Blizzard and their journey? :P

Also consider that lots of "mid-level" gaming companies have also become studio houses to aid other developers. Raven Software comes to mind as they seem to have gone from making original titles (Hexen, Jedi Knight, ect) to becoming Calla Doody refurbishers.

[Afrospinach]

The answer is simple, it's bullshit question that is supposing something that basically isn't true.

The REAL question is "Why do we not hear about mid-level gaming?"

I do think this has got a lot to do with noise. According to most places that track the cost of producing games the cost to market a AAA game often exceeds the total development cost. Think about that.

Now that every publisher has their own steam clone you can probably expect that to drop off somewhat. Free to fleece your crap on your own platform and they are literally your customer base.

[Velshin]

Saying why are there are only tripple-A games and indie projects is like asking "Why are there are only tripple-A and indie TV shows/movies anymore".

The answer is simple, it's bullshit question that is supposing something that basically isn't true.

The REAL question is "Why do we not hear about mid-level gaming?"

The answer: Because they don't make major news headlines or hype. They don't make headlines or hype because, by definition, they're not Tripple-A or a unique indie startups. This is what happens when anything goes "mainstream". TV shows, movies, novels, games, anime - anything.

Grand Theft Auto wasn't an overnight success. it took THREE games (GTA, GTA: London and GTA2) to get the production company to the skillpoint of where they could produce GTA3 and make THAT game the knockout it was.

Same goes with Metal Gear Solid. It took the original Metal Gear on NES (Ignoring the American Snake's Revenge), Metal Gear: Solid Snake on that obscure Japanese PC format, Snatcher, Policenauts, ect for Kojima and his team to eventually get to Metal Gear: Solid levels.

Dare I even talk of journeys both Square and Bethesda had to take?

Oh, and that little company called Blizzard and their journey? :P

Also consider that lots of "mid-level" gaming companies have also become studio houses to aid other developers. Raven Software comes to mind as they seem to have gone from making original titles (Hexen, Jedi Knight, ect) to becoming Calla Doody refurbishers.

I didn't say they don't exist man I just said they are more rare now than in the old days. In the old days we see them almost everywhere more than the AAA games.

I remember back in the days we had like say 50 video games in a month and like only 2 to 5 games that were from famous AAA companies while the rest are from smaller ones and not as famous.

[Jtbrig7390]

I didn't say they don't exist man I just said they are more rare now than in the old days. In the old days we see them almost everywhere more than the AAA games.

I remember back in the days we had like say 50 video games in a month and like only 2 to 5 games that were from famous AAA companies while the rest are from smaller ones and not as famous.

We still get a ton of AA games, They are just not in the media all the time.

Heres one that's releasing soon.

[Velshin]

We still get a ton of AA games, They are just not in the media all the time.

Heres one that's releasing soon.

Yeah I am happy in these recent years like last year or so they are kinda coming back.

[Polarthief]

happened to the AA games? aka the medium studio size video games company?

You mean the majority of my games log since AAA is fucking dogshit diarrhea nowadays?

[anaxie]

Saying why are there are only tripple-A games and indie projects is like asking "Why are there are only tripple-A and indie TV shows/movies anymore".

The answer is simple, it's bullshit question that is supposing something that basically isn't true.

The REAL question is "Why do we not hear about mid-level gaming?"

The answer: Because they don't make major news headlines or hype. They don't make headlines or hype because, by definition, they're not Tripple-A or a unique indie startups. This is what happens when anything goes "mainstream". TV shows, movies, novels, games, anime - anything.

Grand Theft Auto wasn't an overnight success. it took THREE games (GTA, GTA: London and GTA2) to get the production company to the skillpoint of where they could produce GTA3 and make THAT game the knockout it was.

Same goes with Metal Gear Solid. It took the original Metal Gear on NES (Ignoring the American Snake's Revenge), Metal Gear: Solid Snake on that obscure Japanese PC format, Snatcher, Policenauts, ect for Kojima and his team to eventually get to Metal Gear: Solid levels.

Dare I even talk of journeys both Square and Bethesda had to take?

Oh, and that little company called Blizzard and their journey? :P

Also consider that lots of "mid-level" gaming companies have also become studio houses to aid other developers. Raven Software comes to mind as they seem to have gone from making original titles (Hexen, Jedi Knight, ect) to becoming Calla Doody refurbishers.

Lets talk about an indie studio named CDProjekt that survived off its Witcher 1 Game that was a PC only title.

Lets talk about Deus Ex

Lets talk about Bioware who only started to hit mainstream with Kotor and people wouldnt play their older Masterpieces because ewwwww graphics! Or too hard!

Unfortunately Bioware and Bethesda both abandoned their former fans and dove dick first into greed.

Bethesda is lucky mods make their games great these days so we can fix every single ine of their awful streamlined decisions

Lets talk about Fromsoftwares Demon Souls. That would become dark souls and Bloodborn.

Lets talk about Telltale. No one knew who the hell they were until The Walking Dead happened.

What about Larian Studios? Been making divinity games for decades and brokeout with the original sin series.

Lets talk about the moba genre being inspired by a warcraft 3 custom Map

[Deleted]

Games take too long to develop now..

This is the only actual answer in this entire thread. Graphics happened. Now you absolutely can't do something on the scale of AAA games anymore because you need loads of artists and developers, since things have become unbelievably complex. Look at SNES or even N64 games. Those games could be made easily with a small team. Now having a large team and years of funding is a requirement to even start a bigger project.

[nomorepriest]

Thanks for expanding on my answer ! 100%

This is the only actual answer in this entire thread. Graphics happened. Now you absolutely can't do something on the scale of AAA games anymore because you need loads of artists and developers, since things have become unbelievably complex. Look at SNES or even N64 games. Those games could be made easily with a small team. Now having a large team and years of funding is a requirement to even start a bigger project.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Not even close, look at dinvity and dinvity Two neither are small games.

[Velshin]

Not even close, look at dinvity and dinvity Two neither are small games.

I know but back in the days they were more common. Now the AAA is the more common.