The success of the Dungeons & Dragons RPG has kicked off a fiery debate about game development, AAA costs, and players’ expectations

The success of the Dungeons & Dragons RPG has kicked off a fiery debate about game development, AAA costs, and players’ expectations

  •  ampersandrew   ( @ampersandrew@kbin.social ) 
    3•1 year ago

    The people in charge of these companies, meanwhile, get to quietly count their millions. After all, they aren’t the ones who have to go on a livestream and defend the latest patch notes.

    There are, however, a lot of opportunities during development for everyone down the chain to voice concerns about making an online-only game that doesn’t need to be and requires them to go on a livestream to defend their patch notes.

      •  ampersandrew   ( @ampersandrew@kbin.social ) 
        4•1 year ago

        If it wasn’t on their minds before Diablo IV, I’ll bet “defending our patch notes on a live stream” is going to be a difficult position to staff in the future for a company that’s already had issues retaining talent.

        •  EvaUnit02   ( @EvaUnit02@kbin.social ) 
          5•1 year ago

          I’m not sure anyone is having an issue retaining employees. Top employees, perhaps, but for a lot of businesses you don’t need very many brilliant (and expensive) employees. Any competent soul will do. On that score, I can assure you that the game industry has no shortage of folks looking to get in to the industry.

          I know a handful of developers (read: far too many) who have been fired for vocally disagreeing with management.

          •  ampersandrew   ( @ampersandrew@kbin.social ) 
            3•1 year ago

            Sure, but if you want to see what happens when you have a lot of employee turnover from people not agreeing with the direction of a game, look no further than Redfall. Often times that top talent you’re talking about will form their own studios and bring colleagues with them.