The question of why are AAA games getting worse is not new. In recent years, gamers have found that many AAA titles are poorly made and filled with errors. AAA titles like Call of Duty and Battlefield released disappointing titles at the end of 2021, and many complained that they were full of bugs, glitches, and uninspired gameplay. The real answer is more complicated than that, and involves a variety of factors.
In the past, AAA games almost always succeeded, but they are getting worse. They are bloated and buggy, and often fail to meet gamers’ expectations. This is a reversal of the trend that began in the 1990s. Historically, AAA games had huge budgets and were widely acclaimed. Even though AAA games were expensive to produce, one bad game can bankrupt an entire studio.
The biggest reason AAA games are getting worse is because of modern tech. The game industry has changed drastically in the past two decades, and with it, the quality of AAA games has suffered. Many new releases have problems that are disastrous for the player experience. Meanwhile, monetization practices have changed to the point where developers no longer need a large budget to create a new game. The result is a bleak picture for gamers.
AAA companies are notorious for mistreating their employees. In the recent past, Konami has been accused of mass layoffs and causing job insecurity. Another game, DOOM Eternal, is the subject of controversy because of its bad soundtrack. It was so bad that Mick Gordon announced that he would not be composing any future DOOM games. This is a huge red flag in the industry, but we must remember that the public will ultimately choose which AAA games they enjoy.
