Why Does It Take So Long for AAA Studios to Make Game Sequels?
Video game development is incredibly complex, and it’s a miracle that any games get made at all. However, it shouldn’t take a whopping 12 years for a major AAA studio to release a sequel.
Grand Theft Auto 5 was released on September 17, 2013. Back then, I was still in school studying for my A-levels. Since then, I’ve earned two film degrees, built a career in video game journalism, and unfortunately experienced bouts of depression (unrelated to my career). In the meantime, we’ve witnessed two console generations, two more GTA 5 launches, and six Skyrim ports. Now, on December 5, 2023, we’ve finally been given the first official trailer for GTA 6, which is set to launch in two years. By that time, the console generation will be four to five years old, likely nearing the end of its lifecycle.
To put this into perspective, a girl who was born on the day GTA 5 was released will have her Batmitzvah by the time the sequel comes out in 2025. After watching the leaked and subsequently released trailer, it’s evident that a tremendous amount of time and effort has been put into creating one of the most visually realistic games ever made. However, the question remains, is the pursuit of visual fidelity worth it when Rockstar has only developed two new games since 2013?
This issue isn’t exclusive to Rockstar; it’s a broader problem in the industry. As games become more complex, the time needed to develop them increases. My favorite childhood studios, such as Naughty Dog, Criterion, and Bethesda, are all taking longer to release their games. Insomniac is one of the few AAA studios that consistently delivers hits in quick succession, and I can’t help but worry about the toll it may be taking on their staff.
Stacey Henley from TheGamer wrote an article discussing the unsustainability of modern game development, and I couldn’t agree more. However, there is hope for change. Indie developer Xalavier Nelson founded Strange Scaffold and is actively working to create structures that allow for better, faster, and more cost-effective game development, while also prioritizing the well-being of the development team. Since 2021, Strange Scaffold has already released six successful games, including their latest hit, El Paso, Elsewhere. This demonstrates that it’s possible to have smaller games that still pack a punch.
Which developer would want to spend 12 years working on a single project? Very few, I’d imagine. As a creative person, it’s exciting to move on to new projects once completed. While I’m proud of my long-form journalism pieces, after spending months on them, I’m often ready for a change and eager to focus on something new. Ridley Scott has created eight films in the time it’s taken Rockstar to develop just two games, and Greta Gerwig has made three movies in only six years.
The only possible benefit I see in the pursuit of visual realism is that one day the industry will achieve perfection and move on. Eventually, game graphics will be indistinguishable from real life or cinema, but will it then take 20 years to develop a game?