Games on PC, Xbox, or PS5 are getting longer and longer. Partly, players can spend hundreds of hours on a single game. One developer explains that many gamers are tired of this trend and prefer shorter titles again. He compares it to “Mouthwashing”: it is also so successful because it is quick.
Games like The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim or Baldur’s Gate 3 can keep a player glued to the monitor for hundreds of hours. However, there is recurring criticism that games are taking longer and longer. For instance, the former PlayStation head stated that even in retirement, he doesn’t have enough time to invest 100 hours in a game.
Now, the Lead Quest Designer of Starfield, Will Shen, has also commented on the matter. And he believes that many players are tired of games becoming longer.
This is what Will Shen said (via PCGamer.com):
In the past, it was the MMOs that did this. With World of Warcraft, there are superfans who will never leave the game. Then suddenly games like Skyrim and other open-world games came onto the market, offering so much content that you could almost play them forever. That was the big trend that captured the gaming industry.
However, by now, the enthusiasm for such gigantic games has waned, and players wish for shorter games again. Just because games are getting longer, it doesn’t mean they are automatically better.
Games are getting longer, but are stuffed with useless stuff
The problem is, Shen says, that games are getting bigger without offering much meaningful content. The result is that “a large or growing part of the audience is tired of investing over 30 or 100 hours in a game,” says Shen.
Many players might recall Shen’s words with regard to the so-called “Ubisoft formula” . For many in the gaming field, it has become a symbol of open, lifeless game worlds without real content.
Why should games become shorter? Shen also provides an example of why short games might be much more successful. As an example, he takes the indie game “Mouthwashing.” It is a success because it is so short and not because you have to spend hours on it. He explains:
Mouthwashing is a huge success because it is so brief. There are other factors, such as the execution, the beautiful, iconic graphics, and all those things. But the game would not be nearly as successful if it were longer and had a bunch of side quests and other content.
The brevity is the key point, and this level of engagement was so refreshing to see from a developer who has made many large games. You can have a conversation with the fanbase about a game that is much shorter because the brevity allows everyone to fully immerse themselves in the product.
World of Warcraft is seen by the developer as an example of a game where you can spend hundreds of hours playing. And individual players can be quite unique when it comes to their playtime. One especially bizarre player has racked up a curious amount of playtime. A streamer now reveals his time – and reaches over 40,000 hours: WoW: Player plays 40,000 hours, doesn’t even use a mouse
