Effort needed to make next-gen title has "quadrupled", says Killzone dev

[noname2200]

osed125 said:

noname2200 said:

adriane23 said:

We might actually see a return of mid level games if devs are smart this is true .

I sincerely doubt it. I suspect the mid-level game will become even more rare this generation, and will not see a return until and unless the newer crop of smaller developers grow large enough to bloom into that arena.

I also doubt that, as far as I know, most indie developers that end up being very successful still continue to make small games. I imagine because they are afraid to take the jump or even with their success they don't have the resources to make a mid-level game, I'm inclined more to the former. 

I agree. I think the big issue, and my primary reason for largely dismissing indie developers as a viable long-term hope for gaming, is that very few indie games are truly a big financial success. The Minecrafts of the world are few and far between: most "successful" indie games pay for themselves and add on another five-to-six-figures or so in profit per developer, which is clearly insufficient to ever make said developer a long-term success. If there's going to be a hypothetical new wave, it'll be composed primarily of new, decently-funded small studios, a la Mistwalker,* who can make enough profits to actually grow.

*I am not completely sold Mistwalker will be such a success.