Summary

  • Players are growing tired of long AAA games with dozens of hours of content, according to a former Starfield developer.
  • The rise of shorter games could be a consequence of the saturation of the AAA sector with lengthy games.
  • Longer games like Starfield are still prevalent in the industry.

Will Shen, a former Bethesda developer who worked on Starfield, has shared his thoughts on modern games that are "too long," stating that players are "fatigued" because of investing so much time. Being an industry veteran, Shen's experience spans multiple AAA titles besides Starfield, such as Fallout 4 and Fallout 76.

With the arrival of Starfield in 2023, Bethesda welcomed longtime fans to its first new IP in 25 years and to another open-world RPG filled with many hours of content. This meant the American studio further expanded its portfolio of games requiring player engagement over the long term, a trending formula also used by its previous hits like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. While most players enjoy the virtually endless number of things to do in games—as proven by Starfield's successful launch—there are also players who prefer a more condensed experience. Recently, a Starfield dev chimed in with his take on this matter, which has become a popular point of criticism when it comes to AAA projects.

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In an interview with Kiwi Talkz (via Gamespot), Shen said that the industry is "reaching a point" where a "large section" of players are growing tired of long games packing dozens of hours of content. He continued that players already have enough such games, calling it a "tall order" to add another one to the list. Looking back at the past, he touched upon how the success of titles, such as Skyrim, contributed to "evergreen games" becoming a norm. The Starfield Lead Quest Designer, who left Bethesda in late 2023, compared this to other trend-setting instances like how Dark Souls made high-difficulty combat in third-person games popular. Moreover, he said that the majority of players don't finish "most games that are 10-plus hours long" and emphasized how completing a game is key for "engagement with the story and the product."

Starfield Dev Discusses Long Games, Highlights the Demand for Shorter Experiences

Talking about the consequences of the AAA sector being saturated with long games, Shen noted that the trend has played a role in the "resurgence" of shorter games. He underlined Mouthwashing's popularity and stressed the importance of its relatively short duration. The ex-Bethesda dev opined that the indie horror game's runtime of a few hours was a big factor in its success, saying that the reception wouldn't have been the same if the game had been longer and featured "a bunch of side quests and miscellaneous content."

Even though the popularity of short experiences is on the rise, longer games look like they are here to stay for the time being. As a matter of fact, Starfield's highly anticipated DLC, Shattered Space, rolled out in 2024 and brought additional content to the base game's already vast offerings. And, in 2025, Bethesda could continue on this track with another Starfield expansion rumored to release.

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Starfield Tag Page Cover Art
10 /10

Starfield
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Action
RPG
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Systems
PC-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
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Released
September 6, 2023
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Bethesda
Publisher(s)
Bethesda
Engine
proprietary engine
Cross-Platform Play
no multiplayer
Cross Save
no
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.
The year is 2330. Humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. From humble beginnings as a space miner, you will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of the Settled Systems in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.

Steam Deck Compatibility
yes
Genre(s)
Action, RPG
How Long To Beat
20 Hours
X|S Optimized
Yes
File Size Xbox Series
101 GB (September 2023)
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty