Big console and PC games might not exist in the next 10 years

We love a good AAA-triple title.

Despite the flack they’ve caught in recent years for playing things too safe or being too iterative, there’s something special about a grandiose game that’s had extra time, money, and effort poured into it.

There’s also a very good reason these games feel so “samey” – they’re way too expensive to make.

Speaking to VICE, Patrick Walker of video game research firm EEDAR, found that so-called “AAA” games like Gears of War 4 cost between $50 million to $200 million to make these days.

“It’s so rough that the original studio behind Gears of War isn’t working on this sequel in part because they can’t afford the risk.”

The issue is not easily solved either – the majority of money spent goes to the teams working on the games, something which has increased exponentially as games become bigger and require more resources.

“We don’t have great current and historical data on the cost of AAA game development, but we do know that the vast majority of a game’s budget is spent on the people making it, and we do know that fewer than 90 people worked on the first Gears of War in 2006, while around 330 worked on Gears 4.”

“Head of Xbox Phil Spencer told me that Gears 4 is five to six times more expensive than Gears 1.”

It’s not all doom and gloom and it’s certainly not the death of all video games, but it does explain the rise of indie and mobile games in recent years which is quickly becoming the more sustainable option.