The co-author of the original The Last of Us finds today's AAA games boring
This opinion was expressed by Bruce Straley in an interview with Edge.
The Last of Us
During his conversation with the publication, Straley stated that currently developed big-budget games lack innovation. Developers are afraid to take risks, and this affects the quality of the projects.
As an example, he mentioned the upcoming God of War: Laufey. Straley admitted that visually the game looks impressive, but the gameplay doesn’t personally capture his interest.
“When I look at God of War: Laufey, every pixel is mind-blowing. The amount of work and skill put into each frame… I have created similar games myself, and I am still impressed. But I am not inspired by what you need to do during the gameplay,” Straley explained.
The developer was quick to clarify that he is by no means criticizing God of War: Laufey specifically. He is just not thrilled with what the AAA segment as a whole has become.
Straley’s opinion was shared by Playable Worlds studio head Raph Koster and former PlayStation Studios head Shawn Layden, who also spoke with Edge. They believe that AAA game creators have driven themselves into a corner by not experimenting with anything fundamentally new, thereby missing out on interesting opportunities. Layden also added that publishers like Kepler Interactive and Lyrical Games, releasing mid-budget games that do not shy away from innovation, can serve as a "ray of hope" for the industry.
It is worth recalling that Straley previously led the development of the first The Last of Us and several games in the Uncharted series. He left Naughty Dog in 2017 when he decided to step away from game development due to burnout. However, in 2022, he founded his own studio, Wildflower Interactive. Straley’s team is currently preparing to release the puzzle-platformer Coven of the Chicken Foot, which is about the adventures of a granny on chicken legs.