Video Game Execs Are Ruining Video Games

nanoUFO@sh.itjust.worksmod to Games@sh.itjust.works – 571 points –
Video Game Execs Are Ruining Video Games
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Believe it or not, video games are art, and art is no longer for art’s sake. It’s for shareholders. That’s when these decisions happen.

Return to Obra Dinn is some quality piece of art. There are still people making art instead of marketing.

You say that, but not all art is made solely for money. Just take a look at the indie scene (games, music, film, TV, etc) as an example.

Right! Can you imagine if Rembrandt had an executive committee behind him dictating what to paint a picture of, then micromanaging brush strokes? That's the games-for-shareholders model, and it's fucked. Games are best when made by people who are passionate about the project, not solely about the profit. My big hope now is the publishers learn from the Sony debacle and simply publish the game, be happy with their profit cut, and shut the fuck up.

Can you imagine if Rembrandt had an executive committee behind him dictating what to paint a picture of

I get what you're saying, but you realise all the great renaissance painters worked on commission, right? So yes that's exactly what happened.

When someone comissions a painting, they choose the subject and that's about it. Sure if they didn't like it they might not pay, but that's probably already more hands off than any publisher in the games industry.

AI making art while humans turn the gears, sounds like the future we all wanted.