At Emerald City Comic-Con 2026, voice actor Ben Starr (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Final Fantasy 16) raised a point for reflection on the industry. He criticized the prevailing trend in AAA studios of prioritizing sequels, remakes, and safe adaptations. Instead, he argued that the main focus should be on creating original intellectual properties, pointing out that current innovation mostly comes from the independent sector.
The Technical and Resource Cost of Innovation vs. Reuse 🤔
From a development perspective, betting on new IPs carries a high technical and economic risk. Creating systems, characters, and worlds from scratch requires an investment in R&D that big studios often avoid. Reusing engines, assets, and designs from established franchises reduces costs and timelines, offering a more predictable return on investment. This creates a cycle where funding is directed towards the known, limiting resources for original projects that might require new technical solutions.
The Nostalgia Factory: When the Already Played is a Genre 😏
It seems we have reached a point where the main department of a big studio is Digital Archaeology. Its mission: carefully unearth a title from 20 years ago, polish its graphics until they shine, and present it as the big new thing of the year. They call it a faithful remake, but at its core, it's the gaming version of reheating yesterday's meal. Of course, with a DLC of classic outfits for only 9.99€. True innovation, it seems, is now a hyper-realistic photo mode for your remake.