Which is good for Marvel/Disney but how good for the studio in the long-term? The reason the game gained its install base so fast was because of the IP, but as we know with Spider-Man 2, that shit ain’t cheap. Netease does well with Marvel IP… for now… it is an immediate success for sure.

Microsoft is in a way better software position but I don’t see the industry getting healthy by keeping costs and release cycles as is. The ballooning costs are eating into profits which will continue layoffs to maintain the illusion of strong quarters. A fundamental shift perhaps needs to happen.

PlayStation’s bet on live-service games is utterly imploding. Along with AAA output at the mercy of budgets and dev cycles, this needs to be a wake up call to them and the rest of the industry. Go back to basics, focus on smaller projects with a few AAA sprinkles. Make those AA absolute bangers.