↓↑journey

By Chris Penwell

As each generation comes and goes, video game graphics are usually the highlight for many. The leap from 2D graphics to 3D from the SNES to the Nintendo 64 is massive. It was the same with PS2 to PS3 as we adopted HD graphics.

However, times have changed. The art style behind a game is far more important than realistic graphics. Okami, a game that is over two decades old, still looks impressive, despite its age, thanks to its painting-like art style. Final Fantasy X, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026, is amazing too, thanks to its imaginative environmental art and character designs.

Meanwhile, Grand Theft Auto V, plenty of Call of Duty games, and more triple-A titles look bland and soulless. Have you tried looking at Crysis and older Far Cry games recently? They look hideous. Games like that don’t age well.

And the chase for realistic graphics has truly impacted our gaming over the past generation. Naughty Dog made four games for the PS3, and we’re still waiting for the talented studio to release at least one new experience for the PS5 far into its lifecycle. It’s not worth the struggle and it’s time to bring those budgets down.

Realistic Graphics Aren’t Sustainable Anymore

Games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Gears of War: E-Day cost hundreds of millions of dollars. And because of how expensive a triple-A game is, the creativity behind these studios has taken a nose-dive. No one other than a few publishers like Capcom (Onimusha, Pragmata, etc) is taking risks anymore. Most triple-A games look bland nowadays.

And the studios that are taking risks and have creative swings are in danger of closing down, like Double Fine and Arkane. Xbox Game Pass was supposed to make this more sustainable for those studios and help Microsoft gain subscribers in a Netflix-like model, but now, it seems like that’s not the case.

As MrPyo1 perfectly puts it, these ballooning budgets are “not sustainable” anymore. We need smaller games again. Titles that place more emphasis on art and game design over realistic graphics and massive set pieces. I’m tired of big open worlds. It’s time for the industry to scale back and start analysing its scope.

A Side Tangent

Just as a side tangent, single-player games should be prioritised even further. The games-as-a-service war is over. Players have picked the titles they want to return to. There isn’t any space in that field anymore.

“Almost every major publisher has now had a very expensive brush with a live-service failure,” said GamesIndustry.biz in an opinion article. “While examples like Concord, Anthem, and Suicide Squad stick in the mind, there have been dozens of other flops that ended up stumbling on for relatively short lifespans before being shut down.”

While these games flop, artistically brilliant single-player games have been performing strongly. Hogwarts Legacy has sold over 40 million copies worldwide and is growing. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt sales number has amassed over 65 million copies as well. Both of these games look amazing too, with vivid landscapes and wonderful art behind them.

I can’t wait until game publishers start to realise that single-player-focused titles with unique art styles, or even games that don’t have microtransactions attached, should be the priority.

Please give us more unique art styles and shorter gameplay experiences, game studios!