The Rise Of Double-A Video Games
As triple-A stumbles, double-A soars.
Even though 2023 is widely accepted to be one of the greatest years for gaming ever, the industry is in a sore spot right now, with more than 8,000 games professionals being laid off in 2024 alone.
This has sparked much discussion about both the uneasy state of AAA gaming and popularity of AA titles in recent times - how lower-budget, smaller-scale games seem to be enjoying massive success while so many blockbuster titles are struggling to post the sales they need.
It's a complex situation with a lot to chew over, but by taking a step back, we can make sense of why AA is thriving right now, why AAA is in desperate need of reform, and what the future of the industry holds.
If the early 2010s sparked the indie revolution, with digital storefronts democratising the process of making and delivering low-budget games to players, it feels like we're in a huge boom period now for mid-level AA titles which split the difference between indie and AAA.
There's a lot to be concerned about for the gaming industry moving forward, but for those craving more modestly scaled, artistically left-field gaming experiences, the future's still looking pretty bright...
10. SO Much Cheaper Than AAA Games
In a time of global belt-tightening, it shouldn't be terribly surprising that AA games are flourishing, because when the cost of living is high, shelling out £60/$70 for a brand new AAA game isn't an appealing or even feasible proposition for many.
But AA titles are generally priced considerably lower - take the recent Helldivers 2, which hit the market at £35/$60, almost half of what a typical AAA title costs.
Even accepting that Helldivers 2 is a uniquely polished breakout hit, it's simply a far less intimidating sell for cash-strapped players than the higher price tags of AAA fare.
When AA developers price their titles so reasonably with no detriment to its overall quality, of course budget-conscious players are going to flock to them in droves.
We've all been burned by purchasing day-one AAA games at high-cost only for them to be pure duds - looking at you, Driv3r - and so AA's lower price of entry means you're far less likely to feel bad about your spending, even if the game doesn't fully meet expectations.