The Problem With AAA Game Design

Multi-Game Narratives

As games continue to appeal to a wider audience with people across the globe discovering the wonders of interactive entertainment, the potential for AAA titles to impress is stronger than ever. New stories in existing franchises are continuing to entice new players as accessibility is increasing in importance. Bringing attention to a historically niche pass-time is never a bad thing, but using the existing franchises to do it is damaging the potential for multi-game narratives to be told.

Some stories can't be confined to a single release, and developing an epic series spanning multiple discs over multiple years builds a dedicated fanbase. Counting the days to finally experience the next chapter in Kiryu's journey was an essential part of the Yakuza story, and theorising how the story would continue with a series' next instalment is part of the fun. However, in so many cases using that franchise to provide accessibility to new players overrides the satisfaction of returning fans.

Bioshock Infinite, Assassins Creed Origins, Infamous Second Son and Watch_Dogs 2 all deviate from previous stories told within the series, and though all are great experiences in their own right, they leave existing fans wanting more. For as good as Infamous Second Son is, carrying the banner for PS4 exclusives in the console's early stages, the total deviation from Cole's story was a disappointment to those of us who had come to know the kooky cast of the first two titles.

Building something entirely new in an existing franchise alienates existing players as much as it entices new ones. Seemingly endless tutorial segments and overtly obvious character exposition are essential for new players to enjoy the experience, but trudging through such additions in the 4th entry of a franchise only isolates those who loved the first three. It's a reasonable expectation that players experience a series in numerical order to understand the subsequent games that follow, and focusing efforts on building a story that hits the right notes for people who have been with them from the very start isn't something to be ashamed of.