Creativity being killed by sequels, says David Cage
Sequels may have become a norm in gaming industry over the last few years and that too for understandable reasons, but the Quantic Dream boss is one of the few industry players that are not too excited about yearly instalments becoming part of the gaming
culture.
During a recent interview with the PlayStation Magazine, the Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls designer David Cage blamed the sequels for the obvious lack of innovation in the video game industry at present.
He pointed out that the gamers look to pay for only what they want and if the publishers offer them just that, they buy it. This in turn encourages the publishers to keep making the same game every year and the gamers to keep buying them. While both the
parties are happy with the settlement, creativity continues to die in the background.
“Many people want the same and if that’s what you offer them, they will gladly buy it," Cage said. “The result is very simple. Gamers invest money in publishers having no interest in innovation. [Gamers] encourage [publishers] to keep making the same game
every Christmas, and everybody’s happy.”
The Quantic Dream boss said that the cycle needs to be broken and for this, gamers need to start investing in innovative games.
This would encourage the publishers to give more attention to innovative concepts instead of staying well within their comfort zone to continue earning profits.
“If you’re interested in innovation and believe that games could be more than shooters, then you realise that sequels kill creativity and innovation,” Cage said, noting Beyond: Two Souls will be different. “We don’t give people what they expect. We want
to give them something they want without knowing they want it”.
Shooters such as the Call of Duty franchise and Halo are one of the most popular targets for analysts and developers calling for revival and encouragement of innovation in the gaming industry as such franchises get a new instalment every year or two, which
almost always end up doing great in the market.
Cage had called on the industry to become mature and keep games from dying by encouraging and investing in creative concepts.
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