Fallout dev Tim Cain says we should pay more attention to bad games: '[Publishers] often don't learn from failure because they only look at the games that sold well'

Fallout co-creator Tim Cain argues that focusing on bad games can help everyone in the industry learn valuable lessons. While publishers often prioritize successful games, Cain believes this leads to missed opportunities for improvement. He cites examples like Viking: Battle for Asgard and suggests gamers, publishers, and developers should study unsuccessful titles to understand what went wrong.

Cain warns against survivorship bias, where we only focus on games that succeeded. Instead, he encourages examining the common traits among both successful and unsuccessful games. This could reveal why some games fail despite having great elements, and how to avoid those pitfalls. Cain's message is clear: by analyzing bad games, we can gain a deeper understanding of what makes games truly successful.