"A dried husk of a product": former Doom producer berates Microsoft for making Halo a "mid-tier" game and mourns the "financialisation" of AAA
Former Doom: The Dark Ages producer Andrew Willis has shared tuppence on the state of the blockbuster videogame trade, arguing that the biggest companies and most popular series are going through a familiar "cycle" whereby the moneyfolk finally displace the creatives, and start messing games up in the name of short-term returns. He reckons that the likes of Halo are well on their way to becoming…
Former Doom producer Andrew Willis has criticized Microsoft for reducing Halo to a mid-tier game and lamented the financialization of blockbuster video games. He argues that big companies and popular franchises are going through a cycle where moneyfolks displace creatives, leading to deterioration of the product for short-term returns.
Willis asserts that Microsoft's layoffs and adjustments are part of a historical pattern seen in Hollywood, starting with unproven technology in the hands of passionate creatives aided by money people. As the product gains money, money people take over, changing the product to suit focus groups and marketing strategies, ultimately diminishing its quality and value.
Willis mourns the fate of franchises like Halo and Star Wars, which have become compromised and exhausted due to financialization. He acknowledges that Nintendo has protected its brands better than others but maintains that the entire AAA gaming industry is now subject to this financialization.
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