Richard Garriott on the state of the games industry: 'The bells and whistles are no longer what's important'

Richard Garriott, the creator of Ultima, recently spoke at a Georgia Game Developers Association panel about the current state of the games industry. Garriott, who called himself the "great-grandpa" of the developers in attendance, outlined the various challenges facing the industry. He attributed the current issues to a combination of factors, including individuals lacking an understanding of video games attempting to profit from them, a political climate, and a multitude of other elements.

Garriott described a recurring cycle he has observed throughout his time in the industry. With each technological advancement—such as CD-ROMs, 3D-rendering pipelines, or the internet—developers rushed to create a simple game showcasing that advance. However, he explained that this cycle has taken a new turn. Now, machines are fast enough that the flashy "bells and whistles" are no longer the primary focus of the games industry.

Garriott concluded that the current creative "cliff" leaves many developers unsure of how to navigate this difficult period and lamented the loss of original creators associated with popular IPs and major companies.