: I know someone making a PS4 only game that is absolutely cutting edge for a
: huge AAA studio, and she says that it's just shy of being unsustainable in
: terms of development cost and effort. She said that she really thinks this
: is the wall, and the generation after this is going to be impossible to
: sustain unless something is done.

: So it'll happen out of necessity. Developers are going to realize that a
: secret door adds more to the world than huge set pieces and cutscenes.
: That scaling back and creating a smaller more intimate world with more to
: do (and more you can miss), makes the world feel bigger and players engage
: more.

: The levels in Human Revolution are larger and more detailed than in Deus Ex,
: so why is hong kong in Deus Ex more immersive than Shanghai in HR? Because
: HR forgot that Deus Ex was great because everything was below the surface.
: HR actively pushes sidequests and secrets on you instead of hiding them
: and not telling you. You are rewarded for gaming the aug system to explore
: in Deus Ex by finding cool shit, some of which significantly changes the
: way you view the game. In HR, you are steered that way so you can feel
: good for finding secrets!

: It may take one more generation, but we will go back to Deus Ex's way of
: doing things, and resources will be spent hiding more rather than showing
: more.

I can help your AAA friend.

Standardize production for a story arc. I.E. Trilogy.

Recycle.

Re-use.

Reduce unnecessary technological innovation.

Improve story content.

Increase story content.

Decrease time between releases.

Watch the fans go wild with their new toys.