I heard that a major game developer had their main story writer leave the company recently. Apparently the writer kept submitting different versions of the storyline for their upcoming big release, but management rejected it three separate times. The feedback was always the same - they thought the content was way too dark and intense for what they wanted to publish.
This must have been really frustrating for the creative team. I’m wondering if this kind of thing happens often in the gaming industry? Do writers and developers frequently clash with executives over how mature or edgy the content should be? It seems like there’s always tension between artistic vision and what companies think will sell well to a broad audience.
Has anyone else noticed this trend where game studios are playing it safer with their storylines compared to a few years ago?
This happens all the time, unfortunately. I’ve seen it with bigger studios where the business side freaks out about ratings or backlash. Writers pour their heart into something, then get told to water it down for mass appeal. Can’t blame someone for walking away when their vision keeps getting butchered. The industry’s gotten way more risk-averse lately, which sucks because the best games always pushed boundaries.
Can’t blame the writer at all. Getting shot down repeatedly for the same reason when you’re passionate about your story? That’s soul-crushing. I’ve watched my favorite series turn generic because they played it safe for sequels. The irony? Gaming’s biggest hits usually took risks with darker themes.
Yeah, happens all the time unfortunately. Studios don’t want to get stuck with an M rating when they’re chasing that T rating audience. Three rejections though? That’s brutal - no wonder they gave up.