this post was submitted on 19 Dec 2024

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Frostpunk creators cancel "Project 8" and lay off staff amid concerns that "narrative-driven, story-rich games" don't sell (www.rockpapershotgun.com)

submitted 3 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

Narrative driven, story rich games don't sell?

How many video game franchises are making the leap to tv/movies these days? Hint, it's the ones with narrative driven, story rich games.

Go ahead and make pay to win mobile games, I don't play them and they rake in millions so it makes perfect business sense.

But the idea that gamers don't pay for good narrative driven, story rich games is laughable.

I think the biggest problem with a lot of game franchises have is they only sell the game. So much money is being left on the table with the best efforts being a screengrab lazily printed on a cheap shirt that sells maybe one or two.

If I could get some official, quality, Umbrella/Shinra/Arasaka/Faro corporation mugs, phone covers, meme tier shirts etc I'd be all over it.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 days ago (2 children)

They don't sell enough. These companies want endless growth and endless sales so they can milk the whales for endless revenue. Narrative rich, story driven games don't sell as much as pay to win or gacha trash.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Ok guys valid points from everyone here. But who here has bought the latest 11bit Studios games? And I'm not talking about Frostpunk 2. I'm taking about Indika, The alters (not out yet, my bad) , The Traumathurge, Creatures of Ava ,... all of these games seemed like really cool things to me, sadly I could not afford them.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The Alters isn't out yet. Expected release Q1 2025. It's on my wish list because I love the demo.

Indika they were just the publisher. On top of which, maybe has a story that not everyone is interested in. I watched these guys play it, https://youtu.be/MuiHtAYOqgI and while it's creative and it's overall a fantastic game, is not one I'm going to play myself.

The Thaumaturge, again they are just the publisher. I hadn't even heard of this one which means as the publisher they did a terrible job marketing it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Thank you for the correction. The alters is indeed not out yet.

In my opinion for the other I doesn't matter whether they are just publishing or actually developing. The games are not bar but apparently don't sell well. Maybe their not the greatest at marketing but I enjoy the vibes they are going for

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

The Journalist writes "I'm predictably both intrigued and worried that 11 bit think there's less interest now in games with a pronounced narrative component." But then does not detail any attempt at getting a comment from the studio on that... What gives?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

Typical RPS.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 day ago

jizzpunk

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 days ago

It's not the customers like stories or not; it's customers want good stories.

If that guy's aiming is that bad at reading the market, it might be just a good thing he is not going the story path.

It sucks for the people being layoff though.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

NGL the title always seemed like it wanted to be a mobile game so the studio saying this doesn't surprise me.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

Not agreeing, but if I look at my own purchases for the last few years, there aren't many story driven games there. God of War and Starfield. Didn't play much either one.

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