Why Do Indie Developers Release So Many Mediocre Games?

[Alf]

Granted, there are plenty of good indie games that have accumulated over the last few years, however, the vast majority of them that are released each year are horrible or mediocre. What's your thought on this?

[Tito Shivan]

Publicado originalmente por Hellraiser:

It is not the realization that bad games exist, but the question is rather why do developers release so many mediocre games every year.

The same reason why so many mediocre movies, TV shows, albums, novels and paintings are released each year.

[Blargo]

Publicado originalmente por Eiballs:

Publicado originalmente por Dxpress:

Subjectively bad games: Just an opinion.
Objectively bad games: Usually for a quick and scummy cash grab.

Example of an objectively bad game?
I've never heard of a game that literally everybody dislikes

Ever heard of Digital Homicide? They were an indie team who released games with stolen assets on Steam and tried to file lawsuits against people who called them out for it. Eventually, Valve cut business with them.

There's actually a Wikipedia article about it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Homicide_Studios

[Mossy Snake]

Lack of funds, a need for quick funds, lack of devs, lack of resources, etc.

Also quite a few of them are quick to capitalize on a trend, such as the devs who vomit out VN's and zombie shooters.

[Alf]

Publicado originalmente por Tito Shivan:

Publicado originalmente por Hellraiser:

It is not the realization that bad games exist, but the question is rather why do developers release so many mediocre games every year.

The same reason why so many mediocre movies, TV shows, albums, novels and paintings are released each year.

I don't think indie game developers can be compared to the REAL MEDIA, not yet. It's comparing apples and oranges; book/music/movie publishers in the real media can't just throw money around without assessing the risk that is involved.

[Smugass Braixen-Chan]

There are hundreds more good indie games released each year than their are "Triple A" games.

[Alf]

Publicado originalmente por Insanity Wolf-Chan:

There are hundreds more good indie games released each year than their are "Triple A" games.

Perhaps this is a plausible respond, however, to develop a true AAA game, it takes years; for example The Elder Scroll Series vs FTL which was developed under 19 months

Interview: "How long did it take you [Justin Ma] to develop it."
Justin Ma: "So it was primarily made by Matt and I, two people over the course of 18 months.

Source

[TwinEdgedBastard]

1. Lack of game development experience. it's easier to make something that requires little thought to create. (probs the most common reason).

2. They wanted to appeal to a niche audience. some people actually want a mediocre game that plays almost identical to another.

3. Tried to be creative, but didn't realise that the idea doesn't work all that well for a game, or they didn't do enough with the idea.

4. Too ambitous. Had an amazing idea for a game but lacked the experience and resources to develop it.

[shoopy]

Ease of distribution allows average things to show through.

It's like if every artist could be in a museum. Most of them would only be just "ok."

Only a few developers really shine but we're in an age where you can publish no matter what, even if you don't shine.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Publicado originalmente por Hellraiser:

Granted, there are plenty of good indie games that have accumulated over the last few years, however, the vast majority of them that are released each year are horrible or mediocre. What's your thought on this?

Why do AAA developers release do many Mediocre games?

Numbers wise, Indi developers release more games overall, so of course there will be more mediocre titles as well as more good titles and more bad titles.

If you break that into percentages though, then the numbers of such between Indi and AAA are close to the same.

Then again, it all comes down to opinion over all. If you like AAA games more, then more of them will seem good or great while Idie games may seem to be of lesser quality or bad games. One's own perception in such a matter will always influence what they see the market as.

[Alf]

Publicado originalmente por Spawn of Totoro:

Publicado originalmente por Hellraiser:

Granted, there are plenty of good indie games that have accumulated over the last few years, however, the vast majority of them that are released each year are horrible or mediocre. What's your thought on this?

Why do AAA developers release do many Mediocre games?

Numbers wise, Indi developers release more games overall, so of course there will be more mediocre titles as well as more good titles and more bad titles.

This isn't a good response; large companies can afford to take high calculated risk while indie developers can't say the same...time and money is more essential to indie developers than big companies such as Ubisoft, Bethseda, and Microsoft etc. In addition, they'll be more than enough fans who will purchase blindly from big name brands, something that indie developers can't say--they have to rely on a lucky big hit and word of mouth.

[Alf]

Publicado originalmente por Kalsolette:

Why are so many AAA games so horribly mediocre?

Indie has fallen into the same trap of following trends. How many pixelated platformers are there? I've lost count.

Large companies can afford to take high calculated risk while indie developers can't say the same...time and money is more essential to indie developers than big companies such as Ubisoft, Bethseda, and Microsoft etc. In addition, they'll be more than enough fans who will purchase blindly from big name brands, something that indie developers can't say--they have to rely on a lucky big hit and word of mouth.

To summarize, large companies can afford to make supposedly "mediocre" games because they already have a fan base to support them--something indie developers can not claim.

[ei balls]

Publicado originalmente por Hellraiser:

Publicado originalmente por Kalsolette:

Why are so many AAA games so horribly mediocre?

Indie has fallen into the same trap of following trends. How many pixelated platformers are there? I've lost count.

Large companies can afford to take high calculated risk while indie developers can't say the same...time and money is more essential to indie developers than big companies such as Ubisoft, Bethseda, and Microsoft etc. In addition, they'll be more than enough fans who will purchase blindly from big name brands, something that indie developers can't say--they have to rely on a lucky big hit and word of mouth.

In short, large companies can afford to make "mediocre" games because they already have a fan base to support them.

I mean, I feel the only answer to the question you asked is just the devs aren't good at making games.

[Trickster of Katana's]

Define mediocre, AAA games have higher quality graohics and what not but I rarely find one with good content.

[Alf]

Publicado originalmente por Trickster Of Expensive Tactics:

Define mediocre

First define "dictionary" and I'll get back to you.

[Smugass Braixen-Chan]

Publicado originalmente por Hellraiser:

Publicado originalmente por Trickster Of Expensive Tactics:

Define mediocre

First define "dictionary" and I'll get back to you.

https://youtu.be/4Fbry0X7OmM