Developers of Helldivers 2 and Palworld acknowledge difficulty in creating seemingly effortless updates and additions: "Half a year's labor. Six months' effort."
Game developers frequently grapple with assumptions from players, such as requests for theft/crime systems, or suggestions for seemingly straightforward features. Some players may even presume that developers are lazy.
A selection of developers recently shared insights in an interview conducted by GamesRadar's Austin Wood to dispel common misconceptions about game development [1]. Johan Pilestedt, the Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at Arrowhead, and John Buckley, the publishing manager at Palworld, both shared similar viewpoints.
Pilestedt described that the most misunderstood aspect is the labor-intensive process of crafting games, comparing it to movie-making where actors are given lines and direction [1]. In contrast, game developers must create characters and environments from the ground up [1].
"Players often expect that we can simply add this or that feature, but the decisions you make - particularly in larger games - can have far-reaching consequences that make what seems easy become difficult, or what seems challenging surprisingly simple," said Pilestedt [1].
Buckley echoed these thoughts, acknowledging the modern gaming landscape's demand for constant updates, which has now become an expectation [1]. "Gamers have become so accustomed to this constant cycle that they apply it to every game they play," Buckley stated [1].
While Pilestedt conceded that the interviewed developers are not necessarily excused from criticism, he emphasized that players' expectations are often unrealistic due to factors outside the development team's control [2]. Buckley added that implementing new features in Palworld, such as a new island, can take half a year and garner insensitive criticism before release despite the hard work invested [2].
[1] - Interviews conducted by GamesRadar's Austin Wood[2] - Insights based on Arrowhead Studio's CCO Johan Pilestedt's and Palworld's Publishing Manager John Buckley's statements in the aforementioned interview.
- Game developers often find themselves confronting assumptions from players, such as expecting easy additions of features or suggesting straightforward game mechanics, which can overlook the complex and labor-intensive nature of game development.
- Johan Pilestedt, the Chief Creative Officer at Arrowhead, compared the process of creating games to movie-making, stating that game developers must create characters and environments from the ground up, unlike actors given lines and direction.
- Players may not realize that the decisions game developers make, particularly in larger games, can have far-reaching consequences that make what seems easy become difficult, or what seems challenging surprisingly simple.
- Implementing new features in a game, such as a new island in Palworld, can take half a year, and developers may face insensitive criticism before release despite the hard work invested, due to the constant, high-expectation gaming landscape.
