A God Of War: Ragnarok Lead Has Advice For The AAA-Gaming Industry That Can’t Be Ignored

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The video game industry is facing a strange situation. While gaming is now a hugely profitable business, several highly anticipated games – like *Suicide Squad Kills the Justice League*, *Concord*, and *MindsEye* – have failed after their release. Because these games are very expensive to make, many game studios have been forced to make significant cuts. This raises concerns that the industry’s growth could slow down, even though gaming has become one of the world’s leading forms of entertainment.

Some creators of well-known games, including Meghan Morgan Juinio, a producer on *God of War Ragnarok*, are thinking about this issue and sharing their thoughts on the industry. With her experience on the popular *God of War* series, she’s highlighted a significant problem: players are starting to feel tired of huge, blockbuster games, and she believes major studios need to address this.

Why AAA-Game Studios Need To Turn More Towards The Indie Space

Maghan Morgan Juinio, formerly a leader at Santa Monica Studio, argues that big game developers (AAA studios) shouldn’t only focus on huge, blockbuster games. She believes a mix of large franchises and smaller projects is crucial. Without that balance, studios risk losing audience interest and seeing diminishing returns on their investments.

Major game studios are concentrating on massive, visually stunning titles like *Ghost of Yotei*. But Morgan Juinio argues that players are now craving something different. According to Juinio, gamers have become accustomed to high-quality graphics and huge worlds – they expect it. “What really matters is fun,” Juinio explains. “A beautiful game won’t succeed if it isn’t engaging or doesn’t offer a compelling experience.” The market is becoming saturated, and even well-established franchises and companies are struggling under the pressure of trying to create ever-larger games.

Morgan Juinio suggests that big game publishers should focus on creating a more diverse range of games. This approach could lessen the financial risk of any single game failing spectacularly and potentially causing the entire company to struggle. By using smaller budgets and shorter development times, publishers can minimize the risk associated with each title and make even moderate profits seem more significant. Juinio points to successes like *Astro Boy* and *Split Fiction*, which were smaller games published by major companies like Sony and EA, as evidence that this strategy works. While these games might not reach the massive heights of a blockbuster AAA title, they also significantly reduce the financial risk due to lower costs and faster development. Other developers agree with this idea, and history shows it can be very effective. Recently, we’ve seen experimental indie games like *Balatro* become huge bestsellers, and simpler games like *Astro Boy* win major awards.

A better approach to game development would be to support smaller, passion-driven teams alongside big-budget titles. Currently, many games need massive sales just to recoup costs, which can lead to disheartening studio closures, like the recent shutdown of Tango Gameworks despite the success of their game, *Hi-Fi Rush*. Microsoft closed the studio as part of cost-cutting measures related to other unsuccessful investments. By balancing smaller projects with established franchises, developers can take on more risks with greater confidence, celebrate successes more easily, and limit the impact of failures, rather than relying on a few massive hits.

This method fosters creativity and trying new things, which has always been crucial for success in gaming. It’s simpler to launch an original idea when a company isn’t entirely focused on one type of game. This allows developers to work on projects they’re passionate about, rather than constantly revisiting existing franchises. Nintendo has long been successful with this approach, balancing innovative games with established titles to thrive in the ever-changing gaming market. Morgan Juinio is right about the need for change in the industry, and encouraging more diverse game development could be essential to prevent stagnation.

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2025-10-19 16:40