What Garriott's 'Creative Cliff' Warning Means for Your Game…
Garriott's comments spotlight the tension between publisher cost-cutting and developer morale, suggesting players may see fewer risky, original big-budget games as studios lean on safe bets.
Garriott's comments spotlight the tension between publisher cost-cutting and developer morale, suggesting players may see fewer risky, original big-budget games as studios lean on safe bets.
Key points - Richard Garriott spoke on a panel hosted by the Georgia Game Developers Association. - Garriott says the industry's problems are many threads woven into a 'horrible knot'. - He argues fast hardware means bells and whistles no longer matter most. - Garriott says Origin pre-EA never cancelled a project, but after EA it cancelled more than it completed.
Timeline - 1992: Richard Garriott sells Origin Systems to EA. - Recent: Garriott speaks on a Georgia Game Developers Association panel about the industry's state.
FAQ
Q: What is Richard Garriott known for? A: He created the Ultima series and is known as Lord British. He also founded Origin Systems, which he sold to EA in 1992.
Q: What does Garriott mean by a 'creative cliff'? A: He means machines are now fast enough that technical bells and whistles no longer drive games, leaving the industry unsure what to do next.
Q: Why does Garriott oppose cancelling games? A: He believes finishing a project teaches a team what works, while cancelling demoralizes staff and drives talent away.
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