Source: The Next Web
Triple-A studios are trapped in a cost spiral where $200M+ budgets demand massive player bases and risk-averse sequels, while indie teams ship innovative hits like Baldur's Gate 3, Stardew Valley, and Helldivers 2 with 1/100th the overhead. Smaller teams move faster, take creative risks, and keep higher margins per player. Studio scale has become a liability rather than an asset. Major publishers are increasingly acquiring mid-size indie studios rather than building 500-person departments in-house.