In recent years, the gaming industry has seen a wave of high-budget failures, with games like Justice League and Concord becoming synonymous with wasted resources and unmet expectations. Some projects are canceled before release, while others launch to widespread criticism, leaving publishers scrambling to recover their losses. While many blame political missteps or an inability to connect with players, a deeper systemic issue often goes unaddressed—the decline in software development quality and industry talent.
This problem is particularly evident in Western game development, where stagnation, mismanagement, and poor industry practices have contributed to a noticeable drop in quality. Examining these issues from a software development perspective reveals a troubling pattern that, if left unaddressed, will continue to cripple the industry.
Contents
- The Talent Exodus and Management Problem
- The Loss of Skilled Developers
- Poor Management Undermines Teams
- Challenges of Mentorship and Onboarding
- Lack of Mentorship Hurts Software Quality
- The Downward Spiral of Poor Development Standards
- USA’s Unsuitable Practices in Building Companies
- Growth Over Stability
- High Turnover Weakens Development Teams
- Short-Term Thinking Leads to Long-Term Failures
- How Can the Industry Turn This Around?
- Focus on Retaining Talent
- Balance Longevity with Investor Expectations
- Invest in Mentorship and Training
- Rethink Management Practices
- Final Thoughts
The Talent Exodus and Management Problem
Over the years, many players have noticed a lack of innovation in modern games. Instead of groundbreaking ideas, the industry has become dominated by sequels, remasters, and generic live-service models. While some of this is driven by corporate risk aversion, a major factor is the loss of experienced talent.
The Loss of Skilled Developers
One of the biggest reasons for this talent drain is the way U.S. companies handle career advancement. Skilled developers are often pushed into management roles, removing them from hands-on technical work. While some individuals thrive in leadership positions, forcing top developers into non-technical roles weakens teams.
Imagine taking legendary soccer players like Ronaldo or Messi off the field to become coaches while they’re still at their peak. They may eventually become great mentors, but their primary skill is playing the game, not managing from the sidelines. This is exactly what happens in game development—top programmers are removed from coding and placed into roles they may not be suited for.
Poor Management Undermines Teams
When skilled engineers become managers without proper training, the results are often disastrous. Software development requires structured collaboration and clear leadership, but an unqualified manager can stifle creativity and efficiency.
A key indicator of poor management is when external stakeholders dictate unrealistic deadlines, forcing teams to rush projects and release unfinished products. This leads to a cycle of crunch, burnout, and high turnover rates. As the saying goes, “You can’t make a baby in a month just because you have nine women.” Quality software development takes time, yet game studios frequently ignore this reality in favor of short-term financial gains.
Challenges of Mentorship and Onboarding
Another major issue is the influx of inexperienced developers without proper guidance. The number of software developers doubles roughly every five years, meaning many in the industry have minimal experience. Historically, mentorship from senior engineers played a crucial role in shaping new talent, but with so many experienced developers moving into management, this support system is fading.
Lack of Mentorship Hurts Software Quality
With fewer senior developers available to mentor junior staff, bad practices become more common. This directly impacts software quality, as inexperienced developers are left to figure things out on their own. Without guidance, teams make avoidable mistakes that lead to performance issues, buggy releases, and long-term technical debt.
The Downward Spiral of Poor Development Standards
Because mentorship is lacking, bad habits spread rapidly across teams. When an inexperienced developer writes inefficient or sloppy code, others follow suit, assuming it’s the standard. This creates a cycle where software quality continues to decline over time, affecting everything from game performance to user experience.
USA’s Unsuitable Practices in Building Companies
Beyond individual management issues, the structure of U.S. companies often makes long-term success difficult. Western businesses, particularly in Silicon Valley, prioritize rapid growth over sustainability, which has a profound effect on the gaming industry.
Growth Over Stability
The dominant business model in Silicon Valley is built around expansion, not longevity. Startups are designed to either be acquired by tech giants like Microsoft, Google, or Apple or to collapse within a few years. This approach leads to reckless spending, constant employee turnover, and a disregard for long-term software quality.
High Turnover Weakens Development Teams
Most employees in the tech industry switch jobs every three to four years. This frequent movement prevents teams from building a strong foundation and leads to an endless cycle of hiring, onboarding, and losing talent. Without continuity, companies struggle to create stable, high-quality products.
Short-Term Thinking Leads to Long-Term Failures
Because investor demands often prioritize immediate financial returns, companies cut corners to release games as quickly as possible. This mindset leads to rushed development cycles, ignored technical debt, and ultimately, subpar games. When projects fail, studios are quick to cancel them and move on to the next big bet, rather than investing in improving their processes.
How Can the Industry Turn This Around?
Despite these challenges, there are ways to reverse the decline in Western game development. By shifting priorities and restructuring business models, companies can foster an environment that supports talent retention, mentorship, and long-term success.
Focus on Retaining Talent
Instead of constantly hiring and replacing employees, companies should prioritize retaining skilled developers. Offering competitive salaries, career development opportunities, and flexible work environments can increase employee satisfaction and encourage long-term commitment. A stable workforce results in better software quality and more innovative projects.
Balance Longevity with Investor Expectations
Game studios need to adopt a more sustainable approach to development. Rather than banking everything on a single project, companies should diversify their investments to spread risk. Ubisoft, for example, had to cancel promising games due to losses from other projects. A balanced portfolio helps mitigate financial disasters.
Invest in Mentorship and Training
To combat the skills gap, companies must invest in mentorship programs that pair junior developers with experienced professionals. This ensures that industry knowledge is passed down effectively, reducing the prevalence of poor development practices.
Rethink Management Practices
Instead of forcing talented developers into management roles, companies should offer dual career paths that allow them to grow while remaining in technical positions. Providing proper management training for those who do transition into leadership roles is also essential.
Final Thoughts
The decline in Western video game development is not just a coincidence—it’s the result of systemic issues that have been ignored for too long. Poor management practices, the loss of experienced developers, inadequate mentorship, and an unsustainable business model have all contributed to the industry’s current struggles.
If game studios want to regain their former success, they must take a hard look at how they operate and make meaningful changes. Retaining talent, prioritizing mentorship, and adopting a long-term mindset are key steps toward reversing the damage. By shifting away from short-term profit motives and focusing on sustainable growth, Western game developers can once again produce innovative and high-quality titles that stand the test of time.