At The Game Awards, Geoff Keighley was harshly criticized for saying nothing about the layoffs in the video game industry. He obviously listened as this time he started the Summer Game Fest by talking about the layoffs and the troubling times facing the game industry.
However, Keighley tried not to dwell on the gloom by sharing a list of the ten most-sold games for the year so far on Steam. Out of the entire list, only two games were made by big studios. The other eight were products of indie developers or mid-sized studios.
He reminded big studios that it was important to treat their developers right because they could go indie and find success. Keighley highlighted that digital shows have made it possible for smaller studios to find success.
No fewer than 10,000 workers in the game industry lost their jobs last year. However, halfway through this year, over 9,000 jobs have been lost in the game industry and there is no end in sight.
Many believe the increased loss of jobs in the game industry may push more developers into the indie niche. Also, we have seen a flurry of new studios being formed by people who were either laid off or left their companies. Just a few days ago, we announced the formation of a new studio called Kindred Spirit Games.
Keighley also tried to address the issue of diversity by calling out a female co-host a few minutes into the show. How satisfied are you with the Summer Game Fest 2024 announcements? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
