FBC: Firebreak is Remedy's upcoming chaotic co-op shooter / Control spin-off. I was already invested in it thanks to Robin Valentine's FBC: Firebreak preview, which talked about all the hilarious and treacherous times to be expected, but after hearing what Remedy Director Mike Kayatta has to say about the studio's approach to this game, I'm even more eager to start playing.
"This idea of a responsible team size, a responsible budget, a responsible amount of time to develop a game, just get it out there, make something that respects player time and don't try to overcharge and don't try to be greedy with time," Kayatta says in an interview with IGN. "I do think there's a space for it, and we're trying to touch on it with this game.”
Kayatta raises a few good points about how the games industry has escalated its approach to creating blockbuster games. "It's gotten to the point where you've got a lot of games that cost half a billion dollars to make," Kayatta continues. "And then, of course, when you get into marketing and promotion, I mean, the amount of money involved is staggering. And that can produce some incredible, incredible experiences that I am very thankful exist, but only some of those can exist, and everyone can't compete in that space."
Games are undoubtedly getting more expensive, and while that may be an unavoidable truth, it doesn't mean that players have to be happy or even content with it. Most players hadn't accepted $70 games yet, and then Nintendo went and raised the bar again, asking $80 for Mario Kart.
This may be part and parcel of making a monolith like GTA 6. But given the success of smaller, more moderately priced games like Blue Prince or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I agree with Kayatta's position that there's a middle ground to be had.
“A lot of that has to do with reducing FOMO (the fear of missing out), which I think has kind of infected a lot of modern games," Kayatta says. “That's not a blanket statement. I think a lot of games are able to use FOMO to be exciting. I'm just saying that it didn't work for us, but it's not just about monetisation, I think it's about the value that the game has.
"So for us, we wanted to make sure that the game, both from the way we monetise it, we don't do daily check-ins, timed battle passes, all that other stuff that dictates your time." But on the other hand, Kayatta does still admit that the goal is to create a game that entices players to come back, so they feel as if they're "accomplishing something over time."
As someone who's sunk many hours into SCP: Secret Laboratory, I've come to really appreciate games that take time improving and growing for their community, instead of just rushing to get content out. So I'm glad to hear that FBC: Firebreak seems to be going down a similar path.
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