Some of 2023’s biggest games are hundred-hour epics like Starfield and Baldur’s Gate 3, games that demand a lot from the player to truly experience everything. Amidst those gargantuan releases, however, an interesting trend has emerged this year, with more studios pushing out shorter, more focused experiences. This, of course, has always been true in the indie scene, but even big publishers like Sega and Ubisoft are starting to see value in these more condensed experiences. In the face of ballooning budgets for games, on top of a torrent of releases, it’s hopefully a trend that can continue on in the future.
