„Making a good game is no longer enough.” Jason Schreier highlights the major industry problem facing all developers

In his latest article, Jason Schreier, a well-known journalist from Bloomberg, talks about a big issue that's been looming over the gaming industry like a dark cloud for a few years now. Although the year 2025 is full of excellent releases, to the extent that it can be equated with the memorable 2018, the situation for the developers doesn't look so rosy.

September full of hits

Schreier reminds that September 2025 is overloaded with games. At the beginning of the month, players received the seven-year-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong from Team Cherry, and at the end of the month, the full version of Hades II from Supergiant Games. Both titles have been recognized as some of the best games of the year. Moreover, there are tons of other awesome games coming out – from the new Borderlands to a remake of the classic Trails in the Sky, and installments of Dying Light and Silent Hill. And that's just one month.

Too many good games

Schreier notes, however, that the industry's current problem is not a lack of quality. On the contrary, there are more great games today than ever before. According to SteamDB, 18,626 new games were released on the platform in 2024, which is almost twice as many as in 2020. Hundreds of these titles received fantastic reviews from players. The issue? They got lost in the crowd.

The flood of new releases comes from a few things: more people are getting into gaming, developer tools are cheaper and easier to use, and it's pretty easy to get started. Years ago, making a game and reaching an audience was practically impossible without the support of a publisher who would guarantee shelf space in stores. Today, with sales having moved almost entirely to digital channels, the playing field has been leveled—anyone can try their hand.

New titles must also compete not only with each other, but also with established live service games that have been attracting millions of players for years. Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and PUBG still top the list of most played titles on Steam, and outside the platform, there are such giants as League of Legends and the most popular games on Roblox.

Success is not guaranteed

Schreier notes that in 2025, over 120 titles received an average rating above 80 on Metacritic. Even with such high scores, a lot of them still couldn't break into the mainstream. Examples include Wildgate and Sunderfolk from Dreamhaven – both games were well-received but failed to gain traction.

The journalist concludes that there is no simple solution to this problem. Going back to the days when store shelves decided what got published would be a step backward. On the other hand, the democratization of game creation has resulted in the most diverse and creative catalog in history.

For players, it means paradise and a vast selection. For the developers, it is increasingly difficult to handle. Because today, making a good game is just the beginning of the battle for the audience's attention.

Dying Light: The Beast

September 18, 2025

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• gaming industry
• indie games
• AAA games
• Jason Schreier