Tag #Narrative Design

What are the primary economic and market factors driving the shift away from expansive open-world designs in action-adventure games?

The rising costs and market saturation of open-world games are prompting major studios to explore alternative map designs, such as the segmented approach in Avowed and Atomfall. These games prioritize coherent narratives and manageable gameplay experiences over expansive, yet potentially overwhelming, open worlds. This shift reflects a move away from the hundreds of hours of gameplay that some games had previously offered.