The gaming industry spent multiple years focusing on the belief that larger games provided superior value to players. Each video game launch claimed to include more than 100 hours of gameplay content along with extensive virtual environments. Recent events have brought about a major change to the situation. Players prefer to play “bite-sized” games which they can complete within a single weekend or single gameplay session.
Quality Over Quantity
Shorter games contain everything that players want to experience in “all killer, no filler” content. Developers add all of their content to the game which exists in the game for 80 hours through repeated missions. This combination creates an experience that becomes more impactful, since it delivers everything through a compact format.
The Busy Adult Lifestyle
The gaming population continues to age, yet players must handle their job responsibilities along with their family commitments. Most players struggle to discover the time needed to play their giant games which last “100-hour” time periods. Players need games which allow them to play through 30-minute sections, since that matches their busy daily routines.
Respect for Player Time
Players today respond more negatively to “padding” which refers to unnecessary game elements that developers use to extend game duration. The shorter game format enables players to experience everything through direct gameplay, since it cuts out both extended travel times and repetitive “fetch” missions.
Lower Price Points
The market sets lower prices for shorter games. Budget-friendly players find the $15 or $20 indie game which provides a complete 4-hour experience to be more attractive than the rising costs of “Triple-A” games.
High “Replayability”
Players who finish three-hour games tend to return to play the game again. Players can easily choose to play shorter games because they want to discover secrets and experience different difficulty levels and share the game with friends.
The Rise of Subscription Services
Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus enable users to experience multiple games through their subscription service. Players prefer to try out strange 2-hour games which possess an artistic design when they obtain access to free content without making individual purchases.
Niche and Experimental Ideas
The short game format provides developers with the freedom to develop their own unique game concepts. Developers use low-risk methods to create return on investment through their 50-hour game, while short games enable them to explore different art styles and game mechanics and emotional experiences.
Social Media and “Clips”
TikTok and YouTube provide an ideal format for short games which create quick gameplay experiences. The games make it easy to share visually appealing content which includes “viral” elements. Players who see a great clip of a game can easily start playing that game because it has a short duration.
The Emotional “Punch”
A story told through rapid narration achieves more emotional impact. A short game creates development through a quick storytelling process, which takes players to an emotional climax while maintaining its momentum, and this storytelling process leaves an extended impact on players.
Reducing “Gaming Fatigue”
The experience of playing a single game for an extended period of time leads to player burnout. The short game format enables players to move between different gameplay experiences, since it offers them different ways to explore various game formats and artistic designs.
