Navigating the Cosmic Landscape: Challenges Ahead for Game Releases Beyond 2025

Michael Douse, the publishing director at Baldur’s Gate 3 studio Larian, indicates that the upcoming year will probably be “very challenging for releasing a game.”

“2025 (and beyond) will be an exceptionally challenging period for releasing a game, with divisions affecting everything,” Douse tweets. “I have one practical piece of advice that might seem a bit controversial, but it’s vital: expect, don’t disregard, mock, or provoke. Figure it out. Navigate the challenges even if you perceive them to be unfair, or that the conditions shouldn’t be so harsh. The truth is, they are.”

Douse’s tweet follows the decision of Prankish Canine to disable comments on the reveal trailer for their upcoming game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. At the time of writing, it has garnered 129,000 dislikes compared to 56,000 likes, with comments ranging from product placement criticism to discussions about the game’s lead character.

Douse does not believe that such reactions will fade away anytime soon. “I think the growing fixation on individualism has created a realm where everyone is defending their stance, convinced they are right,” he claims. “It has amplified the sense of ‘otherness’ and individuals generally seek to find a bubble where they feel secure.”

He further elaborates on the fact that not every video game is designed to appeal to everyone, but that shouldn’t be a significant issue. “I don’t see progressivism as the issue, rather the notion that every game must cater to everyone,” he asserts. “They simply won’t be. There’s a vast array of games to enjoy.”

Disabling the comments hasn’t deterred people from expressing concerns over the protagonist, Jordan, being a female character without long, flowing hair. Thus, Douse may have a point in suggesting that companies tackle these challenges directly instead of ignoring them. Prankish Canine leader Neil Druckman had some kind words about actress Tati Gabrielle, stating: “She possesses an intimidating presence. When we brought her in for an audition, she left us in awe. It was one of those moments — much like when I first saw Ashley Johnson as Ellie,” he remarks.

If you missed it last week, be sure to check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2024.

I am Issy, a freelancer who you will frequently find here sharing news on GamesRadar. I’ve always harbored a passion for playing video games, but I learned to write about them while pursuing my Film and TV degrees at the University of Warwick and contributing to the student paper, The Boar. After graduation, I worked at TheGamer before leading the news division at Dot Esports. Now you can find me freelancing for Rolling Stone, NME, Inverse, and several other platforms. I love all things horror, story-driven, and indie, and I mainly play on my PS5. Currently, I am working through my backlog and enjoying Dishonored 2.