Shadow of the Colossus creator says the “age of game mechanics is over” as AAA is focused purely on iteration

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Despite their widespread popularity today, video games remain a relatively recent form of entertainment, emerging even after the invention of audiobooks. Regrettably, according to the creator of Shadow of the Colossus, Fumito Ueda, it has taken approximately 67 years for the “era of game mechanics” to end.

In a conversation with DenfaminicoGamer and Keita Takahashi (the creator of Katamari), Ueda shared his perspective that today’s video game development doesn’t primarily involve inventing new game mechanics, but rather refining and optimizing those that have already been established.

In his own work, Ueda has been found to carry on with similar mechanics seen in The Last Guardian, which is essentially an extension from Ico. However, upon examining Takahashi’s forthcoming puzzle game To a T, it struck him that the primary objective for most modern developers is no longer to invent new game mechanics.

The game developer shared that he wasn’t certain about his initial ‘like’ response, but he likely thought, “We’ve moved past the period of game mechanics.” He pondered whether we no longer require inventing fresh gadgets or unique game mechanics for each new title.

Ueda doesn’t portray this realization as an inherently negative aspect. In fact, the creator of Shadow of the Colossus stated: “Although the mechanics may not be novel, you can concentrate on the feel and aesthetics. It’s more effective to refine the existing mechanics rather than introducing new ones.

It’s worth mentioning that sometimes, novel mechanics can have a significant and impressive effect when they are introduced. For instance, the unique combat mechanics in Demon’s Souls, released in 2009, spawned an entire genre. Similarly, the Nemesis System in Shadow of Mordor (2013), though initially frustrating due to its patent protection, was groundbreaking. Lastly, Death Stranding (2019) and its successor introduced the strand-based gameplay, a new core mechanic with an unusual name but one that has been reprised in Death Stranding 2.

Indeed, Ueda’s perspective holds merit. During the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 era, developers primarily concentrated on introducing fresh mechanics since they were immersed in exploring 3D gameplay. This emphasis on innovation is no longer as prevalent – I believe VR might be where that experimentation is now happening – but occasionally, exceptional new concepts manage to break through the scene.

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2025-07-21 15:40