Rockstar and CDPR are the last of the AAA devs that care about the quality of their games. All of Rockstar's 10 studios are working on RDR2, and Rockstar North alone has ~400 employees. They've got so many talented devs, and they put a lot of time and effort into their games, which is great. If Rockstar was like Ubisoft or Activision or EA, we'd be on GTA 23 and RDR 17 by now.
Im sorta suprised these companies, especially Rockstar are doing so okay. AAA level gamemaking(with CARE) is probably the least profitable, unstable, most stressful thing I can think of. Like for example Witcher 3(which is kinda gamings blockbuster hit), which had an insane amount of sales had a budget of 81mil, serius amount of directing etc, years of development and only got a measly 63 mil as profit(took these from wikipedia). Hit movies with that budget get about x3 that profit(also taken from wikipedia). Clash of clans gets like more then x10 those profits each year. I dont think EA and Ubisoft want to be shitty, they just dont have the option, the profits are horseshit without lootboxes and dlcs. Im kinda suprised why EA for example is still even in the AAA business, if its so shit. If I was them I would have moved to mobile more aggressively years ago. I quess they still are making that push however(the new C&C)....
Like this flamewar with Konami and Hideo. Hideo is a fucking great, makes great stuff and a true visionary. Each game is a hit and a masterpiece, unfortunately also expensive af to make and the profits, while great, arent enough to fill the "when shit hits the fan" emergency fund. No shit they kicked Hideo out and will now make more mobile games and casino slot machines. Its completely risk free. Each time Hideo got the money, there was risk that this time his magic wont work and the entire company goes immediately under along side whatever the hell he is working on.
