You can tell that she was "trained" at IGN. Everything she says is pretty banal without really getting to the heart of the matter. NX Gamer handled it better and in a more differentiated way:
I don't understand what she means with her statement about quality. If I remember correctly, Hogwarts Legacy, a high-quality game, was the best-selling game last year. BG3, TotK, and Spider-Man 2 didn't do too badly either. Redfall and Starfield obviously didn't sell that well; both were average at best in terms of technology and quality.
If she actually named Nintendo and From Software as the first safe choice for single player in the future, that would underline that she has no idea. The biggest hits for Nintendo include Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, and Smash Bros Ultimate. Of course Zelda pops up now and then, but even the newer Mario games often focus on co-op. Classic single player games like Xenoblade Chronicles, Paper Mario, or Fire Emblem are a long way from being financial hits. I didn't watch her video, though, because I think they're irrelevant. I might as well watch Yongyea's filth.
What is still mentioned far too rarely is that many people don't have a lot of money at their disposal right now and video games are a luxury as an entertainment medium for many. Thanks to the Ukraine war, the cost of raw materials, food and energy has risen sharply in many countries. In return, Fortnite, Warzone, various gacha games and services such as Gamepass or PS+ offer access to many games for free or for little money. Regardless of the time and money factor, there are also far too many games that many media outlets don't even report on. IGN didn't want to do anything about Everybody's Golf because it hardly gets any clicks. It seems like they publish guides for Stellar Blade every day, even though they only rated it a 7, but it does get clicks.
Stellar Blade is perhaps also a good example of where things can go. According to the credits, less than 400 developers worked on it, but the game was still a positive surprise in terms of technology and gameplay. A studio had an idea and implemented it. And with a female character who doesn't make your eyes bleed, numerous free outfits, a good range of games and a well thought-out New Game+. Sony has a good nose for getting the title and helping with development. If other projects (especially from China) are as good, this could be a solution to save costs without sacrificing quality.
Overall, however, I would say that the games industry was long overdue for a crash, as there is no such thing as endless growth. Currently, companies are having to lay off many of those who have invested the most. We should be glad that Sony and Nintendo did not follow the advice of some "experts" and do the same as MS. If Sony had bought Square Enix, it would certainly have affected more employees now than it already did with the purchase of Bungie. I cannot afford to buy every interesting title at full price on day 1, so I only do it for titles that I have a good feeling about - regardless of what reviews or influencers say. I think that's how many talented studios can survive.
She's a smart one.
