This is what retailers were telling developers and publishers circa 2000.
On GCAP 2025 conference attracted attention in Melbourne Josh Sawyer (famous game designer Fallout: New Vegas whose Pillars of Eternity), explaining why he thinks classic isometric RPGs such as Baldur’s Gate.
Sawyer states that publishers and developers were convinced by retail chainsthat these titles are not worth selling.
“That’s why we stopped making Infinity Engine games, because the suppliers told us no one wanted to buy them.”
When the developers asked for market research, all they got was that they should just “trust.” At the same time, retail chains seemed to dictate what should come out. According to them, if the game was not “safe” enough, it would have no chance of selling.
Sawyer then notes that the situation has changed dramatically With the advent of digital distribution, today even small publications can survive without depending on brick-and-mortar stores.
His interpretation resonates with the community and developers because warning and reflecting that there was a time when this was not a demand of the players, but business decisionswhich caused the decline of the genre.
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Source :Indian TV
