A former Starfield developer, Will Shen, suggests player fatigue is growing with the abundance of lengthy AAA titles. This saturation, he argues, is contributing to a resurgence of shorter games. Shen, a veteran with experience on titles like Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, highlights the success of shorter games like Mouthwashing, attributing its popularity to its concise playtime. He contrasts this with the common experience of players not completing many games exceeding ten hours, emphasizing the importance of completion for story engagement.

While Shen acknowledges the continued prevalence of expansive games like Starfield (and its upcoming DLC, Shattered Space), he points out that a significant portion of gamers are tiring of the "dozens of hours" commitment often demanded by modern AAA releases. He cites the influence of past titles, such as Skyrim, in establishing the "evergreen game" norm, comparing this trend to the impact Dark Souls had on popularizing challenging combat. The argument presented is that the industry may be reaching a tipping point where shorter, more focused experiences become increasingly desirable. Despite the success of long-form RPGs, the demand for shorter games is clearly emerging as a notable counter-trend.