Fallout creator Tim Cain said violence in AAA RPG games will remain a default element due to players’ preferences.
fall out Tim Cain, co-creator of the series, explained why violence is so common in AAA RPG games. In a YouTube video, Cain stated that the fact that violence is at the center of big-budget games depends entirely on sales figures. “Companies make games not because they want to, but because they know they will sell them,” said Cain, noting that players’ purchasing habits could change this situation. These explanations reveal why AAA RPGs struggle to offer different ways of interacting.
Violence Becomes the Default in Fallout and AAA RPGs
Tim Cain, the creator of games such as Fallout, said that the use of violence as the main interaction method of big-budget RPGs is due to their marketing and sales strategies. According to Cain, games that feature action-packed scenes and shootouts are generally easier to market and achieve higher sales figures. “Seeing people running, jumping and fighting in a trailer makes you think about how fun the game is,” said Cain, noting that story- and dialogue-heavy games are more difficult to promote.
During The Outer Worlds project at Obsidian, Cain talked about the challenges of showing the story and dialogue-driven aspects of the game in trailers. He stated that it is almost impossible to summarize a deep narrative in a 15-30 second trailer. However, Cain emphasized that non-violent games can also be successful. He said that examples such as Myst and Life is Strange prove that games that are not focused on violence can also find a wide audience.
Tim Cain thinks that players can create a change in the gaming industry with their purchasing preferences. Stating that the success of violence-oriented games such as Fallout has led to the continuation of such content, Cain said, “Vote with your wallet,” and called on players to support games that offer more diversity.
According to Cain, if there is a change in the purchasing habits of players, game companies may also start to turn to different genres. However, he stated that for this change to occur, there must be a large-scale demand.