The future of the gaming industry, according to industry leaders, is shifting away from the blockbuster AAA model. Matthew Karch, head of Saber Interactive (creators of Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2), believes the era of multi-hundred-million-dollar AAA games is over. He argues that these massive budgets are not only unnecessary but also contribute to industry job losses.

Karch's sentiment is echoed by other developers. The term "AAA," once synonymous with high-budget, high-quality, low-risk projects, is now seen as outdated and misleading. Charles Cecil, co-founder of Revolution Studios, calls it "silly and meaningless," attributing its negative connotations to the shift in industry priorities towards profit maximization at the expense of quality and innovation.

The high-profile example of Ubisoft's Skull and Bones, marketed as a "AAAA" title, further underscores this point, highlighting the disconnect between inflated budgets and actual game quality. The industry consensus appears to be that the focus needs to shift towards more sustainable and creative development models.