What is the games industry looking forward to in 2024?
2023 has been a difficult year for the industry, one marred by layoffs and studio closures affecting thousands of developers globally.
But as the New Year approaches, it's perhaps worth reflecting on what's likely to help grow and lift the industry in the fact of its ongoing challenges.
With that in mind, GamesIndustry.biz asked publishers, developers and other games professionals what makes them optimistic about the games industry in 2024.
While undoubtedly the industry has had bad news in the last twelve months in terms of layoffs, projections are looking good for next year and there's plenty of things to be positive about. Just this month we've seen Baldur's Gate 3 win Game of the Year, with a genre that nobody would have guessed could break into the mainstream. This really shows there are still surprises in what's going to capture the imagination of mainstream players beyond huge open-world games or shooters.
We're seeing even more companies year on year applying for awards such as the GamesIndustry.biz Best Place to Work Awards, in a trend that shows more companies are really taking their need for evolution seriously. For as much as the games industry gets painted with a brush of toxicity (and it's still got a lot of work to do), I do sincerely believe we've turned a corner for the better. Beyond the moral necessity to be better, the skills shortages we're seeing in the industry are causing those studios not willing to put the effort in to fall behind.
On a more personal note I'll be taking a few days off work just to play Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, where I'm fully expecting to have a huge smile on my face throughout. Whether it be the essential ecological messaging of a game like Terra Nil, the emotional
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