The Final of Us recreation director Bruce Straley has apologized to the God of Warfare Laufey crew after his feedback about fashionable AAA video games introduced “uninvited and pointless unfavorable consideration.”
The feedback in query surfaced as a part of a not too long ago revealed piece by Edge journal and noticed the previous Naughty Canine developer tackling the state of AAA gaming and recreation growth. Straley initially stated with amusing that he thinks “the verbs and experiences we’re delivering within the triple-An area are… I wanna say boring,” earlier than bringing God of Warfare Laufey into the equation.
“God of Warfare Laufey, I have a look at that recreation, and each pixel is mindblowing,” he stated to Edge. “The quantity of labor and ability that is gone into each single body… I’ve made these sorts of video games, and I am nonetheless blown away. However after I really have a look at what you are doing within the recreation? I am not excited. And that is nothing towards the God of Warfare crew. Simply, throughout the board in triple-A, it looks like there’s no alternative to inject recent, progressive concepts.”
The Final of Us has definitely had its affect on the state of big-budget video games, so it was no shock to see social media gentle up with reactions to Straley’s ideas. The previous Naughty Canine lead then adopted up the commotion with a thread of posts on X/Twitter, taking the chance to elaborate on his perspective on the place the business is at and the place it is heading.
“I need to apologize to the Laufey crew for dragging you all into this uninvited and pointless unfavorable consideration,” he stated. “I used to be making an attempt as an instance an business concern and my mistake of naming your recreation is getting used out of context and for clickbait. You don’t want this. I’m sorry.
“A journo requested me concerning the state of our business. I discussed just a few issues. One being the shortage of innovation & dangers taken within the AAA area. Although this isn’t the crew’s fault! My concern is that our participant base is getting bored with taking part in the identical verbs for the final 20 years.
I need to apologize to the Laufey crew for dragging you all into this uninvited & pointless unfavorable consideration. I used to be making an attempt as an instance an business concern & my mistake of naming your recreation is getting used out of context & for clickbait. You don’t want this. I’m sorry. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/Ri2KgfJ4yY
— Bruce Straley (@bruce_straley) September 18, 2026
“My speculation: Our medium is exclusive as a result of gamers are DOING a factor. There’s a distinct physiological response than viewers who simply WATCH a film. This requires us creators to proceed to push and create new experiences, or we run the danger of diminishing gamers’ dopamine.”
Straley then pointed to Half-Life 2, Gears of Warfare, BioShock, Uncharted 2, and The Final of Us as a string of video games that helped “set the ‘fashionable AAA’ mildew,” saying that every title felt prefer it wished to carry new experiences to the area. He then clarified that this a part of the dialog “is just one aspect of my issues.”
“Sadly the platforms that have to carry stability have eroded the flexibility to innovate,” he continued. “The search for [games as a service] and eager to recreate the subsequent Overwatch, Fortnite, Roblox, and so on. is just not a viable technique and admittedly reveals these ‘business leaders’ do not know their very own model.
“Sizzling take: There is a lack of fine management, clear course, and conviction from the individuals on the high, accountable for the cash. (Cash = stability) I imagine in the event that they perceive their model, they might have sincere, inspiring conversations with creators to steer our medium to innovate.”
Straley left The Final of Us studio after 18 years in September 2017. He went on to assist begin new recreation studio Wildflower Interactive in 2022 and is at the moment engaged on a brand new recreation known as Coven of the Rooster Foot.
“ANYWAY… blah blah blah. I’ve ideas about what’s fallacious and the attainable severe hurt carried out to our business and the way we would be capable to repair it. However in making an attempt to have a considerate dialog I caught my foot in my mouth and talked about Laufey, and that was my mistake. FIN (for now).”
God of Warfare Laufey was introduced as the subsequent chapter in Santa Monica Studio’s mythology-hopping action-game saga throughout a PlayStation State of Play presentation in June of this yr. Though it is set to supply a distinct perspective on the universe with a narrative informed via the eyes of Deborah Ann Woll’s omnipotent Faye, it is already confronted its justifiable share of pushback on-line. Whereas some have expressed concern about taking part in any character apart from Kratos, the studio has promised time and time once more that the Ghost of Sparta will return.
God of Warfare Laufey director Ariel Lawrence has requested skeptical followers to give Faye’s story an opportunity forward of its February 16, 2027 launch. Whereas we wait to see extra about the way it connects to Santa Monica’s gaming universe, you’ll be able to learn why one IGN author felt that what we have seen to date appears too just like Kratos’ Norse saga.