Game Studios Are Making Games That Our Hardware Can’t Handle

In the world of game development, crafting breathtaking visuals and cutting-edge graphics has evolved into the hallmark of success, a chase that most studios now see as vital to their survival. They pour millions into crafting games that push the boundaries of what players thought was possible, promising next-gen experiences that immerse them deeper into fantastical worlds. Yet, this relentless focus on eye-popping graphics is increasingly coming at a steep cost: Performance.

Nowhere is this trend more apparent than in CD Projekt Red’s highly anticipated release of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020. Boasting a breathtakingly detailed dystopian world, Cyberpunk dazzled in its marketing campaigns but faltered catastrophically at launch. Plagued by a plethora of bugs and performance issues, especially on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the game’s myriad problems left players frustrated and disillusioned. The backlash reached such intensity that Sony pulled the game from its digital store on December 17, 2020, offering refunds to dissatisfied customers and temporarily halting its sale—a nearly unprecedented move in the industry.

Years later, it took multiple patches and new-generation hardware to bring Cyberpunk 2077 closer to the ambitious vision it promised. But the damage was done. Gamers, once enthralled by the stunning visuals, felt burned by an experience that seemed optimized for trailers rather than real-world consoles.

The trend shows no signs of abating. Take Immortals of Aveum, released in August 2023 with considerable fanfare. Trailers flaunted its fast-paced magical combat and cinematic landscapes.