Obbe Vermeil, technical director of the classic GTA trilogy, shared the comparison of the working conditions of game developers in different periods. In his opinion, the modern publishing approach creates significantly more stress than the traditional model of publishing finished products. In the past, teams had a clear understanding of the moment of completion – when the game hit store shelves.
Transformation in Developer Stress: From Past to Present
Obbe Vermeil, who played an important role in the development of Rockstar Games' legendary GTA series, made striking statements about how today's game development processes increase the level of stress on developers compared to past approaches. According to Vermeil, the evolution of the games industry has shifted from an environment fueled by creativity and passion to an atmosphere shaped in the shadow of constant pressure and endless corrections.
The Peace of the Traditional Model: Satisfaction of Completed Products
In the past, the game development process was characterized by the harmonious work of teams focused on a specific goal. When the development of the game was completed, the product was physically available in stores and the developers breathed a sigh of relief with the satisfaction of seeing their efforts pay off. Vermeil states that at that time, developers were proud of the feeling of “we did it” and were able to start their next projects motivated. In this model, bugs were tried to be kept to a minimum and major fixes were rarely required following the game's release. Therefore, there was no constant feeling of pressure on the developers.
The Burden of the Modern Approach: Endless Corrections and Continuous Pressure
Today, the game industry has evolved towards the “game as a service” model. In this model, games are constantly updated, fixed and supported with new content, even after their release. According to Vermeil, this puts incredible pressure on developers. Even after the game's official release, developers are forced to grapple with bugs, prioritize fixes, and constantly release patches. This process creates permanent tension in teams, as modern games can take years to support.
Now the situation has changed dramatically – even after the official release, developers face an endless stream of bugs, the need to prioritize fixes, and constant pressure to release patches. Vermeil states that the process of supporting modern games can take years and creates permanent tension in teams.
A Moment from the Development of GTA: Keeping the Fun of the Game
The industry veteran also reminded an interesting fact from the development of the original GTA – the Rockstar team abandoned the idea of fining players who violated traffic rules, realizing that this would make the game less exciting. This example illustrates a fundamentally different approach to game creation in the past; decisions were made based on gameplay experience, not the constant need for post-release fixes.
The industry veteran also recalled an interesting fact from the development of the original GTA – the Rockstar team abandoned the idea of fining players who violated traffic rules, realizing that this would make the game less exciting. This example illustrates a fundamentally different approach to game creation in the past; decisions were made based on the gaming experience, not the constant need for post-release fixes.
