Are AAA modern games too long?
Interesting story at Gamespot.com about whether modern AAA games are too long. I wholeheartedly agree. I just don't have the time these days to play a 40+ or even a 20+ hour game (although I will damn well try when Skyrim comes out in November). I would much rather play a shorter game like Uncharted that squeezes an amazing immersive experience into a 10-hour time frame. Red Dead Redemption, as incredible an experience as it was, went on for just too damn long. AAA games should ideally be open-world with a 10-hour main storyline and hundreds of side quests to revisit at a later date. I'm a big fan of indie games, with their whole "get in, get out" mentality of playing in short 5-10 minute bursts (ex. Super Meat Boy, Braid, and VVVVV).
"The likes of social and casual games, particularly the cheap games available on mobile, have changed the expectations of gamers, the panel concluded. By paying less money, there's less need to create 10 hour plus gaming experiences, because consumers no longer feel short-changed. This could be particularly beneficial for self-publishing indie developers, they said, who could charge less but gain a larger percentage of sales."