‘God of War’ Executive Wants to Shift Focus to Smaller Games
God of War Ragnarok’s director of product development, Meghan Morgan Juinio, is urging major publishers to move away from $100 million blockbusters and focus on smaller, more creative projects to stabilize the gaming industry. Speaking at Gamescom Asia 2025, she warned that the obsession with scale and spectacle has fueled layoffs, studio closures, and creative stagnation. Her comments arrive as indie and mid-tier hits redefine what makes a game successful.
Here’s the TL;DR...
AAA Fatigue: Juinio, former Santa Monica Studio exec, says blockbuster budgets are unsustainable for most studios.
Fun Over Flash: Players are numb to ultra-realistic visuals—they just want fun, replayable experiences.
Indie Momentum: Titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Balatro prove innovation thrives in smaller teams.
Course Correction: She calls for a long-term shift away from pandemic-era “quick win” strategies that destabilized the industry.
Who Is Meghan Morgan Juinio and What Role Did She Play in God of War?
Meghan Morgan Juinio served as the director of product development for God of War Ragnarok at Sony’s Santa Monica Studio, where she worked for more than a decade before departing in June 2025.
She oversaw large-scale releases that balanced technical mastery with storytelling depth, giving her unique insight into how AAA development pressures can strain teams and budgets.
What Did Meghan Morgan Juinio Say About Games Getting Too Large?
In her interview with Game Developer, Juinio warned that the industry’s fixation on ever-larger, riskier projects is causing widespread instability.
“I think there’s an opportunity right now for all of us, at any level, to really look at the strategic long-term view—and that might be five or ten years—[in order to course correct] because of the ‘seize the moment’ type decisions that came out of the pandemic.”
She emphasized the importance of “double-A and single-A” games—projects that offer strong creative identities without the burden of massive budgets. The post-pandemic rush for quick profits, she said, led to “identity crises” for many publishers who now struggle to adapt.
Why Do Players No Longer Care as Much About Graphics in Games?
According to Juinio, players have become “desensitized to beautiful graphics and scale” after years of high-budget spectacle.
Gamers crave connection and novelty—not just 4K textures and cinematic cutscenes. She noted that photorealism alone can’t carry a game, especially when development costs skyrocket and studios risk failure with each launch.
Smaller, more focused titles like Dave the Diver, Balatro, and Clair Obscur prove that engagement and art direction beats fidelity in keeping audiences invested.
What Is the Desire from Players for Games to Be Fun Again?
Juinio boiled her philosophy down to a simple truth:
“If a game isn’t fun, it doesn’t matter how pretty it is.”
She argued that studios must prioritize gameplay loops, charm, and replayability over scale. As fatigue from grind-heavy, 100-hour AAA games grows, the appetite for smaller, inventive projects has exploded.
Juinio remains optimistic about the industry’s future:
“I inherently believe in the power of creativity and innovation in our industry. Even if the powers that be structurally change or completely get upended, there is still a demand out there for great games.”
The Bottom Line
The gaming industry stands at a crossroads. With budgets ballooning and layoffs mounting, experts like Juinio believe scaling down may be the smartest move forward. Indie and mid-tier games are proving that creativity, not cost, keeps the medium alive.
If the next decade of gaming focuses on fun first and spectacle second, the future might just be sustainable—and a lot more exciting.
Hat Tips
Game Developer: Major Publishers Need to Diversify Beyond Triple-A
GameSpot: Big AAA Publishers Need To Make Smaller Games Too, Ex-God Of War Dev Says
IGN: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Sells 3.3 Million in 33 Days
Polygon: Despite Success, Clair Obscur Devs Plan To Stay Small
Kr-ASIA: How Balatro Became 2024’s Indie Darling
Rolling Stone: How One Person Created Balatro, the Year’s Best Game
Article compiled and edited by Derek Gibbs on October 18, 2025, for Clownfish TV D/REZZED.