Why are there no big name video games being released this month? Readers FeatureGameCentralPublished Nov 16, 2024, 1:00amFarming Simulator 25 so its come to this (Giants Software)A reader is shocked to realise how few triple-A games are being released in November, during what should be gamings busiest month.There are many things that seem broken about the video games industry at the moment but one of the complaints that I always find puzzling is that there are too many games being released. Not in the sense that I think there can never be too many but that I simply dont agree. By total number, if you count out all the lowest of the low rent indie games on Steam, maybe theres more but in terms of big name triple-A video games the ones people actually care about there are worryingly few.Since its just before Christmas, November is normally the biggest month for new game releases and yet the biggest multiformat launch this month is well, there isnt one. If you put a gun to my head, looking at the release schedule, I guess its either Farming Simulator 25 or Planet Coaster 2? If thats not scraping the bottom of the barrel, I dont know what is.There are a few format exclusives but theyre equally low tier: Nintendos least anticipated exclusive of the season in Mario & Luigi: Brothership, the poorly reviewed Lego Horizon Adventures, the not-really-a-game Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and the probably good but not very mainstream S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl.The worst thing is that apart from Assassins Creed Shadows, which was meant to be out in November, this isnt because of delays, this is simply all there is. [Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was also delayed GC]. In December theres Indiana Jones And The Great Circle another Xbox console exclusive that doesnt seem likely to sell very well and thats it for the entire year.Thats a miserable state of affairs and, for me, yet more proof that the people in charge of games companies are pretty much universally incompetent. Ive heard some suggestion that this is all a delayed result of the pandemic, which may be true to some degree but I imagine its simply because games take longer nowadays and things they thought were going to be finished in four or five years are now taking six or seven.Publishers talk about a lack of growth in the console market as if this is a surprise, but dont seem to draw any connection between the decline in the number of triple-A games being released and the fall in console sales and peoples general lack of interest in gaming over the last two years.PlayStation 5 console sales have dropped more than expected? Hey, maybe thats because youve gone 12 months without having a major new game? Xbox sales have been in the doldrums for the last two generations and you had to spend 10 gazillion dollars buying Activision Blizzard to compete? Hmm you know, I think I might know why that is.Oh, but that Switch is still selling well despite coming up to its eighth birthday? And Nintendo has been releasing a steady stream of well-received games, with three out this autumn? You know, it might just be that theres some kind of connection there.Imagine if the movie industry shutdown for two months in the middle of the summer and instead of the latest MCU film or Tom Cruise movie you got a bunch of indie stuff youve never heard of and a vague promise that something better might be out next year? That is the position the games industry is in at the moment and its pathetic.The people in charge of these companies have got to get a grip and realise that they are in the business of making video games and they are failing. Its not the poor developers actually creating the games that are at fault, but the idiot execs with their company bonuses who think the answer to every problem is to sack another 500 people.Heres an idea: maybe those 500 people couldve made you a new game instead, that you couldve sold at Christmas and made a profit from. Crazy idea, I know, but I think its worth giving a try.Planet Coaster 2 how is this one of the biggest games of the month? (Frontier Developments)By reader CranstonThe readers features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you wont need to send an email.MORE : My top 10 PlayStation video games of the last 30 years Readers FeatureMORE : As a parent I would be perfectly happy with banning GTA 5 - Reader's FeatureMORE : Why I don't think Starfield is a misunderstood gem - Reader's FeatureSign up to all the exclusive gaming content, latest releases before they're seen on the site.Privacy Policy This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.