Todd Howard Advocates for the Extended Span of Video Games

Despite the influx of exciting new games this year, finding time to play them all can be challenging. The idea of opting for shorter game experiences is currently under debate. However, Todd Howard, the creator of Starfield, advocates for longer gameplay durations.

In an interview with the BBC, Howard defended lengthy games, stating, "From my experience, players tend to stick with one game for an extended period rather than switching to a new one frequently. Even if they only devote 10 or 20 hours to finish the main storyline, the exposure to alternate choices enhances their appreciation of the story."

Various early access players suggest blitzing Starfield's main story and then leisurely exploring on New Game+. Despite not explicitly encouraging this approach, Howard asserts delving deeper into the game enhances user engagement.

He elaborated, "Options keep the game captivating. One puts the game down, thinking about the next opportunity to resume play. The distraction from in-game choices that eat up hours is when I feel pleased about the game I created. The development process often feels chaotic, but seeing playtests unexpectedly extend into hours indicates things are beginning to come together."