Shams Jorjani, the chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios—the studio behind Helldivers 2—recently told GamesIndustry.biz at Gamescom that the video‑game sector is undergoing a profound transition. He explained that the formulas and playbooks that guided developers and publishers throughout the 2010s have largely lost their relevance in today’s market. "Sometimes you hear doom‑and‑gloom narratives, but overall the industry is healthy," Jorjani said.
"What’s changed is that the assumptions we built our business cases on have been upended. The playbooks that worked from 2010 to 2020 simply don’t apply any longer. The bottom line of every financial model has been stripped away.
No one could guarantee a game would sell a certain number of copies, and now that target is effectively zero. That’s the reality we face." Several forces are driving this shift. One of the most visible is the continued rise of developers from the Asia‑Pacific region.
This year’s Gamescom Opening Night Live highlighted the capabilities of studios from China and South Korea, underscoring a trend that Jorjani says has been building for a decade but is now reaching a tipping point. "There’s always been a gradual influx of Asian games and companies into Western markets," he noted. "Now it’s happening game after game, and the quality is catching up fast." China, in particular, has arrived at a critical juncture in terms of the sophistication of its titles.
Jorjani observed that while the Chinese market remains heavily mobile‑centric—shaping the design sensibilities of its developers—the overall production pipeline is accelerating. "AI is speeding this up even more, because games are being churned out at an ever‑faster pace across the globe," he explained.
Artificial intelligence, Jorjani argued, adds a layer of unpredictability that makes long‑term forecasting especially tricky. He contrasted the adoption of AI in the West with that in the East. In Western studios, the conversation often revolves around ethics, data ownership, and artistic integrity. In contrast, many Eastern developers appear less concerned with those issues, treating AI as a straightforward tool to increase efficiency.
"In the West, developers are experiencing an existential crisis," Jorjani said. "We’re artists trying to connect with people, and when you turn art into code, the conversation shifts.
The West will adopt AI more slowly, but the uptake is inevitable." Beyond AI, another major challenge is the length of development cycles for AAA titles. Large‑scale projects can span five to six years and involve multiple teams spread across time zones. This reality has pushed many Western publishers to lean on established franchises rather than gamble on new intellectual property. Jorjani explained that when development timelines are long, studios need a safety net: brand recognition.
"If you have a well‑known name, you reduce risk because players know what to expect," he said. "When you’re faced with a flood of new releases, you get analysis paralysis. A familiar brand like Worms gives you a clear expectation, even if you’re not sure how innovative it will be." Data supports this cautious approach. Steam’s 2025 replay statistics show that roughly 44 % of player time is spent on games that are between one and seven years old, and half of all titles played on the platform are older than 18 months.
While there is vocal demand for fresh experiences, actual purchasing behavior leans toward remakes and sequels. Arrowhead’s own success with Helldivers was, Jorjani admitted, a blend of luck and a “secret sauce” that made the game instantly recognizable while still feeling unique. He pointed to companies such as Riot Games and Supercell as examples of studios that juggle multiple projects simultaneously; a single blockbuster can eclipse several other titles in development. This dynamic, he believes, creates a strategic opening for indie developers.
"The secret sauce for any hit game is early validation," Jorjani asserted. "The sooner you can show something to a real player and get positive feedback, the better you can iterate. That’s the strength of software development." Indie studios often operate on much shorter cycles and share progress openly—posting GIFs, short videos, or early builds to gauge community reaction.
Jorjani cited Tiny Glade as a case study: early GIFs of the game went viral, building momentum week after week, whereas a four‑year AAA cycle forces marketing to wait until the product is finished. Early validation, therefore, becomes a competitive advantage. Arrowhead intends to embed this philosophy into its next project.
The studio is borrowing tactics from mobile developers, who routinely test concepts through ads and measure which resonate most with users. Jorjani described a concrete plan: "We’ll put the prototype in the hands of about a hundred Helldivers fans right away. Then we’ll ask them about their favorite IPs and genres.
If they love aliens and enjoy Helldivers, we know we’re hitting the right niche. If they like Helldivers but not the alien theme, that tells us to adjust.
This early, targeted feedback loop is far more valuable than waiting two years for broad user testing." He concluded with a call to abandon outdated playbooks: "You have to stop keeping your cards close to your chest for years and then trying to dazzle everyone at launch. The industry has changed, and the only way to thrive is to adapt quickly, validate early, and embrace the new tools and talent pools that are emerging worldwide."