Shams Jorjani, the chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios – the team behind Helldivers 2 – told GamesIndustry.biz at Gamescom that the video‑game sector is currently undergoing a profound transition. He argued that the tactics and assumptions that guided developers and publishers throughout the 2010s have lost their relevance in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace.
"There have been moments of doom‑and‑gloom, but overall the industry remains healthy," Jorjani said. "What has changed is the foundation of our expectations. The playbooks that guided us from 2010 to 2020 simply don’t work any longer.
The bottom line has vanished from every business case we once relied on. No one could guarantee a title’s sales, and the figures we once projected now need to be reduced to zero – that’s the new reality." He identified several forces 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, for example, highlighted the capabilities of studios from China and South Korea, underscoring a broader trend of Asian games gaining footholds in Western markets.
"For a decade there has been a steady influx of Asian companies into the West," Jorjani noted. "Now it’s reached a point where game after game from that region is making a real impact." China, in particular, appears to have arrived at a tipping point in terms of the quality and ambition of its output.
While the Chinese market remains heavily mobile‑centric – a factor that shapes design sensibilities – the speed at which new titles are produced is accelerating, a trend Jorjani attributes in part to artificial intelligence. "AI is speeding everything up," he explained. "More games are being released faster than ever before, and that rapid cadence is reshaping development pipelines across the globe." The CEO emphasized that AI is not just another hype cycle like virtual reality once was; it represents a structural change that will affect how games are made and marketed. He also highlighted a cultural divide in AI adoption.
In the West, developers wrestle with ethical questions, data‑ownership concerns, and artistic integrity, often debating whether AI should be allowed to train on existing content. In contrast, many Eastern studios appear less troubled by these issues, treating AI as a pragmatic tool that simply gets the job done.
"Western studios are experiencing an existential dilemma," Jorjani said. "As an artist, I’m torn between the creative connection we seek with players and the functional reality of code.
In the East, there’s little hesitation – they integrate AI without moral qualms because the priority is efficiency and output. The West will be slower to adopt, but the shift is inevitable." Beyond technology, Jorjani pointed out that the length of development cycles for AAA titles adds another layer of uncertainty. Large‑scale projects can span five or six years, involve multiple teams across different time zones, and require massive financial commitments. This reality has pushed many Western publishers to lean on established franchises rather than gamble on new intellectual property.
"When development cycles are long and the market is volatile, you need a safety net," he said. "Brand recognition is that safety net. Players know what they’re getting with a familiar name, which reduces risk. At the same time, the sheer volume of releases creates analysis paralysis – gamers are overwhelmed by choices.
A well‑known series cuts through that noise." He cited data from Steam Replay 2025 indicating that roughly 44 % of player hours were spent on titles between one and seven years old, reinforcing the idea that gamers gravitate toward familiar experiences rather than untested new IPs. Jorjani acknowledged that Arrowhead’s own success with Helldivers was partly luck and a distinctive "secret sauce" that made the game stand out.
Looking at other industry players, he mentioned companies such as Riot Games and Supercell, which often juggle multiple projects simultaneously. When one title becomes a breakout hit, the others can fade into obscurity. This dynamic, he argued, creates an opening for indie developers who can move more nimbly.
"Early validation is the key to success," Jorjani asserted. "The sooner you can show something to a real person and receive positive feedback, the quicker you know you’re on the right track and can iterate. Indie teams excel at this because their development cycles are short and they share progress openly – a single GIF can generate massive community response and guide the project forward." Arrowhead plans to apply this philosophy to its next venture.
The studio is taking cues from mobile developers who test concepts through ad creatives and measure which resonate most with audiences. Jorjani described a concrete plan: they will place an early prototype in the hands of a curated group of 100 Helldivers fans, then survey their preferences for related IPs and themes. "If those players love aliens, enjoy Helldivers, and react positively to our prototype, we know we’re hitting the right niche," he explained. "Conversely, if a control group likes Helldivers but not the alien angle, we can adjust our focus.
This kind of targeted, early‑stage testing is far more efficient than waiting years for broad market feedback." He concluded by urging the industry to abandon the old habit of keeping projects under wraps for extended periods and then unveiling a polished product in a grand splash. Instead, he advocated for continuous, transparent engagement with the community throughout development. "The old playbook of hiding your cards until the final reveal no longer works," Jorjani said.
"We need to involve players early, iterate based on real data, and let the market shape the final experience. Only then can we navigate the unpredictable landscape that AI, shifting regional dynamics, and longer development timelines have created."