Amy Hennig Has a Major Issue With Red Dead Redemption and God of War That’s Killing Single-Player Games
Remember the last time you started an epic single-player game, only to have it sit in your backlog months later, that final mission forever untouched? Well, you’re not alone. In fact, according to former Naughty Dog creative director Amy Hennig, this might be a bigger problem than we realize.
The veteran developer behind the Uncharted series has some strong opinions about how modern games like Red Dead Redemption and God of War approach storytelling. And let’s just say, she’s not exactly thrilled about the fact that most of us never see how these epic tales end.
It’s a bit like buying a movie ticket and walking out halfway through, or picking up a book you’ll never finish. Except in this case, we’re talking about games that cost millions to make and take years of our lives to maybe, possibly, hopefully complete.
Amy Hennig’s “Counterintuitive” Take on Modern Gaming
In a candid interview with GamesBeat, Hennig expressed an opinion that might make you rethink your gaming habits. You know that massive open-world game you’ve been chipping away at for the past six months? Turns out you’re part of a rather interesting statistic:
Yes, you can look at Spider-Man and Red Dead and God of War, and they’re deeply narrative. But they’re also really long. There’s also an understanding that a lot of people may never finish it. They’ll only play the first part of a game.
Now, here’s where it gets wild. Take Red Dead Redemption 2, for example. Only about 20% of players have actually finished Arthur Morgan’s story. That’s like three out of four people never knowing if he ever managed to find some goddamn faith (sorry, Dutch).
This bothers Hennig, and honestly, it should bother us too:
That just makes me crazy, as a storyteller. That’s like saying I’m going to write a book and expect nobody to finish reading it, or make a movie and expect people to walk out halfway through. It’s counterintuitive to wanting to tell a good story and craft it for people.
It’s a fair point that hits at the heart of modern game design. When developers spend years crafting intricate storylines and emotional character arcs, only to have more than three-quarters of players drop off before the big finale, something’s clearly not working. It’s like preparing an elaborate five-course meal, knowing most of your guests will leave after the appetizer.
When Games Become Too Epic for Their Own Good
We all love a good 100-hour epic. There’s something magical about losing yourself in a vast open world, tackling side quests, and slowly building up your character’s skill tree. But as Hennig points out, all these extras might be getting in the way of what matters most:
The length and complexity and the layers that are in these games now, sub-missions and skill trees, all these things are great. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have them. But it makes it harder.
Think about it. How many times have you gotten distracted by a random side activity in God of War, only to forget where you were in the main story? Or spent weeks hunting perfect pelts in RDR2, while Dutch’s grand plan gathered dust in your quest log?
It’s not that these features are bad—who doesn’t love a good fishing mini-game? But when your epic tale of redemption keeps getting interrupted by the urgent need to collect 900 Korok seeds, maybe something’s got to give.
This disconnect has led to an interesting split in the gaming industry. On one side, we have massive blockbusters promising hundreds of hours of content that most players will never see.
On the other, we’re seeing developers like Annapurna Interactive focus on shorter, more focused experiences that prioritize getting players to the end credits. And while these smaller games might not take years to complete, they’re at least telling stories that players are actually finishing.
What do you think? Are modern games too long for their own good? Have you ever abandoned a game right before the final act? Share your gaming confessions in the comments below!
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