The term Triple-A (AAA) originated in the late 90s when developers started using it at conferences.
The term Triple-A games (AAA) is used to describe a successful project developed with modern technologies, on which developers have spent millions of dollars to produce. In other words, we can think of it as blockbuster movies in the movie industry.
Developing a Triple-A game almost costs a fortune. The same can be said for any new Marvel movie. However, if all goes well, the expected profit as a result of the great effort will fully cover the money spent on the project.
Developers prefer to release their games on all known platforms such as PC, Playstation, Nintendo, Xbox in order to maximize profit rates. Of course, there are exclusive games that we can show as an exception, but since the games on that side are special, the balance of sales/profit is achieved.
How many people does it take to develop a Triple-A game?
Triple-A companies often assemble a large team to work on their projects. The answer to this question is entirely up to the company, but most companies need 500 to 1000+ people for a product, as they are outsourcing development at the same time.
Game development companies hire too many people because of the enormous complexity of the process. Each team contributes to development by working on a small part of the game.
What features make a game Triple-A?
All you can say about the Triple-A game is that big budgets need big profits. So understandably, companies won’t invest large amounts in a product unless they think they’ll be able to make a substantial profit from their efforts.
Many Triple-A games are aimed at large audiences and often feature different monetization methods such as micropayments or loot boxes. Naturally, these methods lead to different discussions.
Triple-A games don’t always create great experiences
There are certain reasons that separate Triple-A games from Indie games and result in bad experiences. So what we’re going to get out of here is that just because a game is under the Triple-A title doesn’t mean it’s perfect.
You will rarely see innovations
Companies don’t want to risk their money and try something new. Similarly, developers don’t want to take the risk of trying to introduce a new and unique gaming experience if they have profited from a project that is already running.
This is why many Triple-A franchises are similar to pre-existing projects. They use innovations only after concepts developed by small studios receive positive feedback.
These products can openly be boring
Due to the mentioned disadvantage, international companies such as EA Games continue to release their games from year to year, unfortunately, without making any changes in their structure. As a result, it is possible to see the same themes and mechanics used in multiple products.
Of course, these products remain popular year after year, but they also quickly bore their target audience due to less excitement.
What are the Triple-A alternative genres?
Indie games are a great alternative to the for-profit Triple-A games. Small companies can offer exciting events and in-depth character designs with seemingly lower-quality gameplay that will appeal to many players.
While a Triple-A game may not want to add new mechanics to their games, indie games focus entirely on player experience and new mechanics rather than graphic quality. If you are looking for a different production or genre, you can definitely check out the current indie games. You will be really surprised to see that the new mechanics you see in Triple-A games are found in indie games developed years ago.
