Overview
- Meghan Morgan Juinio, who recently left her role as director of product development at Sony’s Santa Monica Studio after a decade on God of War, argues the current blockbuster model cannot hold under present costs.
- She expects major publishers to add AA and single‑A initiatives alongside tentpoles rather than abandon series like God of War entirely.
- Her priority is “fun first,” saying investment at any scale is not justified if the core experience is not engaging, even if visuals and audio are award‑worthy.
- She points to widespread layoffs and high baseline expenses—particularly on the US West Coast—with reporting noting more than 45,000 industry job losses since 2022.
- Recent successes such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Peak, and Astro Bot illustrate the potential of smaller teams, though discoverability is a growing challenge; a lower‑budget side‑scrolling God of War is rumored but unconfirmed.