Shawn Layden, a former PlayStation executive, made important statements about the future of game graphics, stating that they have reached their limit. Layden stated that photorealism has become the standard, but that this has driven costs to an unsustainable point.

Have game graphics reached their limit?

Speaking at a recent event, Layden emphasized that visual advancements in the gaming world have slowed. He noted that the revolutionary difference seen in the transition from PS1 to PS2 hasn’t been experienced in the transition from PS4 to PS5. He stated that it no longer makes sense for developers to pursue “more polygons.”

According to Layden, the pursuit of photorealism has driven development costs to astronomical levels. He stated that this poses a significant risk for small and medium-sized studios. He added that high costs are one of the main reasons for major consolidations (mergers and acquisitions) in the industry.

The experienced executive argued that the graphical leap forward should be replaced by other areas. He believes that future innovations will be driven by smarter artificial intelligence (AI), advanced physics engines, and more realistically behaving NPCs (non-player characters).

Layden stated that the current generation of consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X) has reached visual saturation. Therefore, he doesn’t expect a major graphical leap forward in the next console generation, but rather believes that existing technologies will be used more efficiently.

So, what are your thoughts on the future of game graphics? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!