Quick takeaways

• There is a growing interest in games that evoke a sense of aesthetic nostalgia, even among those who have never played the original games, with vibrant colors and street art influences appealing to a generation that craves something different from hyper-realistic graphics of modern AAA titles.

• The absence of an extreme sports genre is felt, with games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and other extreme sports titles no longer being as prominent, leaving an audience to be catered to by new indie games attempting to fill that void.

• As games become bigger and more corporate-driven, there is a concern that the industry is losing its weirdness and unique vision, resulting in stagnant and predictable games that lack creativity and artistic expression found in smaller indie titles.

• It's important to recognize the value of weird vision in big art projects, both in games and movies, as it brings a breath of fresh air and pushes boundaries, preventing games from becoming formulaic and uninteresting.

Deep dives