Shadow of the Colossus designer Fumito Ueda believes the age of creating new game mechanics may be over

Fumito Ueda, the Japanese game designer known for his cult-classic masterpieces, Shadow of the Colossus, Ico, and The Last Guardian, developed in collaboration with Sony’s now-defunct Japan Studio, believes the age of game mechanics is over.

In an interview with Denfaminicogamer alongside Katamari Damacy’s creator Keita Takahashi, Ueda expressed his thoughts that the era of introducing new or novel game mechanics every year in video games is a thing of the past. In Ueda’s own words: “I felt we’re no longer in an age that demands brand-new mechanics every time. New devices, new mechanics–maybe that era is over.” 

Instead, Ueda believes that developers should focus on refining and polishing existing game mechanics that work, shifting most of their priorities to aspects that truly matter: aesthetic, art, and emotional resonance. Ueda further stated, “Even without original mechanics, you can hone the feel or the art… sharpening existing mechanics can be better.”

Ueda’s insight certainly holds weight as it seems the games industry is maturing, where polish and artistry take precedence over new game mechanics. A prominent example would be that of Claire Obscur: Expedition 33’s success, which relies on a classic, yet refined turn-based RPG system with real-time dodging and parrying mechanics incorporated, but captures the hearts of gamers with its earnest storytelling and unique art style.

On the other end of the spectrum, games like Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2 show that there’s still a place for innovative game mechanics, without restricting artistic freedom, that is.

As for Fumito Ueda, the game designer is currently working on “Project Robot,” which was revealed at The Game Awards 2024. Information has been tight-lipped surrounding the project, but so far, we know that Project Robot is in development at Tokyo-based studio, genDESIGN, and is being published by Epic Games. Project Robot is slated to be Ueda’s first release on Xbox, alongside PlayStation and PC.