The games industry isn’t half bad. Its a place where weird and wonderful ideas can thrive, and in some cases (we’re looking at you Fortnite) even take over the world. Yet, despite all of that bubbling, seemingly infinite potential, there’s something missing — and no, it’s not Half-Life 3.
In a recent interview with Game Informer, Ubisoft’s chief creative officer Serge Hascoet rather philosophically suggested the industry needs to find its soul before it can realize its true potential, and that for all the buzz around new technologies and experiences, games are still landing wide of the mark.
According to Hascoet, video games must become more than just chunks of pure entertainment. That’s not to say they shouldn’t be fun, or strive to tell engaging stories, but rather that players should be walking away with something more tangible once they’ve put their controller down.
“You know what is missing in this industry? A soul. Video games are about gaming, and gaming is not about entertainment, it’s about learning. When you learn, you have fun. But when we are just entertainment we are losing something,” he explained.
“I question the team about what real benefits the player will take away from the game for their real life. Right now, we don’t do enough in this area. This is what excites me, how to make something that lets you have the most fun while also having something beneficial for your life.”
For more musings from Hascoet, be sure to check out the full interview over on Game Informer.