Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden recently shared his thoughts on the growing trend of overly long games in the industry—and he’s not a fan. Speaking with Player Driven, Layden emphasized that time, not price, is the most valuable currency for modern gamers.
He believes stretching a game’s length just to seem more appealing misses the point.
“As we get older, life fills up with work, family, and responsibilities,” Layden said. “Games shouldn’t be trying to compete with that.”
“I don’t want you to spend 100 hours on my games,” he explained. “I want you to put the controller down after 20 hours, heart racing and hands sweaty.”
Layden also applauded Astro Bot—released for PS5 in 2024—for using the console’s full capabilities without overwhelming the player. He praised Team Asobi’s smart use of technology, saying they focused on crafting polished and memorable levels rather than bloated experiences.
Reflecting on the broader industry, Layden shared his concern about the loss of a once-common gaming element: “It feels like we’ve lost the sense of closure in some games over the past seven years.”
PlayStation Games are Too Long
It’s also worth pointing out that Shawn Layden’s criticism isn’t just aimed at third-party titles—it hits close to home for PlayStation as well. Several major Sony exclusives, like The Last of Us Part II and God of War Ragnarök, have been called out for feeling noticeably longer than their predecessors, sometimes to the detriment of pacing and player engagement.
Other titles, such as Ghost of Tsushima, Rise of the Ronin, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, also pack in so much side content and post-game objectives that players can feel overwhelmed. What starts as a fun journey can become a checklist of exhausting tasks for those who want to see everything the game offers.
This all fuels a broader conversation about what players want from their games—and what the industry expects from them. With many titles launching at $70 (and sometimes more), developers are increasingly pressured to justify that price tag with longer playtimes. But as Layden suggests, length isn’t always the best measure of value. Maybe it’s time for the gaming world to strike a better balance between depth, quality, and the precious time players have to give.
