Shawn Layden Calls for Mid-Budget AA Comeback on PlayStation

Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden says today’s game industry is “unsustainable” and is trying to find a way back to the kinds of mid-budget titles that defined the PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 era—games he describes as “wacky,” varied, and easier for players to try.

Layden criticizes modern development incentives

In an interview published on July 23 with Eurogamer, Layden argued that current development economics push studios toward the same kinds of projects, making it harder to fund riskier ideas.

He pointed to “ballooning” budgets in recent years as a key sign the current approach doesn’t hold up.
Layden said publishers and investors increasingly require triple-digit-million funding, which he claims often forces games to be sequels or to rely on recognizable brands and comparisons—examples he gave included franchises and games positioned as “just like” major hits.
He contrasted this with the PS1/PS2 period, when the industry supported more unusual experiments.

Why PS1/PS2 games were “quirky”

Layden attributed the variety of PS1 and PS2 output to different incentives at the time and to players being less separated into rigid communities.

He said the PS1/PS2 era produced more “wacky” games because players were more willing to try new experiences.
He described today’s situation as “siloed” audiences—for instance, players strongly associated with one franchise may be less likely to sample games outside their usual interests.

A goal to serve the underserved AA market

Layden said he wants to address that problem by supporting an “underserved AA market,” and he framed it as both a consumer and developer opportunity.

He said players want access to this kind of content, and developers want a path back to it.
Layden described his approach as building a “publishing concern” aimed at giving AA teams a better chance to survive in a “succeed-or-die” industry.

Shorter games and “finishing” as a design target

Beyond budget and audience behavior, Layden also discussed game length—specifically how games from the PS1/PS2 era felt more finishable.

Friends of his, as reported in the interview, told him they “miss the days” of being able to complete a game.
He said modern titles can feel like enormous time commitments—likened to “1000-hour affairs” or second jobs.
Layden said he wants the industry to revisit both what teams want to build and who they are building it for.

He also broke down audience timing by age, saying that when the average gamer was between 16 and 24, they were “time-rich and money-poor,” while players between 28 and 32 may be “time-poor” even if they have more money. Layden said the industry should factor that in moving forward.