Recently, Radek Ratusznik, Game Director at One More Level (developer of Ghostrunner and Immortal Legacy), gave an interview discussing the current struggles facing the AA (mid-budget) game industry. Despite the phenomenal success of Light & Shadow: Expedition 33, which sold over 8 million copies and won Game of the Year at the 2025 Awards, it has not completely alleviated publishers' risk concerns regarding AA projects.
It is widely acknowledged in the industry that the skyrocketing development costs of AAA games are becoming increasingly unsustainable, positioning AA (mid-sized) projects as a key direction for the future. Titles like Hi-Fi Rush and Blood of Dawnwalkers have already proven that this segment can produce critically acclaimed commercial hits. However, on the investment side, most publishers still view AA games as high-risk ventures and remain reluctant to increase budgets or extend development cycles.
Ratusznik stated bluntly, "We need several more success stories like Expedition 33 to prove that publishers' entrenched perceptions are wrong; one blockbuster hit is far from enough. There are numerous studios out there capable of creating high-quality games without relying on massive budgets worth hundreds of millions of dollars."
Ratusznik also criticized some publishers for their unrealistic expectations, saying, "With our current technology, we can produce higher-quality games faster and potentially at lower costs. However, AA projects still require sufficient time for polishing and cannot be completed smoothly within just a year. Yet many publishers expect miracle-level product quality while aggressively compressing development timelines, placing immense pressure on mid-sized teams."
One More Level studio itself has experienced financing setbacks firsthand. Originally, Immortal Legacy was set to be published by Private Division, a subsidiary of Take-Two. When that division was later shut down, the project faced a publishing crisis before finally securing a new partner, Lyrical Games, to take over.
Ratusznik's remarks resonated within the overseas developer community. Many professionals from independent and mid-sized teams expressed that AA projects commonly face similar investment challenges.