They’re being eased in through more and more streamlined entries with each passing year. This new audience of gamers didn’t materialize out of thin air and suddenly understand the complexities of yore. It certainly makes sense from a business standpoint. Franchises like Thief, Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls that used to mean something have abandoned old school free-form design principles in favor of catering to a broader demographic. That shift chiefly consists of simplifying games to facilitate a new audience. The mainstream penetration of gaming as an industry has lead to a massive shift in priorities for most Triple-A developers and publishers. Franchises that built their legacy on freedom of expression including Interplay’s Fallout have become hollow shells of their former selves. Industry veteran, Warren Spector’s, sentiment hits even harder nowadays with the seventh and eighth generation of consoles giving rise to some of the most restrictive experiences the industry has known since the introduction of 3D gaming. This creative vision for the medium’s interactivity and its role in shaping unique experiences is the cornerstone of the immersive sim. Games are dialogues – and dialogue requires both parties to take the floor once in a while” If you want to tell people things, write a book or make a movie. Both these games are laser focused in their approach to game design, providing true freedom without the artificial progression barriers emblematic of contemporary triple-A game design. Deus Ex: MankindDivided and Prey are shining examples of this complex genre in an industry so far removed from the creative spark the industry once thrived in.