Finding success in games 'is kind of a crap shoot' these days

"Game development -- whether AAA, mid-size, or small -- has always been the same big-size gamble. ...If your latest game doesn't do well that's probably the end of it for you no matter whether you're big or small."

- Dan Paladin, co-founder of The Behemoth Coming off the launch of their third title, Battleblock Theater, The Behemoth co-founders Dan Paladin and John Baez talk to GamesIndustry.biz about the next console generation -- and see the same uncertain waters as before. "We're definitely getting more options but I don't think we or anyone else will ever be 'stable,' per se," says Paladin. Baez shares the same outlook. "It is kind of a crap shoot," he says. "A big studio with a big budget and a well-reviewed game can still go bankrupt and a small four-man studio can crank out what looks like an unfinished game and make millions." "It is that kind of serendipity that will keep the industry moving forward," he adds. Baez and Paladin harbor their share of doubts that crowdfunding or digital distribution platforms will be a stabilizing influence on the market, either AAA or indie. What they do foresee is a rise in critical curation. "As more content becomes available you are going to see individuals who are not devs and maybe not working at hardware companies becoming the 'trusted source' of what is good out there in the mass of games," says Baez. "This will differ than just ratings or being a reviewer; I think it will become more like your favorite radio DJ."