“Optimization” isn’t the same as “high fps”. Optimization is a game of priorities. Take the demo scene: these programs may be 64KB in size (on disk) but are capable of choking a 5090 to death.
This may just mean we get even worse performing titles, because the “quadruple-A” guys don’t give a fuck.
There’s some optimization I’d like to see on both the project planning level, and the game visuals level. Planning level, because paying 10 level designers to put together interesting ideas for a year might be a better use of $1mil than enlisting a celebrity to voice one character in your game. On the visuals level, making a game with an eye-catching, unique art style that serves the style of gameplay might work better than developing a game that makes nice screenshots but can only run on a 5090 and requires highlighting to point players to obvious gameplay elements because of all the detailed objects. (There’s a reason Doom and Quake have fans even in 2026)
Because of some comments, I’d like to add:
“Optimization” isn’t the same as “high fps”. Optimization is a game of priorities. Take the demo scene: these programs may be 64KB in size (on disk) but are capable of choking a 5090 to death.
This may just mean we get even worse performing titles, because the “quadruple-A” guys don’t give a fuck.
There’s some optimization I’d like to see on both the project planning level, and the game visuals level. Planning level, because paying 10 level designers to put together interesting ideas for a year might be a better use of $1mil than enlisting a celebrity to voice one character in your game. On the visuals level, making a game with an eye-catching, unique art style that serves the style of gameplay might work better than developing a game that makes nice screenshots but can only run on a 5090 and requires highlighting to point players to obvious gameplay elements because of all the detailed objects. (There’s a reason Doom and Quake have fans even in 2026)