What's the real reason games are taking longer to make?

Game development timeframes are stretching due to rising quality expectations, not lack of asset creation speed. Developers interviewed identify increased complexity, photorealistic graphics requirements, and higher player standards as the true bottlenecks. While some industry figures suggest generative AI could accelerate production, experts counter that longer development cycles often produce better games by allowing teams to properly iterate, understand their audience, and refine gameplay rather than rushing to market.