Capitalism provides incentive for the least amount of work with the highest margins which results in bad products. Yes, it doesn’t play a direct part in it maintaining popularity but the popularity isn’t the issue it’s the fact the bad game is still popular even though it’s bad. I’m not complaining that CoD is the same every year because to a point I get it but there’s a right way to make a sequel and they showed us with rebooting MW. Hell, Cold War had an amazing campaign so it’s not like the concept is alien, they just chose to push this specific game as a full title for the sake of greed and rather than consumers realize this and skip it, a majority seem blissfully ignorant to the shortfalls.
Skyrim did well despite dumbing down mechanics fans of the previous game loved because it appealed to the people that don’t need to think very hard. They just play. We got a worse game, made better through mods, because it appealed to more people and thus more profit. CD:PR made Cyberpunk which was a far cry and massive risk for them, despite being a big studio, and it eventually paid off. I don’t agree that big studios have to be shoehorned into pumping out the same bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon, they’re allowed to make french toast and maybe some bacon and the vegetarians will just have to skip it. The industry is like this because we’ve allowed it to be. Because people will buy dogshit games by a popular company because of the company, not the merits of the game.