Enter The Gungeon Creators Say Roguelikes Have Become 'Cash-Grabby'

"The most obvious thing that I see is a screen that pops up three choices every 45 seconds. That's changed. There was a time where the thought of being interrupted in the game and anything even remotely fast-paced would be seen as anathema to game design."

"Especially on the back of Vampire Survivors and , I think that it has gone a little bit...God, I don't want to be the person that says this, but a little cash-grabby. Because I think that what fundamentally makes those things fun is much more like a slot machine than the experience of playing."

Enter the Gungeon celebrated its tenth anniversary, prompting reflections on its legacy and the evolution of the roguelike genre. Developer Dave Crooks expressed disappointment with recent trends, noting that modern games often interrupt gameplay with choices reminiscent of slot machines. He attributes this shift to the influence of games like Vampire Survivors, suggesting that the focus has become more about cash-grabbing mechanics rather than the core fun of gameplay. Crooks contrasts this with earlier roguelikes that emphasized a different design philosophy.

Read at Kotaku