Karak
Member
It's an ambiguous term for sure. Honestly, I think the best I can do is call it something that a lot of people are involved with both in production and consumption.
Is it fair to assume that we all know what we're talking about when we say AAA game, though? I mean, it is sort of vague but I think everyone understands it to mean something. XBLA/PSN stuff is wonderful and one of the best things about this gen, but there's a certain value attached to the distinction between what these are and what AAA retail games are.
Maybe it's that I feel like I could be playing these games on a phone or tablet device? Whereas those AAA retail games are giving me my money's worth for a console. Deep down it might have something to do with that.
It could totally be me. Totally. But when someone says AAA. I think more often of XBLA/PSN than the 4-5 major titles each year. I don't even get than many XBLA games but for some odd reason I think of it as a "whole hearted 100% concentrated work) and many studios have like 2-3 games at one time. I don't know its probably a dumb explanation. But its how I see it in my head you know.
Your last paragraph makes a hell of a lot of sense though.