High Costs

This thread on the IGDA forums got me thinking about the costs of developing games.  Because so much effort is placed on original engines and other technology related aspects, almost every game that comes out uses a completely different set of technology from every other.  It's the equivalent of refurbishing the cinema every time they want to show a new film.
 
Costs are in danger of spiralling out of control so that very few games actually make a profit for their creators.  The small game developer struggles to stay in business because sales figures that would have been profitable five years ago no longer are.  Publishers seem to have a stranglehold on what appears on the shelves.  So what does this say to me?
 
I believe that the time has come to emphasise game content over technological innovation.  Do I really care if this new game is squeezing ten percent more polygons onto the screen when the gameplay is sparse or poorly implemented?  Do I care about the special effects if the characters are unrealistic and animate badly?
 
The only way to develop games that have a chance of being profitable is to cut out the cycle of constant technological innovation and create games which can re-use resources, tools, engines, etc.  Games should be developed along the lines of successful TV series and come out more regularly and not have to wait for five years of technology and hype.