Dreams developer Media Molecule has said they’re going to lose their Curation Support. Due to recent layoffs, they’re getting rid of the team that handles content curation in Spring 2024. This means they’ll stop updating the DreamSurfing playlist and holding DreamShaping creation workshops in mid-April. Even still, they’re denying any thinking that the game will soon be offline.
Media Molecule is making changes to Dreams as part of a larger plan to make it more self-sustaining. Instead of curated content, discoverability will rely on new playlists driven by tags such as “horror” or “music,” and an improved Recommender system. These tools will analyze players’ activity to suggest creations they might like. The goal is to help filter new creations to players and ensure that creators can reach the right audience for their work.
Many existing features will continue to be available to support community-driven discovery. These include sections like Dreams by Genre, Featured Playlists Archive, and Community Events. In addition, the “Play Later” queue, a popular bookmarking feature, will be reinstated on the front page of DreamSurfing. Media Molecule has also confirmed that there are no plans to take Dreams offline.
In other words, they’re not making enough to justify keeping a team like that, so they have to lose them. Don’t get me wrong, I bought the game and thought it was great, but I never expected it to last as long as it did. Dreams still being online is impressive, but it’s hard to imagine it will always be online, especially with the layoffs.
In a blog post, the developer said that they know the past year has been tough for both the studio and the Dreams community. Despite these challenges, they are hopeful that Dreams can remain a space for creativity and expression. The absence of a dedicated curation team could result in a shift in the type of content players encounter. However, Media Molecule is counting on an improved recommendation system and the solidarity of the Dreams community to help players discover new and thrilling experiences.
It’s hard to watch Media Molecule take these hits because I remember how untouchable they seemed by LittleBigPlanet 2. However, since the game isn’t live service – and probably couldn’t justify live service features – it’s hard to determine how they make enough money to sustain themselves. I really hope the best for Media Molecule, like a new game or something, but it feels like we’re watching a sinking ship.
While these changes can be seen as moves towards a less centralized approach, Media Molecule has been adamant in maintaining Dreams and supporting its active player base. We hope that pays off in a big way eventually.
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