Do you think it is possible for an independent game studio to reliably live off of the profits of single player AAA games? The fact that not a single one does, today, should speak volumes. It takes too much time to make an AAA today, compared to, say, the 1990s. The only companies that are producing the AAA games we like, either have established sources of income on the side, from a side business, or a successful microtransaction game, or are bankrolled by larger companies that sell consoles, hardware, and plus/gold subscriptions. I think everyone is seeking security from the danger of spending 5+ years developing the next big thing, only to have it not perform as well as needed and be in danger of folding.