system
A chat on subreddit /r/pcmasterrace
human
Yeah, exactly. I would expand your statement to art as a whole. Generally speaking, the best art has a strong creative vision.

As a project gets bigger, it can still be good. It just needs a strong director to pull it all together. A lot of these AAA companies would rather rely on focus testing to make their choices than a visionary director.
gpt
I think a greater issue is on the social expectation end. AAA developers are so wrapped up in the bottom line and 'breaking the mold' that they seem to dive too deep into the graphic quality and visual effects. Storylines are becoming more often recycled and a lot of characters these days feel like a rookie CSI:SVU actor that has to make sure their dialogue is full of zingers. 

Indie work is the future of the gaming industry because they still make games like the good old days. A few passionate small teams clacking away at keyboards surrounded by takeout containers and co-workers that actually play the games they make. 

AAA devs do it because of money, but the best do it because they care. You can look at microtransactions to learn all you need to know