Encumbrance: Gaming’s Weight Problem

While we’re used to the fundamental idea that we can’t or shouldn’t carry around everything the world has to offer in a role-playing game, and this helps to keep things grounded in realism, do we really need an encumbrance mechanic in our RPGs? Or should designers consider making inventory management a thing of the past? GameSpot’s Danny O’Dwyer addresses this very dilemma by analyzing how encumbrance is handled in Fallout 4 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in a new 11-minute video: