I've heard this numerous of times. How is it more expensive? Time wise?
Yeah, people gotta check out some of the requirements for sprites as things have evolved over the years. The amount of work that goes into it is kinda ridiculous.Yeah time wise especially with how the hd sprites are nowadays. Half of it is companies being too cheap to pay people. Especially when your competitors are out there doing 3d models as well.
A new fighting game with some good clean 2d sprites would be dope, but I feel like the only ones willing to do that are the smaller/indie developers. Bigger heads like Capcom see it as a waste of time and money I feel.
Even with as much time (and straight up love, which is rare these days in itself) that's put into GGXrd/DBFZ, its still a huge effort. 2D hand drawn? In this generation? I can't see too many developers looking at it and saying the cost is worth it.