[pydave]

If you want to compete with AAA games then you may need AAA graphics, but the market is larger than that. Look at Re-Logic (Terraria), Supergiant (Hades), Megacrit (Slay the Spire), Klei (Don't Starve), Evil Empire (Dead Cells), Team Cherry (Hollow Knight). Many smaller studios make games at an entirely different level of production. And there even smaller levels of success below that.

The point of the article is to find success at smaller levels before aiming higher.

However, you're right that good-looking screenshots sell, but that's just good art and not exclusively AAA art.