How can a videogame be in development for 5+ years, but have up to date graphics when it releases?
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When you talk about “graphics” you’re actually referring to multiple aspects of the game that contribute to its visual appeal. A major component of that is [poly count](https://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/2486940-0248877224-ChsSw.png) and [texture quality](https://www.gamersnexus.net/images/media/2015/game-bench/blops-settings/blops-texture-comparison-2.jpg). The former is how detailed the 3D models are, the higher the poly count the better quality the model, more details, smoother edges etc. The latter is how detailed the textures are, textures are like a “skin” that wraps around the 3D model.
It’s easy to make high quality textures and models, usually the quality is reduced before shipping the final product so that the game performs well on average hardware at the time of release (or in the case of stagnant hardware eg. consoles, other techniques are used to optimise performance, allowing for better quality graphics). So you simply reduce the quality less if you want better quality on release, it’s all about balancing quality vs performance.
In some cases, other aspects like improved lighting effects, shading renderers can improve graphical quality with minimal effort by developers/artists. One of the main reasons to use a game engine for your game is that it makes it easier to take advantage of those improvements for minimal or sometimes zero effort. Or the improvements can simply be incorporated during the development lifecycle, it’s not like you’re stuck with whatever graphics features existed on day 1 of the project. In most cases the first several months or years of “development” you’re not writing a single line of production code, it’s all project planning, game design, storyboarding, maybe some artists creating concept art or a few assets, at best you might have a proof of concept mockup of the game.
There are also some advancements in graphics/game engines that cannot feasibly be incorporated into the game while it’s in development, and these simply don’t get used unless you want to scrap the whole game and start again (which has also happened). Because ultimately, you’re only competing against other games that also spent multiple years in development, so you’re all going to be lagging behind what the latest and greatest graphics technology has to offer. What you call a game having “up to date graphics” is simply graphics quality on par with competing products, even if the latest hardware is capable of more.
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